Vanda falcata 御城覆輪 (Gojou-fukurin)

[naoki]

This is an old variety (collected about 150 years ago from Matsusaka castle of Mie Prefecture), and it is also a good grower. So it is widely available and considered to be a beginner variety of Vanda (Neofinetia) falcata. But I think it gives me an impression of somewhat masculine beauty. It is probably coming from the fairly straight leaves standing up like swords.

It is supposed to have white fukurin (marginal variegation), but it seems that the color is somewhat influenced by the culture. I heard that more light makes it yellower; i.e., closer to the derived variety, 天恵覆輪 (Tenkei-fukurin), which has yellow fukurin.

A link to my Orchid Borealis blog post, where I translated information about the origin from a Japanese book.

 

[TyroneGenade]

I must have one.

My Kibana arrived today from Seed Engei. Great service from them.

These Neos are more addictive than the average orchid. Save yourselves! Don't buy any... Leave them all to me!

More seriously: very well grown plant. You deserve a CCM.

 

[abax]

Naoki, that's one beautiful, well grown plant.
This lovely deserves an award of the highest
honor. Your success with unusual plants keeps
me in awe of your ability. Educates me too.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Very nicely flowered!

 

[Stone]

Beautiful. Any chance of setting a pod naoki? The seedlings from your Leptotes pohlitinocoi are almost flowering size!)

 

[NYEric]

Nice. Are those leaves typical? I think these (Neos.) are the hardest family for me to grow. I have killed every one I have tried, really quickly! Thanks for sharing.

 

[naoki]

Tyrone, yes, it costs lots of money if you start to collect them!

Mike, that's cool, I'm looking forward to seeing photos of flowers soon! I would cross it, but when I checked my book, it has near 0% chance to inherit the trait with Gojou-fukurin. Fukurin-type (marginal variegation) usually can't be passed on through seed propagation. Is it difficult to get them in Australia? I think there is a Korean vendor who can ship legally. But with the stricter standard in Australia, I'm not sure if he can do it.

Eric, the typical (wild-type) leaves are pure green, but there are fair number of varieties with marginal variegation (fukurin). For this variety, it is supposed to be white fukurin, but the older leaves of mine is more creamy. After reading a bit more, it seems to happen with stronger light. Did you try easier varieties? Maybe something derived from Amami island, which is probably better in warmer, indoor growing? Did you try with quick drying media or mounting? The roots seem to die easily if they are too moist. Mine dries in 1-2 days. They do prefer lots of light (if it isn't too hot).

 

[Stone]

naoki, post: 671726,
Mike, that's cool, I'm looking forward to seeing photos of flowers soon! I would cross it, but when I checked my book, it has near 0% chance to inherit the trait with Gojou-fukurin. Fukurin-type (marginal variegation) usually can't be passed on through seed propagation. Is it difficult to get them in Australia? I think there is a Korean vendor who can ship legally. But with the stricter standard in Australia, I'm not sure if he can do it.

Naoki, no chance of getting plants here - not for me anyway. Don't cross it, self it. I know the chances of getting variegated plants if very low but not zero. I recently crossed 2 variegated Dend moniliforme and so far have one variegated plant from 3 flaskes (about 60 plants) If you feel you could do it I would be willing to try getting them to the lab to see what happens. Any seed from any variegated falcata would be welcomed with open arms!
As an aside, I have one plant (green) probably from Amami (??) that is in a basket and is about 2 feet across and maybe one foot high with hundreds of growths and probably 30 years old. It has never flowered so now my attention turns to the bonfire...

 

[Ozpaph]

very nicely grown and flowered

 

[naoki]

I asked Okheon An (http://shop2.barampung2.cafe24.com), and they don't ship to Australia unfortunately.

OK, I'll try to self some of them for you, Mike. The table of the book said that the probability of getting one from Gojou-fukurin is 0% category, though (they had another category of around 10%, but it wasn't the case for Gojou-fukurin). Torafu (tiger-stripes) has fairly high rate of transmission. I'll see what I have in flower. When you are distributing them (if you do), make sure to label them properly (x self etc). People don't like it when breeders improperly label the seed-propagated ones as the original. Quite a lot of them were labelled without paying attention to this aspect (some of mines are so, too). Are you interested in flower color varieties, too? I think I have Hisui (green flower, most likely seed-propagated) in flower.

Amami is a pretty warm area. But I wonder if it will flower if you let them experience a bit of winter. I think the winter min/max is around 10/16C. Also it is fairly moist all year long, but did you try to cut water in the winter?

 

[Stone]

I asked Okheon An (http://shop2.barampung2.cafe24.com), and they don't ship to Australia unfortunately.

OK, I'll try to self some of them for you, Mike. The table of the book said that the probability of getting one from Gojou-fukurin is 0% category, though (they had another category of around 10%, but it wasn't the case for Gojou-fukurin). Torafu (tiger-stripes) has fairly high rate of transmission. I'll see what I have in flower. When you are distributing them (if you do), make sure to label them properly (x self etc). People don't like it when breeders improperly label the seed-propagated ones as the original. Quite a lot of them were labelled without paying attention to this aspect (some of mines are so, too). Are you interested in flower color varieties, too? I think I have Hisui (green flower, most likely seed-propagated) in flower.

Amami is a pretty warm area. But I wonder if it will flower if you let them experience a bit of winter. I think the winter min/max is around 10/16C. Also it is fairly moist all year long, but did you try to cut water in the winter?

Thanks Naoki, I would appreciate any flower colour form and any variegated leaf combination. As for the labels, I would never pass on something as being true to name unless it is a division of the original.
With variegated plant seed, if it turns out green, it would probably be more confusing to name them anything other than the species.
With the non-flowering plant, I have grown it both warm (min 15) and cold usually with water through the year whenever it was dry. Now it just hangs in the shade house where it gets rain all winter and temps down to 5C. I might take a piece off it and try it a different way.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Japanese plant names should not be considered the same as western clonal varieties IMO. Think of them more as "categories" of a type. There are many exceptions, for example V. falcata "Seikai" is always what it is said to be, though there may be look-alikes that are derived from crosses with other forms.

Plants of V. falcata derived from seed cannot be considered "the same" as the parent, even if they "come true" from seed. An example would be seedlings from a Manjushage selfing - they may look like the parent, but they are not the original. The original plant is one of a kind, and can only be reproduced through division (to my knowledge they have not been widely meristemmed, if at all). Since all marginally variegated forms of this species do not come true from seed, they are necessarily all divisions of the original plant, or are impostors. In the case of seedlings from a selfed named plant, they are properly labeled as "seedlings of So-And-So", however to call them So-And-So is misleading, but happens all the time. Reliable dealers will let you know this before you buy them. The original plants are as a rule far more rare, and also generally more expensive.

Mike, I'd "abuse" your plant more during the winter rest if you can - more light, less water, colder conditions, less humidity, NO fertilizer... all may help in getting it to flower. Now it sounds like an over pampered plant, and based on the beautiful plants you grow, I can believe that! Put it outside in the elements and give it a good kick once in a while