April 9, 2009
Welcome to the Paphiness Orchids Orchid Zone Report!
As you may know, I have the good fortune of living close to the world-famous Orchid Zone and visit regularly. OZ is a giant orchid factory, and reminds me of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory (except OZ makes orchids, which are more important than chocolate). You always find something novel, interesting, and exciting at OZ with new crosses of species and hybrids coming into bloom all the time. It is a spectacular place, and I welcome the opportunity to keep all of Paphiness Orchids clients in the know about the latest plants from the Zone.
NEXT VISIT TO OZ: around the end of April 2009
If you're interested in getting something from OZ, please read our Orchid Zone Plant Pick-ups Policies and Guidelines
We've just put out a new Paphiness Orchids price list, available here. If you'd like to be notified of our latest exciting plants and flasks, please email us at orchids@paphinessorchids.com. We hope to have our main website, www.paphinessorchids.com, updated soon...
All prices below are estimates.
The pictures you see below have been reduced in size, so if you want larger/high-resolution versions, please email me.
CONTACT: orchids@paphinessorchids.com, phone: 408-257-7095 (Please leave a message) (NB: This number will change soon)
1) emersonii
Many plants of the FJ cross are still spiking. Yes, I know, that's what I said last month. Well, what do you expect from this slow-growing (but highly desirable) species?
Fewer than 10 have bloomed out so far (that I've seen), many more yet to come. As you know, emersonii grows at a glacial pace, so we can expect these plants to continue take their own sweet time for quite awhile longer. These emersonii will start at $125 IN BLOOM. Some plants which did not bloom out so well may be had for $60; so if you're interested in perfecting your growing skills on a mature plant, this is an excellent opportunity.
2) vietnamense
On this trip, I did not see any of these in bloom like I did in early March, so they might have been sold, or just moved. (Hopefully the latter). I got one for a client of mine which was really stellar. It was so symmetric, and the pouch so dark, I was kicking myself for not keeping it for myself! Prices on these will likely range between $75 - ??? for in-bloom plants. Several of you have asked to get a stud-quality plant, so I've started a list of people who are looking.
3) delenatii & delenatii alba
These have been blooming over the past several weeks. Some very nice normal delenatii's, and also some albas. I expect to see a good deal more in next month or so. Prices on normal color ones will run (I'm estimating, as usual) between $50 - $150. Albas will be higher, probably starting at $125 and go up from there. TR may decide to make me a deal, especially on the albas, so if you're looking for something that might be great but might not have such a great blooming this season, let me know.
4) hirsutissimum
Not a species you see all the time, and much less rarely do you see LARGE plants. But that is the only kind I've ever really seen at OZ (both hirsutissimum and esquirolei) -- large plants with many, many growths. They are in bloom now, and very nice. Much better to buy these big rather than as seedlings since they can be so slow, and definitely finicky to flower. Probably the bigger the plant, the better it feels about flowering.
If you are interested, please let me know, and I'll inquire. Estimated price -- $200 - $300 range. But who knows, there may be some that Terry will offer for less...
5) boxallii, gratrixianum
Plants from this grouping seem to be in bloom here and there. I estimate that they will start at $100 or so, but that would likely be plants with multiple growths.
6) besseae
As always, many in bloom, many of them select. I recently acquired some very nice ones for other clients in the $125 range.
If you're interested in the peach/salmon colored besseaes, I've seen some here and there as well. A non-select one will run about $40, while one with excellent form and size will run between $125 - $150. I was able to get an excellent one for a client last time, and I'm sure there will be more.
7) besseae var. flavum
They are in bloom here and there in OZ. TR does not often release these. I was able to get one for a client on my last trip. If you REALLY REALLY want one, you'll need to be patient and wait for an availability window... I suggest leaving a standing order with me so that I can get one when TR is willing to sell. Be prepared to spend between $200 to $300.
Besseae Practice Pack
For those of you who WANT a top besseae plant, but are still struggling to grow them well, here's a suggestion: get a besseae Practice Pack. We're offering these at $57 for a pack of three plants (probably in spike or bloom), so you can develop your besseae growing abilities on cheaper plants, so you'll be ready to grow a truly exceptional plant!
Shipping will be bare root at $6.50.
A word about flower quality: these plants have been made available because they do not meet OZ flower quality standards. Here is where the adage "one man's trash is another man's treasure" DEFINITELY applies. Some of these plants have dinged up flowers because someone bumped them, or they didn't grow as big as they could have because the worker didn't pot them well or some NON-GENETIC reason. Some of these have fantastic form and color, and could be contenders if they are grown out properly. So not only can you perfect your besseae growing skills, you might also grow up an outstanding, awardable specimen!
On the other hand, there are many roth seedlings available. These seedlings derive from the best of the best of the progeny from the'Rex' x 'Mont Millais' group, 'Rex' x 'Nan Chou', as well as other highly select plants Terry keeps for breeding. Many people think that the 'Rex' x 'MM' plants that got the FCC's are the best of that crop. WRONG! (and that's a good thing for all of us!). The greatest breeders keep their greatest plants in reserve -- submitting for judging could actually lower their value, especially if you get a bad score because of bad judges. (Ahem... I won't enter into my usual tirade on this point.)
In any case, the very best of the roths that OZ produced have been bred, and their progeny are being released. Here's a rundown:
a) Z7071 'Mighty' x 'Red Baron'
'Mighty' is from the 'Rex' x 'MM' cross. I believe it bloomed later than its sibs that received the Award of Quality. 'Red Baron' is from the 'Rex' x 'Nan Chou' cross, the latter parent being a particularly dark plant in Taiwan. The owner sent pollen to Terry, who put it on 'Rex' and grew up the resulting seedlings. As I recall, some of the recent roth FCC's came from this cross. In any case, 'Mighty' x 'Red Baron' is probably the "favored" cross here, although there are many dark horses, and sometimes you get surprised (which is why you should cover all your bets by buying more roths of different crosses!)
Price: $100
b) Z7110 'Wide Horizon' x 'Chester Hill/OZ'
'Wide Horizon' was from the 'Rex' x 'MM' cross, and its name says it all -- a very wide-reaching flower.
'Chester Hill/OZ' has an interesting story: Terry Root obtained pollen from Carter & Holmes of 'Chester Hill' AM/AOS. While it's an older cross, I believe Terry liked it because of its petal stance and color. He put this pollen on 'Rex' FCC/AOS, and bloomed out the progeny, one of which had particularly large flowers. This is the plant I refer to as 'Chester Hill/OZ'. He then took this plant, and crossed it with 'Red Baron', which was produced from a cross of 'Nan Chou' x 'Mont Millais'. 'Nan Chou' is among the deepest colored roths Terry has ever seen.
Price: $75
c) Z7134 'Chester Hill/OZ' x 'Colossus'
'Colossus' is from 'Rex' x 'MM'. I think the name tells us a lot -- must be pretty big. Actually, it is well-known that 'Rex' produces large flowers, so those genes must be shining through.
Price: $75
d) Z7135 'Chester Hill/OZ' x 'Red Baron'
(Both parents already described above)
Price: $75
e) Z7136 'Red Baron' x 'Mighty'
This is the reciprocal cross of Z7110. It seems to me that if TR did the reciprocal cross, both of these parents must be superb. There are some who say that the capsule (pod) parent has an added influence on color. I suppose this is possible since the maternal parent contributes extra genes in the mitochondrial DNA found in the egg, but everything I've heard is anecdotal. But if this theory holds true, then these progeny will produce darker colored flowers than 'Mighty' x' RB' cross. So don't miss out!
Price: $100
f) Z7137 'Red Baron' x 'Wide Horizon'
Both of these plants (previously described) appear to be good parents, since they've been used in multiple crosses.
Price: $75
g) Z7172 'Dazzler' x 'Buff'
I saw 'Dazzler' in bloom last year, and it looked fantastic. Then TR told me this was a crappy blooming. Wow. If what I thought was a really great blooming didn't hit TR's standards, then I wonder what it's select progeny will do! 'Buff' is Rex x MM, so I would expect these progeny to bloom out very robustly.
Price: $75 or $100 (sorry, will confirm)
h) Z7174 'Red Rider' x 'Buff'
'Red Rider' is from 'Rex' x 'Nan Chou' and 'Buff' is a 'Rex' x 'MM'. This is a parallel cross to 'Mighty' x' Red Baron'. If you're looking to get some excellent 2nd generation plants, it is definitely a good idea to spread your bets -- it's well-known that the "best" parents don't always produce the best progeny. This is true in all kinds of breeding: orchids, dogs, cats, horses, and let's not forget humans. A few examples come to mind...
Price: $100
Yes, these plants are more expensive than other roths you might see elsewhere. But they're also A) progeny of spectacular parents picked by Terry; B) they are rapidly approaching Blooming Size (probably 18 months on some of the larger ones). Plus, I personally select the best plants I can for my valued orchid clients (believe me, very few people get this kind of access at OZ -- and I am grateful to TR for it).
Some of you may not know this, but there were many, many 'Rex' x 'MM' progeny grown up from flask, and while they've become hard to find these days, I saw a number of them here and there the last few years. These were primarily the runty ones, slow and difficult to grow, that had finally reached maturity -- years after their more vigorous sibs had already bloomed (maybe several times). I fully expect the same situation to happen with this generation of OZ roths. So if you'd like to get the strong, vigorous growers from this new crop of roths, now is the time...
9) Hey adductum addicts! Well, I wish that I could say I'd found a bench full of BS adductums, but hopefully this will help with the adductum pangs: while going through the deep recesses of the Orchid Zone, I found a number of P. Joanna Burkhardts (rothschildianum x adductum), which appeared to be BS or nearly so. TR has not released these yet (he may not even recall that he had them), but if there is interest, I will see if he's willing to release some. As you may know, TR typically releases plants only in bloom but he has been known to make exceptions...
I've seen the flasks, and they look fantastic. Happy, vigorous little plants ready to come out grow. I know that OZ used to release flasks way back when, but for the past five years (give or take), OZ has not released any flasks. (Kind of like how Willy Wonka's chocolate factory stopped mysteriously stopped making candy for awhile and no one knew why...)
In any case, the flasks are now available (although some may be sold out).
10) Z7314 dayanum ('Castroville' x 'Hunk')
Definitely not a "popular" species but quite lovely. Interestingly enough, it grows in the same places that rothschildianums do, so whatever conditions work for roths should work for dayanum. PRICE: $125
11) Z7437 delenatii alba ('Norma' x self)
Absolutely fantastic parent. Circular, symmetrical, virtually faultless. PRICE: $225
12) Z7465 gratrixianum ('Masterpiece' x 'Brawny')
Easy to grow species. PRICE: $125
13) Z7478 fairrieanum ('Hidden Dragon' x 'Green Light')
Always a favorite species. Half of this cross will be alba, and the other half coloratum. The Orchid Zone's breeding efforts have negated any kind of drag on growth that albinistic characteristics have imposed. In other words, the albas grow as well as the color ones. These parents were chosen from many hundreds in bloom; I saw them last year, and they were definitely head and shoulders above the other sibs. PRICE: $125
14) Z7482 fairrieanum alba ('Green Lantern' x 'Green Fairy')
These are both alba parents, so progeny will be 100% alba. PRICE: $125
15) Z7483 fairrieanum alba ('Electra' x 'Greenlight')
Ditto Z7482. PRICE: $125
16) Z7509 besseae ('Glow' x 'Atomic Fire Ball')
How can you pass on plants named 'Glow' and 'Atomic Fire Ball'? Out of the many thousands of besseaes that bloom, these were among the absolute best of the best! SK (TR's wife) was very excited about these, especially 'Atomic Fire Ball'. This is now into third or fourth generation line breeding -- totally exciting to see what will happen here! PRICE: $140
17) Z7510 besseae ('Balance' x 'Curves')
Curvaceous symmetry... They definitely know how to pick the sexiest names for some of these. Can't wait to see how this cross will turn out.
PRICE: $125
18a) Z7513 schlimii ('Sweet Dreams' x 'Cotton Candy')
18b) Z7555 schlimii ('Pretty' x 'Ultimate Pink')
18c) Z7556 schlimii ('Cotton Candy' x 'Ultimate Pink')
Phrag. schlimii is not something that is too common, but "cute" and "adorable" come to mind when you think about this species. We're not likely to see schlimii flasks for sometime, as few people seem to do species breeding with this species. PRICE: $125
19) Z7529 bellatulum ('Winkin' x 'Nod')
Wow! TR describes these as "huge, shapely bellatulums. Thai type." Always a highly-desirable species... I hope there are still some of these flasks left! PRICE: $125
COMPLEX FLASKSi
20) Z7441 P. (Big Surprise 'Lavender Lovely' x 'Pacific Shamrock 'Rotunda')
"Beautiful henryanum hybrid by incredible large complex green." PRICE $100
21) Z7442 P. (Van Ness 'Lillian' x Gege Hughes 'Harvest Moon')
"Looking for tall stemmed oranges and sunset colors." PRICE $125
22) Z7445 P. (Golden Emperor 'Sunny' x Crazy Jolly 'Butter Scotch')
"Orange to sunset colors on huge flowers." PRICE $225
23) Z7448 P. Pacific Shamrock (Emerald Magic 'Blarney' x Adelina Bobadilla 'Bonita')
"Remake of our favorite complex green." Wow, some huge expectations here. Given how spectacular Pacific Shamrocks have bloomed out in the past, it's exciting to think that Terry feels he can beat his own standard! PRICE: $175
24) Z7470 P. Sorcerer's Stone (Pacific Shamrock 'Butter Ball' x Stone Lovely 'Tierra')
"Large shapely greens on tall stems. Should be outstanding." Per (23), if TR thinks he can improve on what he's already done, these will be amazing. PRICE $175
25) Z7472 P. (Telstar 'Orbit' x Crazy Jolly 'Butterscotch')
"Looking for yellow to orange colors, large size." PRICE: $175
26) Z7475 P. (Crazy Horse 'Understatement' x Stone Lovely 'Tidal Wave')
"Parallel to Crazy Jolly, these will have very tall stems." PRICE $125
27) Z7484 P. (Telstar 'Orbit' x 'Stone Lovely 'Green Angel')
"Large clear green flowers of excellent form." PRICE $100
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2) Green/Whites
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3) Colored Complexes
There are always a number of these, many quite lovely. A number of P. Russ Palmers in bloom were bought for the San Francisco orchid show, but there were a few still available. Prices are around $75 (in bloom, but probably not for long).
On occasion, I will come across a besseae-shaped flower that is white or nearly white. These are spectacular (and a couple were fragrant!). They aren't cheap, but they are lovely. If you want to get added to a lookout list for those, drop me a line (there are already a few people on the waiting list). Estimated price in the $200 range (but they are truly special).
Lycastes
A number of white, pinks, and red Lycastes are available. I know very little about this genus but if you're interested, you can probably find something you like among these.
Masdevallias
I don't even know where to start because there are so many... Most people don't know that OZ grows many plants of this intensely colored genus, particularly the highly desirable veitchiana. They're usually in bloom, and run in the $20 range.
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