Phrag. Grande 'Phil's Pholly' FCC/AOS

[orchidmaniac]

Hi All,
I'm new to this forum but I wanted to share with you some pictures of my Phrag. Grande for which I won an FCC last month at the Rogue Valley Orchid Society Show in Central Point, Oregon. It's named Phrag. Grande 'Phil's Pholly'.

[smartie2000]

Congratulations of the FCC! Well displayed and grown plant! Your plant deserves its own separate thread. I've gotta ask, how long are the petals?

Nice foliage, your plant is very compact for Grande. The leaves of Grande are much longer on most plants. I am almost suspicious that your plant is a caudatum...it has taken most of its characteristics. I think only the ridges on the edge of the pouch look like Grande.

welcome to the forum BTW

[catttan]

Welcome - and what an introduction.WOW what awesome blooms, really deserving of an FCC . Thanks for sharing and hope to see more of your orchids.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Bravo! That is amazing. I move this post to a new thread so everyone will get a chance to see it. Welcome, Phil.

Cheers,
BD

[orchidmaniac]

Thank you all! In answer to Fren's question, the petals are 63.3 cm long

[Tom-19951]

Beautiful plant!

[gardenguysorchids]

Wonderful blooms. Congratulations!

[smartie2000]

Thank you all! In answer to Fren's question, the petals are 63.3 cm long

Thanks, those are outstanding petals.

Please take no offense in the rest of my comments...(I know you just joined the forum and there aren't very many slipper nuts here)

I am still a little suspicious about the identity. My concern is not the award, you deserve it. But the AOS has be losing its reputation because a team of judges cannot tell the difference between the plants, there have been a few cases among the slipper orchids. As far as I know once an award is published, it cannot be changed, but I think before it is published it can be reviewed.

Sometimes during breeding the breeder accidentally self-pollinates. Just a accidental rubbing of the pollinia could do that. If caudatum was the pod parent that could have happened. Do you know if caudatum was the pod parent?

I had spent some time last night looking at photos, but yet this afternoon when I saw the new thread I am pondering again. There aren't very many caudatum with those strong ridges,but I found this one. I assume that it is identified properly:
According to Rob this is a plant from Ecuador. The links:




and this one:


The staminode, leaves, spotting and bloom are more consistent to caudatum. If it were not for those ridges, it would far more obvious.

I hope I am not making a fool out of myself. I know a few things, but caudatum types are not my expertise.

Again, this is an excellent plant and thanks for posting.
What do you think? Perhaps you know some more about the background or breeding of the plant. Is it a Grande x self? I would like to hear.

[orchidmaniac]

Hi Fren,
No offense taken. I don't have much information on the plant. It was given to me about 4 years ago by a long time member of our society when she closed down her greenhouse. It was labeled simply Phrag. Grande. She got the plant many years earlier from one of the founders of our society 47 years ago. She didn't have any other info.
I've passed along a link to this thread to a member of our society who is an AOS judge for his comments.

[phytochrome]

What ever it is...it is stellar!!!!!!! Fabulous job blooming it!