What Phaius could that have been which I saw at a show yesterday...?

[Dorsetman]

I'm here under false pretences haha ( can't exactly call myself a newbie can I ? )

I went to a show ( in Southern England ) yesterday and saw some Phaius ( probably) but quite unknown to me. Very similar to P.tankervilliae , but larger flowers, dark red - well, lets say dark scarlet - a most striking colour. Same shape and habit as tankervilliae , spike maybe 4 foot high with about 8 or ten of these flowers well spaced , flowers about the same size as tankervilliae, maybe a shade larger - up to 5 inches natural spread. Same plicate leaves - here at least 3 feet long and up to 6 inches broad. A beautifully grown plant with two spikes. No label to be seen or accessed ; I left a message for the owner and repeated via the Show Secretary to be relayed to the owner, offering bags of gold in return for a division ( preferred) or info as to source...

It since occurs to me that it could be a Phaiocalanthe hybrid, although the ones i have grown have tended to inherit the worst features of both rather than the best.

I can't send bags of gold via the internet (!) but any info' as to the possible nature of this plant, and where I might do a pilgrimage to buy one, would be highly treasured !

[kiwiorchids]

Sorry Geoff, i cant be much help, but i saw one like the one you describe at a show last year-it was a Phaiocalanthe Cant remember the name though....

[Halloamey]

Not very similar but Phaicalanthe Kryptonite atleast suits the description of color. I have one, it is a smaller plant compared to my tankervilles, but may be its just young.

[Dorsetman]

I just heard from the exhibitor - it is Phaiocalanthe Kryptonite "Chariots of Fire" - so well done with that identification Amey - esp. from my mere words but no pic !.
I have sussed out several other good clones too - "Ursula", "Blood Bath" etc.
Have found a couple of nurseries in Uk who had them, but whether they still have... I'm waiting. I'll also try the European nurseries when I go to the Euro Congress in Budapest in a couple of months.

[catttan]

I have seen pictures of these Phaiocalanthe and most of them are really very beautiful. However don't seem able to get them from the nurseries around here and so might have to go just a bit further afield.

[Halloamey]

It should be available at the mainland nurseries, as I got mine from Germany itself at an exhibition in Hamburg in 2008 or 9. It came labelled as Bloodbath, but I am not sure of the clonal names and descriptions on Orchidwiz and the internet as I see different pictures with the same clonal name or vice versa. Here is a link to mine in bloom, not as glorious as your description of the specimen at the exhibition, bt hopefully when it grows some more it can get close to that.

http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...ryptonite.html

[Dorsetman]

It should be available at the mainland nurseries, as I got mine from Germany itself at an exhibition in Hamburg in 2008 or 9. It came labelled as Bloodbath, but I am not sure of the clonal names and descriptions on Orchidwiz and the internet as I see different pictures with the same clonal name or vice versa. Here is a link to mine in bloom, not as glorious as your description of the specimen at the exhibition, bt hopefully when it grows some more it can get close to that.

http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...ryptonite.html

Yes, I looked at your flowers - definitely a lighter colour , but then( as I said) the plant I saw had 8-10 flowers per spike, which means a big strong plant, perhaps older than yours, and beautifully grown, so the flower colour may well be darker too ; I have seen big old specimens of tankervilliae at Kew - similar flower count and size. Obviously these Phaius and perhaps Phaiocalanthes are capable of flowering when comparatively small, but can get to be giants.
BTW I had an interesting exchange with the actual grower, who told me that with more light the flowers get better and better, but the foliage tends to get worse and worse...so much so , that some people cut the leaves off when showing. I'm not sure what that does to the next new growths, maybe makes no difference.

[Michael Saar]

Geoff, here's what you could expect from a really well-grown plant (89 point CCM/AOS) of 'Chariots of Fire':
"Two hundred twenty-four flowers and 126 buds on 21 inflorescences on a 120-cm wide by 110-cm tall plant grown in a 25-cm pot; sepals and petals burgundy; lip butter yellow, darker centrally, heavily brushed and striped burgundy; column burgundy, anther cap white; substance firm; texture velvety.

[Dorsetman]

Geoff, here's what you could expect from a really well-grown plant (89 point CCM/AOS) of 'Chariots of Fire':
"Two hundred twenty-four flowers and 126 buds on 21 inflorescences on a 120-cm wide by 110-cm tall plant grown in a 25-cm pot; sepals and petals burgundy; lip butter yellow, darker centrally, heavily brushed and striped burgundy; column burgundy, anther cap white; substance firm; texture velvety.

That would be a sight worth seeing !