Phrag. Living Fire

[Piper]

This is the second flower to bloom on the spike. The first just up and fell off several days before the second opened. I understand that can happen on the first blooming of a seedling. The plant simply hasn't grown up the energy reserves necessary to support several simultaneous blooms. So I didn't want to wait too long to do the photo shoot. The color is accurate.

Julie

[Diane]

He's a cutie! Did you get a new camera with a macro lens?

[Piper]

No! grr.... I was so frustrated that I couldn't get sharp closeups with my digital - and I know it can be done - that I got desperate. I pulled out the manual this morning!

The manual stinks. That's not my preferred descriptor...but this is a family forum. I tried a bunch of different things. Got horrid lighting on a whole lot of shots, using its foliage correction for plants. I also lost Photoshop when my computer died, and the cheap photoediting software I'm using does a lousy color correction.

I got some decent shots, but it was all trial and error, and I could never tell you what I did. The pro photographer that does that nice local plant journal makes a business writing practical guides for how to do what you want to do, with the particular camera you own. I think I'm going to spring for a copy. This would have been simple with an SLR! But, oh! The cost of film and processing!

Julie

[Jmoney]

stick the dropped bloom in a plastic sandwich bag with a little moist paper towel in it. will last a week or more.

[Tikva]

This is the second flower to bloom on the spike. The first just up and fell off several days before the second opened. I understand that can happen on the first blooming of a seedling. The plant simply hasn't grown up the energy reserves necessary to support several simultaneous blooms. So I didn't want to wait too long to do the photo shoot. The color is accurate.

Julie

Ohhhhhhh I never knew that was why! I was sad my Phrag China Dragon dropped a flower in just 2 days. Shortly after, the second bud opened. It dropped and it's taking much longer for the 3rd bud to blow up and open.... I would have loved to have them all at the same time!

What are the trays you have that you are talking about? How do they work? Wondering if I should / could just put a small tray of water under my Phrags? I'm impatiently waiting for them to do neat things hehe!

Oh and yours is SOooo pretty!!!!

[Piper]

LOL - I did essentially that! I wrapped in a damp paper towel and took it up to Maine with me.

It's weird though. It's like carrying around a body part.

Hey, who wants to see Aunt Ethel's hand?

Julie

[Piper]

Kirstie many Phrags and some Paphs are sequential bloomers. You'll get multiple blooms, but not at the same time. Perfectly good flowers will drop off as the next one is about to open. The more mature, and stronger the plant, the more likely you'll get two or even three flowers out simultaneously. Enormous plants can support even more.

Phrags love to have their feet wet, that is, to be sitting in a tray of water. It would rot most other orchids, but Phrags love it. Any Phrag with much caudatum species in its lineage would be the exception. It wouldn't want to dry out, but it's happiest not sitting in water.

Julie

[Piper]

I'm learning a new respect for Phrag. Sorcerer's Apprentice progeny combined with cranked up ploidy!

McJulie

[Tmai]

Wow! Did it drink the Sam Adams too???

[Brutal_Dreamer]

I notice the SA too, but was distracted by all the open space around that window. I had imagined that McJulie was living in a jungle and that the only light coming through a window would be little slivers between plant foliage and pots. heheheh... You have lots more room Julie! I say put some shelves across that window and get more plants.... hehehehehehe

Looks like your phrag there is related to Uncle-Steve's. It has the height gene!

Cheers!
BD