PHRAGMIPEDIUMS

PHRAGMIPEDIUM SPECIES AND HYBRIDS

Never tried Phrags?... imagine an orchid that it will be close to impossible to overwater. We grow these plants in moderately bright light, and with the exception of the caudatums and xerophyticums, we water them frequently. Remember...most Phrags are sequential bloomers, in bloom for months... unless, of course, you are fortunate to have multifloras (caudatum, wallisii and their hybrids), with 3-5 flowers open simaltaneously with 1-3 foot-long petals.

Woodstream Orchids has become one of the leading Phragmipedium hybridizers and producers of seed-grown Phrag species in the United States. The future is bright for Phrags with our continuing success at producing commercial quantities of highly desireable species and hybrids. You will find unique hybrids listed below, many of which are unavailable elsewhere, at this time. The discovery of Phrag kovachii in Peru will eventually open the door to a new generation of Phragmipedium hybrids. We have legally imported flasks of this magnificaent species from Peru to grow up and select plants for our breeding program. We should have seedlings for sale in the future.

We have been flowering a good number of our original Phrag crosses with exciting results. The first to bloom of Phrag Lynn Evans-Goldner (schlimii x Barbara LeAnn) received a 79 point HCC/AOS at the February, 2004 AOS Judging in Washington, D.C. When a hybridizer names a cross after his wife, you know it is very special. In addition to Lynn Evans-Goldner, we have also recently flowered: Long Shot (Eric Young x Dennis Kleinbach); Fiery Castle (Andean Fire x Elizabeth Castle); Dragon Dance (besseae x Dennis Kleinbach); Sudden Impact (Sorcerer's Apprentice x Andean Fire; Autumn Fire (3N) (Eric Young (4N) x Barbara LeAnn); Ralph Goldner (Mem Dick Clements x Saint Ouen); Glass Slipper (Cardinale x Saint Ouen); Hot Pursuit (Saint's Apprentice x Mem. Ruth Omeis); Imagine (Cleola x Saint Ouen); Fast Forward (Saint's Apprentice x Saint Ouen); Holy Smoke (Saint Ouen x Saint Peter); and Don Wimber (3N). The Don Wimber (3N) using our awarded tetraploid Eric Young 'Woodstream' HCC/AOS, is producing some outstanding cultivars! More are in bud! We just flowered Prime Time (Saint's Apprentice x Hanne Popow). WOW! Very wide petals and a rosy watermelon to solid red coloration! Most of these crosses are available below!

As the popularity of Phragmipediums grew with the discovery of Phrag besseae, more and more hybrids were attempted by Phrag breeders. It was soon discovered that there were some poorly-defined genetic imcompatibilities that prevented good seed production in many crosses. Dr. Donald Wimber, working at the Eric Young Orchid Foundation on the Isle of Jersey, in the United Kingdom, and others devised laboratory methods to induce Phragmipedim seed to double their DNA chromosome count from normal (diploid, (2N)) to tetraploid (4N). When plants were crossed with one another, or with a normal diploid (2N) plants, these breeding incompatabilities were greatly reduced, and seed production increased.

Both tetraploid (4N) plants and triploid (3N) plants often exhibit improvements in flower size, color, substance, and sometimes, growth rate, when compared to similar 2N plants. On the other hand, 3N and 4N plants often grow larger than 2N plants and may produce fewer flowers. This said, some of the most spectacular Phragmipedium show plants seen today come from 3N and 4N breeding.

Catalog Code: ls = leaf span.

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