Finally! A mature triploid Fritz Schomburg

[richgarrison]

I think I exceeded 13 cm just looking at the photos!

That's a freakin riot!... hope you don't get censored...

 

[terryros]

David, mine has not crossed 12.0 either. I think ’Rob’s Choice’ is so dominant in these two crosses. That makes the shape and color great, but restricts the size. Diploid FS will be larger, but not as well shaped.

 

[monocotman]

Terry, you’re probably right. But I would take this style any day!

 

[terryros]

I think this type of breeding is for red, round, and large in good balance. If you try and emphasize any one of them more, the others seem to suffer. I think the true tetraploid FS that Orchids Limited showed recently is probably the end result of this kind of breeding with nothing left to do except use it to go after other shapes.

 

[monocotman]

You’re probably right Terry. The goal should be to make this standard more readily available. Red and plum coloured tetraploid hybrids are slowly becoming more available. I have tetraploid seedlings of a sib cross of Lovely Lynne, which I am hoping that should produce something similar to this.

 

[NYEric]

Yay besseae hybrids! Nice, thanks for sharing. Good parents. Only in the first photo does it look red. Does anyone know the parents of the ones Popow sells as "select"?

 

[monocotman]

No I don’t Eric. I bought one of his tetraploids last year from their general catalogue. It’s no more than average.

 

[abax]

Eric, that flower is RED! Perhaps not fire engine red, but a most pleasing color.

 

[NEslipper]

Just amazing, are planning to take it for judging?

 

[NEslipper]

A true red David! This stunning color should make you very happy. I have two Fritz made
with 'Rob's Choice'. Both are slow growers, but coming along fine. I'm so looking
forward to blooms.

SB, you are certainly dedicated to growing besseae. Good luck!

I’ve had a similar experience, my diploid fritz runs circles around my triploid, that extra chromosome seems to make it grow at a glacial pace….

 

[abax]

Thank you, NE! I thought I was the only one who acknowledged the "glacial pace". I
feel reassured.

 

[monocotman]

It may depend entirely on the cross. Triploids generally have the reputation of being quicker to grow and more robust than diploids. Obviously this is not the case all the time.
This plant is a triploid and a good robust grower.
The second flower has just opened and in some cooler weather so it slightly more red, less purple.