Latest kovachii FCC

[jeremyinsf]

This one impressed me - the flower wasn't even all the way open yet. That's my hand and part of my arm side by side with the flower. I think this at least shows what kovachii is capable of adding to Phrags in general.

 

[Justin]

whoah!

 

[theorchidzone]

Thanks for posting Jeremy. The very big flower is at our greenhouse, I believe.
That is kovachii X one of the long petalled ones. We obtained the seedlings, ie. not our cross.
It is indeed pretty darn big!!!

 

[theorchidzone]

On the kovachii it will be hard to judge the final size and shape since it is sitting in an orchid show with low humidity for 5 days.

The petals have no hint of recurve etc. Perfectly flat at the moment. Keep our fingers crossed.

 

[mrhappyrotter]

This one impressed me - the flower wasn't even all the way open yet. That's my hand and part of my arm side by side with the flower. I think this at least shows what kovachii is capable of adding to Phrags in general.

Agreed. That's a nice flower.

Overall, when it comes to kovachii hybrids, the quality is very hit or miss. I expect that to improve over time, but the vast majority of kovachii hybrids suffer from some major flaws. The color tends to be disappointingly pale and muted and the petals tend to reflex or twist in undesirable ways. More and more, though, I am seeing vast improvements on both fronts.

Either way, thanks for sharing these photos. I'm sure others agree. It's encouraging to see such promising clones!

 

[eaborne]

Simply outstanding!!

 

[jeremyinsf]

Yes, that's your flower at the OZ, sorry I didn't mention that.

I really couldn't believe it when I saw it - my jaw dropped open. I know we 'talk' about how this species discovery was such a game changer... but it wasn't until I saw this one that I really 'felt' it.

Glad you are OK with me sharing the photos! I mean well

 

[theorchidzone]

No problem on photos.
JC

 

[Ozpaph]

That's my hand and part of my arm side by side with the flower.

I assume you're not a 4yo child...............

 

[jeremyinsf]

No, fully grown adult male

 

[mormodes]

Yes, that's your flower at the OZ, sorry I didn't mention that.

I really couldn't believe it when I saw it - my jaw dropped open. I know we 'talk' about how this species discovery was such a game changer... but it wasn't until I saw this one that I really 'felt' it.

Yeah, my jaw dropped too. I couldn't believe how nice it was. Glad it got the FCC and best of show. Truly beautiful, I don't think any photo can do it justice.

JC@orchidzone, will you try to convert this to 4n?

 

[MorandiWine]

That hybrid is HUGE!! Fantastic!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[gnathaniel]

Nice flowers! Thanks for the size/lighting comparisons, Jeremy.

WRT Pk hybrids, I'd bet money (not much, but maybe a little) that we'll see substantial improvements in color as more are made/remade with kovachii as pod, rather than pollen parent. Since plants have more plastids/organelles carrying their own discrete genes than do animals, maternal influence on crosses is potentially much higher. Pk being so rare at first, it's been used far more as 'dad' than 'mom' b/c: 1) there's more pollen than free stigmatic surfaces to go around, and 2) being daddy is relatively costless to an orchid, whereas growing a pod, especially on plants already somewhat marginal in culture, runs the risk of killing or compromising the plant. Something else I'd speculate as a factor is that on very large flowers, pollen from related but smaller species can have trouble growing a long enough tube to reach the ovaries, making 'small' x 'big' crosses more likely to produce seed than 'big' x 'small'. As more crosses are tried with Pk as mom, especially backcrosses from larger-flowered Pk hybrids, I suspect that due to increased maternal influence, greater expression of recessives, etc., we'll start seeing more of that stunning Pk color depth carrying through.

 

[Ozpaph]

Nice flowers! Thanks for the size/lighting comparisons, Jeremy.

WRT Pk hybrids, I'd bet money (not much, but maybe a little) that we'll see substantial improvements in color as more are made/remade with kovachii as pod, rather than pollen parent. Since plants have more plastids/organelles carrying their own discrete genes than do animals, maternal influence on crosses is potentially much higher. Pk being so rare at first, it's been used far more as 'dad' than 'mom' b/c: 1) there's more pollen than free stigmatic surfaces to go around, and 2) being daddy is relatively costless to an orchid, whereas growing a pod, especially on plants already somewhat marginal in culture, runs the risk of killing or compromising the plant. Something else I'd speculate as a factor is that on very large flowers, pollen from related but smaller species can have trouble growing a long enough tube to reach the ovaries, making 'small' x 'big' crosses more likely to produce seed than 'big' x 'small'. As more crosses are tried with Pk as mom, especially backcrosses from larger-flowered Pk hybrids, I suspect that due to increased maternal influence, greater expression of recessives, etc., we'll start seeing more of that stunning Pk color depth carrying through.

Very interesting thoughts, thanks.

 

[NYEric]

When I first saw a kovachii bloom in person, 2008 WOC, I was blown away by the size, dark color, and velvet texture, and I knew it was a game changer on par w/ besseae. IMO the only real negative of the bloom is the poor substance which shows as floppy, curving petals and dorsal. If this one stays flat and full...!!! Thanks for sharing, John and everyone else.

 

[theorchidzone]

Yeah, my jaw dropped too. I couldn't believe how nice it was. Glad it got the FCC and best of show. Truly beautiful, I don't think any photo can do it justice.

JC@orchidzone, will you try to convert this to 4n?

Yes, we will likely try to convert some kovachii. The newer methods make it much easier to do so these days.
We suspect that some of our besseae flavum are 4N. For example, the round one we posted a few months ago. (and on our FB page).
I believe EYOF tried to convert kovachii also on a selfing of their best clone, named "Trinity"???.
Apparently Peruflora had another one awarded FCC in Florida too quite recently. They sold it and we are trying to find out who owns it, for obvious reasons.

 

[eteson]

Yes, the new methods of conversion are much safer and easier than the colchicine one. Also seems to me that the PLB lost during treatmeny is much lower. I hope to see soon some of your selected breeding kovachii and other plants converted!

Enviado desde mi SGH-I337M mediante Tapatalk

 

[Ghosthunt64]

It definitely deserves it; deep color and very good shape. The size goes without saying, of course.

 

[Erythrone]

Yes, the new methods of conversion are much safer and easier than the colchicine one. Also seems to me that the PLB lost during treatmeny is much lower. I hope to see soon some of your selected breeding kovachii and other plants converted!

Enviado desde mi SGH-I337M mediante Tapatalk

eteson, whait is PLB?

 

[mormodes]

Yes, we will likely try to convert some kovachii. The newer methods make it much easier to do so these days.
We suspect that some of our besseae flavum are 4N. For example, the round one we posted a few months ago. (and on our FB page).
I believe EYOF tried to convert kovachii also on a selfing of their best clone, named "Trinity"???.
Apparently Peruflora had another one awarded FCC in Florida too quite recently. They sold it and we are trying to find out who owns it, for obvious reasons.

There was 'Crystelle' awarded FCC in 2013, but I don't think that's the one you mean. That was Jan 2013.

Did you notice the last slide the EYOF showed at the paph guild was a cross of a 4N kovachii onto another 4n (Don Wimber?? I can't remember) I just was blown away they had a 4N kovachii already.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for your 4n endeavors. Personally I don't think we've even scratched the surface of this species potential.