Phrag breeding

[Ron-NY]

This year is my first time experimenting with phrag breeding. The info below is good to know. Is there other tidbits of knowledge that can be shared?

Actually (Dr Rob back me up on this, I may be an idiot), sargentianum (or whatever it is called now) brings some excellent color enhancement to the party. Just look what it does for besseae. Mem. Dick Clements.

 

[slippertalker]

There is a pretty good record of results from prior crosses with phrags, so it would be important to review other grexes and the results.

Certain species impart vigor, especially longifolium and sargentianum as well as a long sequential blooming season. Others will provide a mass of blooms especially the caudatum group. It's important to understand chromosome counts and the effects of polyploidy. If you want to bring down the size, then schlimii, besseae, fischeri, and pearcei will do the job. Some plants are quick growers, others are slow and sometimes it's an individual clone that grows better than another of the same species.

 

[SlipperFan]

I thought I remembered Glen Decker saying that longifolium imparts red. Big plant, though.

 

[Ross]

Get a hold of a copy of the Orchid Digest article on Phrag breeding by Marilyn LeDoux. I can't remember the specific issue. If I have time tomorrow, I'll try to track it down.