Phrag Juan Alberto Arias

[monocotman]

So this is a bit of a conundrum.
BFC7E9EC-1D29-4547-9AC9-F96872340E24 by david harrap, on Flickr
This was bought as the above cross, the parents are Eumelia Arias and kovachii.
The plant is about 10 inches across, it’s just been growing well for a few months, so not so big and yesterday I saw a very definite bud in the base.
What to do?
I cannot find any photos of this cross on line. The plant may well not produce a representative flower on such a small growth but it may be one of the first and I’d love to see one. What would you do?
David

 

[tomkalina]

Looks healthy enough to let it bloom.

 

[monocotman]

Thanks Tom. I’ve just measured it and it is 13 inches across. It’s been repotted into rockwool cubes a few weeks ago on Jerry Fischer’s recommendation but there is plenty of new and vigorous root growth.
I think you’re probably right and it is worth taking to flower and then cutting it off quickly. If you squint you can see a dark bud in the base,
David

 

[tomkalina]

Sounds like a plan, David. Be sure to post a photo or two along the way.

 

[monocotman]

Will do. A slightly smaller and more easily grown kovachii would be a great!
David

 

[NYEric]

Very interesting, keep us posted please.

 

[Ray]

The plant thinks it has the stores to bloom, so who are we to disagree?

 

[blondie]

Lovely looking plant, I would let it bloom see what the blooms like then, remove the spike and wait for a second spike. I personally normally like a to let a new plant bloom three times before I decide to keep or get rid.

 

[abax]

I'm in the minority here, but I'd whack that oddling off the plant and be
patient and wait for a normally placed bloom.

 

[cnycharles]

Hmmm, I’d want to see it but maybe better let it have strength in can it’s so hybridized that it doesn’t hold back before flowering and drop


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mccallen]

I cannot find any photos of this cross on line. The plant may well not produce a representative flower on such a small growth but it may be one of the first and I’d love to see one. What would you do?
David

Did it bloom out?
What does the flower look like? I'm dying to know!

 

[monocotman]

The spike seems to be stalled in the low bud stage. Still sat there doing nothing.
The leaves are still growing. LS is now over 14 inches. Interesting that the spike is very dark, almost black in colour. And no it is not dead!
David

 

[NYEric]

Show us.

 

[monocotman]

For Eric

Not the best photo but you can see a bit of the dark bud sitting there, waiting for the plant to get a bit bigger.

9680AF56-3B08-449E-ACB2-C091AECAFEE9 by david harrap, on Flickr

David

 

[NYEric]

Could be blasting. Good luck.

 

[monocotman]

It did blast but the good news is that there is a huge new growth. It seems to be very vigorous. Fingers crossed that it blooms spring next year!

It seems to like growing in rockwool minicubes.

 

[abax]

So sorry about the blasted mini-bud. I've had that
happen to me. It's so easy to get water in that bud
area and so easy to rot. New growth is spectacular.

 

[BrucherT]

It did blast but the good news is that there is a huge new growth. It seems to be very vigorous. Fingers crossed that it blooms spring next year!
View attachment 16796
It seems to like growing in rockwool minicubes.

 

[likespaphs]

...I think you’re probably right and it is worth taking to flower and then cutting it off quickly. If you squint you can see a dark bud in the base,
David

is there a benefit to letting it bloom then cutting it off?
i thought it put all the energy into making the flower and that cutting it off after it has opened really doesn't save the plant much energy
anyone know if that's correct?

 

[littlefrog]

takes energy + resources (minimally water) to support an open flower too. Most of the work is in the development of the spike and bud, which is why you should probably cut spikes on stressed plants. Theory is that if you bloom it to 'check for potential' and then cut, the plant will be able to devote more energy to the next flowering. Flowers are (almost) always better on bigger plants.

I have killed plants by pollinating them. That is even more work. Although some people say that a struggling plant is more likely to survive if you pollinate it - I've tried that too as a last ditch effort and it worked once.