Phragmipedium Nicolle Tower

[mrhappyrotter]

Phragmipedium Nicolle Tower (longifolium 'Black as Night' x dalessandroi)

I really love how this cross turned out. These have been fairly variable in flower shape, but most of them that I've seen have had really good color, and this one is no exception. These are not big flowers, and they are not flat at all, but I think they have character. I love this red, orange, yellow contrast. And let's be honest, it's hard not to love a slipper that produces a cloud of blooms like this on these fantastic branching spikes.

This plant grows fairly compactly. Currently it's unstaked, so the weight of the flower spike is pulling the plant into a more heavily horizontal position than normal. Height-wise, it's small enough to fit under the shelves. I've pulled it out towards the edge of one of my shorter shelves to give the spike a little extra room to grow.

It's been very rewarding to grow this plant, and this particular cross of Nicolle Tower using the 'Black as Night' longifolium clone has produced a lot of excellent flowers. I give this my standard Phrag care; water often, leave some water in the saucer, keep it warm, and give it good light.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Wow yours are more floriferous than mine.

 

[eteson]

Wow! Impressive

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[SlipperFan]

The colors!!!

 

[abax]

Oh yes, the colors are wonderful...and so many flowers
open at once. Niiiiiiice!

 

[John M]

Really lovely! Well done!

 

[SlipperKing]

Yes, really cool branching going on.

 

[Ozpaph]

great colour. Ducking under the lights.

 

[orchid527]

That really is very floriferous. Most of my phrags won't support that many flowers open at the same time. I've suspected it might be because my humidity can be a little on the low side at times and perhaps they get too much light. Do you keep track of your humidity and light intensity? Mike

 

[mrhappyrotter]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I was hoping I'd get to see it with 7 flowers open at once, but it was not meant to be. The first flower dropped yesterday. Granted, a new bud cracked open this morning to replace it, so, still has 6 flowers open.

That really is very floriferous. Most of my phrags won't support that many flowers open at the same time. I've suspected it might be because my humidity can be a little on the low side at times and perhaps they get too much light. Do you keep track of your humidity and light intensity? Mike

This is why I love P. dalessandroi hybrids. They tend to more readily produce branched flower spikes, and when they produce branches, it means more flowers open at once. This particular plant happens to be my most branch happy and floriferous Phrag, and has reliably produced branched spikes since the first time it bloomed. The trade-off is that the flowers are a tad small, but that's balanced out by the color and the fact that the plant itself is also fairly compact.

For light, I don't have accurate measurements, but I grow under T8 fluorescents (6500k) and the T8 replacement LEDs. The fluoros are spec'd somewhere around 2800 lumens, the LEDs are listed at 2000 lumens. However, I will say that the LEDs appear brighter, are more directional, and seem to produce better growing/blooming results than the fluoros, so the lumen ratings probably don't reflect reality. I grow this phrag within about 6 - 10 inches (15 - 25 cm) from the bulbs.

The humidity fluctuates, but the grow area is usually within the 50% - 60+% range, and up close to the plants, it may be a tad higher since I keep this one sitting in water and there's a nice padding of live moss on top of the potting mix.

 

[mrhappyrotter]

Also, I had to stake the spike yesterday. It had become so heavy that it was in danger of toppling the plant over. I was planning to leave it unstaked, but I'd rather not see this plant laying on the floor having fallen from the top shelf of the grow stand.

 

[NYEric]

Mine just completed the last bloom/ Inflour. got damaged. I had the inflour leaning on the edge of the plat rack to support the weight.

 

[Phrag-Plus]

Very nice!