I have been able to see Red Wing in bloom a handful of times at Orchids Limited who registered this hybrid in 2013. It is indeed "red"! At 81.25% besseae and 18.75% sargentenianum, it is the result of repeated gene shuffling with these two species using the best parents at each step. The original cross of Red Wing used tetraploid besseae 'Rob's Choice' as the pollen parent. Phrag. Scarlet O'Hara (HP Norton in 2000) at 87.5% besseae and 12.5% sargentianum is another similar very red, very well shaped Phrag hybrid. There is a mythical perfect red, full, and round Phrag hybrid being sought. Orchids Limited (with which I have no business association!) has a recent tetraploid Jason Fischer cross made with Rob's Choice that is coming out similarly very red and very round and my plant from this cross is in low spike. With Red Wing, Scarlet O'Hara, and maybe tetraploid Jason Fischers I think we are very close to the flower goal. Any further improvements would have to focus on gene selection for things other than the flower, such as growth habit of the plant. It would be great to have compact plants with 10-11 cm flowers, non-stoloniferous growth, branching spikes that hold 3 flowers at one time, and plants that bloomed twice a year!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
Phragmipedium Red Wing Franceville web by Erythrone2, sur Flickr
