Phrags

[myorchid]

I have a Phrag Socercers Apprentice and I am not sure if it is the one that can sit in a plate of water or if it likes less water. I know that some like it less moist.
Can anyone tell me which ones like it more moist?
Thanks!

[bellina9]

I hope you dont mind me piggybacking on your question. I have a NOID that I think is a Don Wimber Phrag, and I cannt tell if its doing well or not!! I"ve tried the saucer with water and I dont think it was happy. Are there any other ways to keep a phrag??

[Vivienne]

To the best of my knowledge, Phrag Sorcercer's Apprentice is caudatum so you do not want to keep it sitting in water. Water frequently, but don't sit the plant/pot in the water itself. At least that's what I do with mine and it's growing like crazy!

[kmarch]

Phrag Sorcerer's Apprentice is a cross between Phrag longifolium and Phrag sargentianum so it is not a caudatum type. You can grow it in fairly hight light, as high as Cattleya light with lots of water. You can grow this Phrag in a saucer of water. This cross can get really big.

The caudatum-type hybrids are those that contain one of the species in the caudatum section: P. caudatum (incl. warschiwiczianum and/or P. popowii), P lindenii, P. walisii, P. existaminodum. Common caudatum-type hybrids include P. Grande, P Wossner Supergrande, and a few others.

Phrag Don Wimber is a cross between Phrag Eric Young and Phrag besseae. It too likes lots of sun and water. It too can be grown with a saucer of water underneath. belinna9, if you can post a pic of your Phrag i can try to ID it for you.

[Vivienne]

oops - I sure bombed that one. Yikes! I just realized that my Phrag. Sorcerer's Apprentice is crossed with caudatum var. warscewiczianum... that's where I got the caudatum from.
Sorry for my mis-information.

[kmarch]

Vivienne, nothing to worry, just grab any good Phrag book and read up on it. There aren't that many Phrag species so it's a relatively easy genus to get one's head around. The caudatum section was recently re-organized (2004) and so that particular section is a bit tricky and you may not find the most up-to-date info on that. One of the folks who did the revision was one of my judge friends from my days back in Michigan so I'm pretty familiar with it. Let me know if you have questions about it.

[Vivienne]

Thanks Kevin. Am I correct about the caudatum not liking as much water? I only have 4... 2 are eric young crosses and I grow those 2 in S/H. My Sorcerer's Apprentice (Inti's Tears) and my Les Dirrouilles I don't keep in water.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

Am I correct about the caudatum not liking as much water?

Yes you are. They are to be grown more like a Paph (evenly moist, never soggy, never dry) except with more light.

I've never grown a Phrag (or anything for that matter) S/H so I can't say much about that.

[Vivienne]

You're the best Kevin! The only things I have in S/H are my Miltonia (after trying every other method with no success) and the 2 Phrags mentioned above. They love it!

[myorchid]

Thank you Kevin and Vivenne! I really like my Sorcerers Apprentice. I will continue with letting it sit in a little water. I will post a picture a little later.

I am hoping to get a Phrag. SuperGrande. That one I should grow like a Paph?

The Phrags are beautiful orchids and I will continue to grow Paphs and Phrags!

Thanks again for the information.

Kevin any book titles you recommend on Phrags?

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by myorchid

I am hoping to get a Phrag. SuperGrande. That one I should grow like a Paph?

myorchid, There's no Phrag registered with the name Phrag SuperGrande. There is a Phrag Grande (longifolium x caudatum) and Phrag Wossner Supergrande [longifolium x popowii (pka caudatum v. warscewiczianum)].

Both of these are hybrids from the caudatum section and should be grown more like a Paph, but with fairly high light like a Cattleya.

Originally Posted by myorchid

The Phrags are beautiful orchids and I will continue to grow Paphs and Phrags!

Glad to hear it! Paphs and Phrags have been among my favorite genera for a long time.

Originally Posted by myorchid

Kevin any book titles you recommend on Phrags?

Yes. Stay tuned!

[jay]

Would Phrag. Jason Fischer like high light?

I am pretty sure being a bessae hybrid that it likes a lot of water, which is easy since it is in S/H.

I have one that is a rescue, lost most of its roots, but has 5 small growths that still look to be in good shape.


Jay

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by jay

Would Phrag. Jason Fischer like high light?

Yup. Phrag besseae get quite high light levels in the wild. They will also bloom brighter colours given slightly cooler temps.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Kevin, are you sure about besseae and high light? I read somewhere that besseae was the exception, and preferred low light. I have a besseae that had regressed all the way to flask size under Catt lighting, and have had it in with the Phals now for 2 years, and am back up to teenage-hood. Looking forward to finally seeing it bloom again.

[kmarch]

i have bloomed besseae and besseae hybrids under mottle-leaf Paph lighting but they bloom better, meaning with better colour under higher light. In Ecuador besseae grow on exposed rock faces in full sun.

[myorchid]

here is a picture of my Sorcerer's Apprentice.

[Vivienne]

Beautiful Phrag April!

[pikevi]

Is [Phrag Socercers Apprentice] misspelt.

I was able to look up [Phrag Sorcerers Apprentice] and [Phrag Sorcerer's Apprentice ].

kmarch wrote as [Phrag Sorcerer's Apprentice] and hence I believe that is the right spelling.( and makes more sense )

The flowers are beautiful

Thanks.

[kmarch]

Phrag Sorcerers Apprentice is incorrect. Phrag Sorcerer's Apprentice is the correct spelling.

[pikevi]

Thanks kmarch.