Sphronitis coccinea

[DelawareJim]

Sophronitis coccinea 4N 'Toshie'.
First time blooming. This is one of Glenn Lehr's (of New World Orchids) plants from his Japan Grand Prix orchid exhibit.

I've had this plant 3 years. I almost lost it until Peter Lin (mini-catts) saved the day and told me to take care of it like a Cattleya. Thank you Peter!

Ironically, through DNA analysis, most of the genus Sophronitis has since been re-classified as Cattleya.

Enjoy.







Cheers.
Jim

[MattWoelfsen]

Beautiful plant and flower Delaware Jim. I bought a very healthy and young plant in September 2013 from New World Orchids. I grew it like Neofinetia. But after it died a slow death last month, all the while reading as much as I can about growing this plant, and loosing the battle...your posting gives me encouragement to try again.

[s.kallima]

Beautiful plant Jim! Now that you mastered the flowering if this species, you should get more blooms each time. They grow quite easily I find.
I don't have a 4N, but the regular form also needs a ton of light (almost touching T5 HO) and watering several times a day in order to bloom.

[tuvoc]

Fantastic color. Well done.

Kim

[FSUOrchids]

Very bright color, nice

[DelawareJim]

Thanks all for the kind comments.

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

Beautiful plant and flower Delaware Jim. I bought a very healthy and young plant in September 2013 from New World Orchids. I grew it like Neofinetia. But after it died a slow death last month, all the while reading as much as I can about growing this plant, and loosing the battle...your posting gives me encouragement to try again.

That's what was happening to me too. It came in pure sphagnum in a clay pot and I was keeping it with and treating it like a Neo.

By chance, Peter posted pictures of his on flickr blooming and I e-mailed him and asked how he kept his. He told me treat it like a Cattleya, so I repotted it in bark in a plastic pot and increased the light until I got the purple vein in the centre. Now it grows like a weed and you see the results.

You should try again. Now that I know what to do, it's a very rewarding genus. I have an S. cernua 'Leesburg' and an S. cernua 'H & R' x cernua in bud now also that I'll be posting soon. First time bloomers for them too.

Matter of fact, I'll want to get people's opinion of the 'H & R' x cernua as it's looking more like an alagoensis than a cernua.

Cheers.
Jim

[annak]

Gorgeous!! A very very nice clone for me: shape, color, everything...

Mine grows in sphagnum too first thing in Spring would be transplanting I guess...

[euplusia]

Very fine round cohesive form of the flower. Great growing.

[WhiteRabbit]

Beautiful!

This species has been on my wish-list for a while! I really must get one!

[Leafmite]

Wow! That is just gorgeous! Is this the same size and does this take the same care as a cernua? That flower is amazing.