Phragmipedium besseae

[Bolero]

Superb! I have Judge training tomorrow night on Phrags, I wish I could take that one along.

[kinknstein]

WOW!!

[RosieC]

I really love that colour and it's a really good shape flower too.

[quiltingwacko]

DH just bought a lovely besseae at the local 'chid show. I had walked by and drooled at the sight of a grouping of these lovelies. I was afraid to buy one having heard they were quite finicky and not particularly compact either. The bloom turned dark around the edges the first night home and dropped off the next morning. Hopefully the next one will stay on longer so I can perfect my slobbering technique. They are drop dead gorgeous! Carol

[ladyslipper]

Hi Carol, congrats on your new "baby"! I have 2 besseaes and a few more with besseae in them. My species is in the middle of its first flowering and although the colour was really nice, the flower on a bessie species is I think quite small. They do have a rather "rude" habit of dropping a flower to us, quite quickly, no wilting or looking tired to give us a warning.

I am sure the next flowering your bessie does will be much nicer. Evidently if you can give them a little cooling time, the flower goes darker so that is what i have been trying on all my bessie both species and crosses plus an Paphs that like a cool night. This is a real challenge in an apartment!

[quiltingwacko]

If you cannot cool a besseae in Canada then I am in big trouble in Oregon. I will put mine closer to the floor. DH has it on the top shelf of a unit that we keep chids on. This just might have been the problem. Thank you Ladyslipper! Carol

[Bolero]

Originally Posted by quiltingwacko

DH just bought a lovely besseae at the local 'chid show. I had walked by and drooled at the sight of a grouping of these lovelies. I was afraid to buy one having heard they were quite finicky and not particularly compact either. The bloom turned dark around the edges the first night home and dropped off the next morning. Hopefully the next one will stay on longer so I can perfect my slobbering technique. They are drop dead gorgeous! Carol

I would say they are less finicky than other Phrags and certainly compact compared to most Phrags as well. It's all relative, maybe not as compact as some orchids but I would say compact for a Phrag.

[quiltingwacko]

Thank you so much for all the advice. I'll see if I cannot do better with the next bloom. I think I am turning into a total phragaholic. Carol