Phrag. kovachii

[Franco24]

Soooo excited to finally own this holy grail of orchids. Phrag. kovachii is officially a part of my collection. I cannot wait for it to arrive!

Does anyone have an cultural or care tips for this species? Should i repot once it arrives?

Here's a couple pictures from the listing.

[ula]

Hi,
I presume you've read this?
http://www.aos.org/AOS/media/Content...g_kovachii.pdf
This one is from the conservation guys in Peru:
index.jpg
Good luck with this one, I was thinking of getting one myself for the past few months, but I don't think I'm ready.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Oh you lucky dog you. ula I'm with you and not at all ready for this one. I do have a hybrid and I'm not having much luck with it and it's not even half kovachii. I do want to get another one and just see if it's me or if it is this plant. My other 2 phrags are doing very well so far.

[MrHappyRotter]

I haven't had mine terribly long, but it seems to be enjoying my typical phrag culture. I've heard they are slow growing when they are young seedlings, though mine, which is perhaps approximately mature sized (based on the fact that it's got a new growth) seems to be approximately as fast growing as my other phrags.

I keep it in fairly bright conditions, under T8 fluorescent shop lights. It's short enough to fit under one of the short shelves, which is why it gets bright light.

I keep it sitting in water at all times. I use rain or RO. I feed very lightly with various fertilizers. I use a mostly inorganic mix that's primarily rock wool, but I mix in some sphag to add some organics and I've mixed in some crushed coral to give the plant extra minerals and to help buffer the pH.

I repotted mine after I bought it, and it very quickly sent out a mass of roots. The newest growth is very happy and healthy, so I presume it enjoys my growing conditions.

It hasn't bloomed yet, but considering the size of the flowers in relation to the plant, I'm not terribly surprised about that.

[trdyl]

So how is your like PK doing?

[Fairorchids]

Very young kovachii seedlings need deep shade (= double shade cloth in the greenhouse).

I have not splurged on the species yet, but I did buy a flask of Fritz Schomburg (remake with FCC kovachii) from the Orchid Zone. I kept compots under double shade cloth, and they grew quickly. Plants are now in 2.1/4" individual pots, in a fairly shaded spot in the greenhouse and doing well. After 14 months from deflasking, the largest seedlings are up to 6-7".

[My Green Pets]

Kim,

What kind of temperatures?

[trdyl]

Kim,

I wouldn't say seedlings need deep shade. Granted I've only grown one seedling so far. But in my experience I'm growing mine between Phal and Cattleya light levels. When I received mine it had a leaf span of 5 inches then 22 months and one growth later it bloomed with a leaf span of 11 inches. I am growing it intermediate to warm. Medium is LECA with about 10% oyster shell mixed in.