How hard is it to grow phrags? - Orchid Board

tucker85 · #1 07-04-2013, 05:22 PM

The fabulous new crosses from Phrag. besseae and Phrag. kovachii have spurred my interest in trying to grow some of these. How difficult are they? I grow mostly cattleyas and vandas so I know it would be a new experience for me. Any ideas on the best plants or the best culture techniques?

Bud · #2 07-04-2013, 05:43 PM

These are a few readings that have guided me in growing Prags:

all about Phragmipedium Orchids and how to grow them
Phragmipedium Orchid Care - Carter and Holmes Orchids Culture
Orchids by Marlow - Phragmipedium Care
https://www.orchidweb.com/phragmipediumcare.html
Woodstream Orchids
Phrag. Culture Page

These orchid plants are easy to care for=pretty much like you care for Phals...but we have different grow zones so read all of the above; if you may find one or two confusing ideas that clash just disregard it and just follow your instincts according to your environment ....I suggest you get acquainted with Phragmipedium Cardinale
the two of you will get along really fine.

jeremyinsf · #3 07-04-2013, 06:12 PM

I think they are the easiest to grow of any of my orchids.

naoki · #4 07-04-2013, 08:11 PM

Several people said that Phrags are easy, but it was difficult for me when I was in NC. It was way too hot, and P. besseae couldn't make through the summer. I've heard that P. kovachi is more sensitive to heat. I mostly grow Paphs, and they used to grow well in NC. So it may be a bit more challenging to grow Phrag in FL, so you might want to start with Phrag species which can tolerate heat better.

I recently got a couple Phrags from Fox Valley (including Phrag dalessandroi, closely related to P. besseae) since I'm in colder climate now (and I can keep <84F, but mostly 80F), and they are growing OK. But since their requirement is quite different from what I'm accustomed to, I'm not sure if I'm giving enough water, though.

jeremyinsf · #5 07-04-2013, 08:43 PM

Yes, all of mine want lots of water. I water them every day. Tucker and I appear to be in the same zone (albeit on different sides of America) so maybe would have the same experience I do. I also have some of the best domestic water in the country, and know that helps as they can be super-sensitive to bad water. So, where you are at and what you have to work with makes a big difference, I'm sure. I don't think it's just 'me' :-)

samarak · #6 07-05-2013, 12:32 AM

I think there is a wide range of difficulty. We've heard several Phrag growers say that pure P. besseae is much harder to grow well than many of the hybrids, and while we haven't killed it, I'd have to agree. Others, like 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' (longifolium x sargentianum), are so easy we sometimes don't even notice they are flowering until the inflorescences gets to eye level. One friend calls it a weed.

We don't have P. kovachii or any of its hybrids so I know even less about growing those.

Steve

Discus · #7 07-05-2013, 06:18 AM

I haven't tried either of those species or their hybrids; I have some NOID phrag and a caudatum, both of which grow really well but resolutely refuse to flower; I grow them quite damp in LECA; I suspect the lack of flowering is due to a lack of light.

silken · #8 07-05-2013, 11:50 AM

I only have 4 Phrags but they don't seem to be overly picky or hard to grow, except for me, they prefer rain water to our tap water. We have fairly high pH tap water and the leaf tips can turn brown if it is always used.

I keep mine sitting in a bit of water and water them frequently. I have Hanne Popow which is 1/2 bessea and 1/2 schlimii. It lives in the greenhouse which is cool in the winter and goes up to 95F in the summer. I think it prefers cooler than 95F but it seems fine and blooms readily. I also have Phrag. dalessandroi which as someone mentioned is closely related to bessea. It is growing a new leaf at the moment. I have only had it since spring tho.

Discus · #9 07-05-2013, 12:15 PM

I did forget to mention that yes, they have access to very "pure" water - I use exclusively RO for all my plants, with an EC of less than 10uS/cm (until ferts get added). Phrags are supposedly fussy about that.

RosieC · #10 07-05-2013, 01:07 PM

I've found my two Phrags relatively easy. I get on best with the one in S/H and have been planning to put the other in that for quite some time and not got round to it. They do like their feet wet. Otherwise I just grow them in whatever conditions they get in the house with the phals.