Summer 2024 plant project - plant selection

[Dusty Ol' Man]

I'm in. I have a small primary cattleya I picked up in May that fits this category. And I agree with Roberta, there are small plants across orchidaceae.

[MCD]

A primary hybrid project would be fun to follow for me , a fair portion of my collection is made up of Phal. primaries, along with some species and a few species x primary. And one lone bulbophyllum primary.

Older ones that I've had for a couple of years, all previously bloomed except for one of the mentawaiensis x honghenensis which was found as a minuscule hitch-hiker in a pot:

mentawaiensis x honghenensis (2)
tetraspis x javanica
tetraspis x honghenensis
mentawaiensis x gigantea
tetraspis x mentawaiensis
tetraspis x maculata
mentawaiensis x corningiana

This spring I added a new batch, most quite small, unbloomed except for cornu-cervi x corningiana which arrived with a bud:

honghenensis x hookeriana
tetraspis x celebensis
cornu-cervi x corningiana
mannii x pallens
cornu-cervi x tetraspis (2)
wilsonii x lueddemanniana

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Roberta

The possibilities are endless, different people will have different primaries and different insights. Since it would be the concept, rather than specific plants, making up the project, EVERYBODY can play. Where someone might have the species that is the parent of somebody else's primary, if they can share the photo that makes it even better.

Just to clarify, are you suggesting that we pick a species as the 'star' and any primary hybrid or the species itself is eligible for for the project, or are you proposing that the project be open to any and all primary hybrids?

In the latter case it's not really clear where the common project aspect would come in.

[WaterWitchin]

I would think a "species as the 'star' and any primary hybrid or the species itself is eligible for for the project" would be a good choice. A Brassavola cross should be readily available both near and far and at least fairly compact. Just throwing out ideas...

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

I would think a "species as the 'star' and any primary hybrid or the species itself is eligible for for the project" would be a good choice. A Brassavola cross should be readily available both near and far and at least fairly compact. Just throwing out ideas...

Great idea, also because I just happened to have my eye on this gorgeous B. nodosa primary hybrid! Bc. Gulfshore s Beauty "Green Gem" | Cattleya | Orchideen-Lucke

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

I would think a "species as the 'star' and any primary hybrid or the species itself is eligible for for the project" would be a good choice. A Brassavola cross should be readily available both near and far and at least fairly compact. Just throwing out ideas...

We could do that. My one B. primary is in full bloom already! Does that make me the winner?

Seriously, let me know which direction you want to go. Like I said earlier, I have a cattleya primary (walkeriana x intermedia) that would be perfect. Just my suggestion.

[WaterWitchin]

No Dusty, it does not. I have one that bloomed already. About a month ago...



It's one step further than species to species but if you're making up rules, so can I.

[tmoney]

arrghh, we of course want to join in the fun, but we are leaving for 5 weeks and our i don't want to have to add another task to our house sitters list!

do yu guys know which US sellers give phyto certs and cites stuff with plants? maybe we could order one when we are in the states and bring it back with us...

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by tmoney

arrghh, we of course want to join in the fun, but we are leaving for 5 weeks and our i don't want to have to add another task to our house sitters list!

do yu guys know which US sellers give phyto certs and cites stuff with plants? maybe we could order one when we are in the states and bring it back with us...

You can always wait until you get back home before buying the project plant. That's probably what I'm going to do. I'll be away longer than usual this summer and like you, I don't want to add more plants to the plant/house sitter's list!

---------- Post added at 04:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:16 PM ----------

Any other suggestions of species to consider as parent plant for this project?

The difficulty I have is that it would be best if the species is a common parent of primaries, and that these are easy to find. The challenge is that it's much harder to determine what species fits the bill, since very often vendors sell primaries under their hybrid name...

I like the nodosa idea, but it seems that many people have nodosa crosses already. What about a Phal or Paph primary? I don't think we've had a Paph as project plant in a very very long time. Speaking of Paphs, what happened to Orchid Inn? I can't find the website anymore.

[LexaCat]

Orchid Inn closed their doors for good sometime last year.