Onc. John Louis Shirrah (ornithorhyncum x hyphaematicum)

[Sun rm.N.E.]

Onc. John Louis Shirrah 'Profusion' blooms every year in the second week of December with 3 foot flower spikes. I love the form of the flowers; the sparkling white lip, pink on the reverse, and the pink dot in the center.

It has been growing in water culture for 4 years and will probably stay there since I would have increasing difficulty lifting a larger pots filled leca. However in water culture it requires a very small root mass and a medium sized vase to grow well.

It is somewhat confusing that the the reverse cross hyphaematicum x ornithorhyncum was registered first, using single 'r' in Shirah: Onc. John Louis Shirah. I got mine directly from the breeder Milton Carpenter who labeled it as Onc. John Louis Shirrah 'Profusion' and his labeling was repeated in subsequent awards.