Zga Adelaide Meadows Cross - Orchid Board

orchidsarefun · #1 08-12-2014, 03:12 PM

Date Pollinated : 4 Jan 2013
Date Fasked : 2 July 2013
Date deflasked : 12 August 2014
No of flasks : 1 ( fewer in flask )
Objective : Adelaide Orchids/Steven Monkhouse in Australia has registered over 400 orchids ( 1975-2003 ), a lot of them zygo hybrids and intergenerics. This is kind of a tribute - if they make it to blooming it will be a new genus.

Same drill as the other zygo cross with regards to cultivation. This will be an interesting comparison, I am particularly keen on seeing which have a resistance, or not, to the black spotting/streaking tendency of zygos.

lotis146 · #2 08-13-2014, 12:52 AM

Nice. My Zygo/Ptpm I've mentioned in other threads has A LOT of black streaking and spotting (It's an Adelaide Meadows cross). Whereas my Zygolum (that's growing two spikes off a short new growth!) has none.

So are you crossing plants you've seen to be less prone to the streaking with others? How do you make your decisions on what to breed?

orchidsarefun · #3 08-13-2014, 09:58 AM

Crosses involving AM seem to be difficult to cultivate. My z kuitpo ( AM x z titanic ) eventually perished. I had tried everything to keep it going. Hopefully the other parent in this cross will contribute robustness and a resistance to streaking. I have another cross of zygos that I did a while back. I think I did mention on that thread that I lost most of them to black spot/streaking at seedling stage. The genetics of that cross seem to have compounded the propensity to black spot/streaking. Maybe your cross is similar in that genetics plays a role. Intergeneric outcrossing hasn't necessarily solved the problem either. I don't know, but its fun experimenting. The AM flower is worth working on with crosses, as it is unique.
As to how I choose - both parents have to be in bloom. (friends, members of orchid societies, nurseries and yours offer choice ) Both should possess characteristics that one would like to see enhanced or combined in the progeny, and that would include things like leaf and root growth, size, number of spikes and blooms, colour, scent etc. Its quite logical, but subjective to your own requirements.

czayta · #4 08-14-2014, 06:24 PM

Wow they look so healthy! Great work. Did you do all the work yourself?

orchidsarefun · #5 08-14-2014, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by czayta

Wow they look so healthy! Great work. Did you do all the work yourself?

as with all of my crosses, everything except the flasking.

lotis146 · #6 08-15-2014, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

Crosses involving AM seem to be difficult to cultivate. My z kuitpo ( AM x z titanic ) eventually perished. I had tried everything to keep it going. Hopefully the other parent in this cross will contribute robustness and a resistance to streaking. I have another cross of zygos that I did a while back. I think I did mention on that thread that I lost most of them to black spot/streaking at seedling stage. The genetics of that cross seem to have compounded the propensity to black spot/streaking. Maybe your cross is similar in that genetics plays a role. Intergeneric outcrossing hasn't necessarily solved the problem either. I don't know, but its fun experimenting. The AM flower is worth working on with crosses, as it is unique.
As to how I choose - both parents have to be in bloom. (friends, members of orchid societies, nurseries and yours offer choice ) Both should possess characteristics that one would like to see enhanced or combined in the progeny, and that would include things like leaf and root growth, size, number of spikes and blooms, colour, scent etc. Its quite logical, but subjective to your own requirements.

My Zygo/Ptpm (I gotta remember the actual hybrid name you shared with me for this cross at an earlier date, and I will...lol) came to me from Seattle Orchids with a lot of spotting. They told me on the invoice not to worry as the plant was from Hawaii where it is really hot. Since I've had it I kept it in too bright of light at first which was extremely apparent when its new growth started getting lots of black spots. Sure the plant isn't all that pretty now, but I'm mostly concerned with getting it to flower now. There's an obvious new growth on the "new growth" and two other little "things" that I can't determine what they are (thought it was spike, now nothing happening, discovered a second today).

That said Zygos are super interesting and I want so bad to see this flower especially since my Zygolum now has TWO spikes and ZERO black spots or streaks. Makes me wish Orchids didn't take so long to mature, I would love to see the results of your crosses and pick one up! I'm chasing after more and more!! When the time comes I think my Zygolum is an excellent candidate. I look forward to keeping up with your progress.

Best to you!

---------- Post added at 10:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:44 PM ----------

I'm going to post a thread soon about the Zygolum probably in Maxillaria section. Its growth and lack of has been rather strange and now exciting!

orchidsarefun · #7 12-12-2014, 01:46 PM

update. I think I didn't water some of these enough and a few are on the verge of committing suicide.
I repotted into individual pots and am watering roughly up to 2x per week vs. 1x before. I think the initial problem was that the mix wasn't holding water adequately.
You can see the new developing pseudobulb. These are tiny and I can probably only expect blooms around 3+ years from deflasking. So - not as bad as cattleyas, but not as good as phals. BTW - all these zygo seedlings look exactly the same, hence the need for proper tags.

lotis146 · #8 12-12-2014, 05:08 PM

Interesting contrast between this and your other cross, the Zygo Advance Australia. So this post sort of answers my question about watering.

Now do you find that "adult" plants need a similar amount of water/moisture, as in 2x/week even now in the winter?

orchidsarefun · #9 12-12-2014, 05:15 PM

no- still 1x and all 3 are fighting off black rot. It seems like every year after I bring them indoors, one or more of my plants get black rot. I don't know if its another houseplant that is infecting them, but its a pain. I might lose all of them but am treating them with Ray's Inocucor. Hoping for the best. The other treatments available are not for indoors use. Many sites just recommend tossing the plants but I am going to try to save.
Last year it was my Catt. I took it to Hausermann's and asked them what the problem was. They didn't know but repotted it for free anyway. It obviously got cut into pieces and this year, though only 1 bloom stem, its got 5 new growths.....which is a record for the plant that normally had 2. Its a big cattleya too.

lotis146 · #10 12-12-2014, 05:26 PM

Oh my gosh that's a huge bummer! Great about the Catt but not so great for the Zygos. After bringing all my mini Catts in I'd say I've lost at least 3, and one (Mango Spice) that was doing really well while outside with many new growths. I certainly do not over water them and while I'm not sure if it's rot due to water getting in new growths or some black rot I'm keeping an eye on them all. Oh and prior to being in permanently EVERYBODY got doused in Physan...so...

I don't think I've being watering everybody once a week even which is what lately I've been telling myself I should be doing.

I hope you can save yours. My Alantuckerara was in spike over a month ago and suddenly the spike started to turn dark dark brown at the base and climbing. Then all the blooms wilted nearly at once. I was concerned but so far it seems to be okay; a pbulb on the opposite of this growth has put out a new growth.

Do you keep all your plants under lights? Just the seedlings? Adults? Also it would be interesting to know whether keeping the others outside some (if I read correctly) had a positive effect on their growth or if it's just a matter of these guys not getting as much water.