Black Orchid

[Optimist]

Paphs are grown from seed, so I would think that each grex would be different, but you would not know until they actually bloomed. I have a feeling that if someone wanted a specific color you'd have to bloom out a few flasks. I really think that growers who are looking for the "perfect" plant, usually for shows, often buy many.

[BotanicaExotica]

Originally Posted by Optimist

Paphs are grown from seed, so I would think that each grex would be different, but you would not know until they actually bloomed. I have a feeling that if someone wanted a specific color you'd have to bloom out a few flasks. I really think that growers who are looking for the "perfect" plant, usually for shows, often buy many.

True to a certain extent, but anitum for a ling time was thought to be a darker form of paph aductum. Paph anitum has very dark flowers. They are just not a plant you can find many of. I am blessed with one plant in my collection which has not bloomed that is flowering size. The flask I reserved from Sam Tsui did not have good germination rates. Even the foilage is darker than aductum and has almost a blue hue. It also requires less light than aductum. Hopefully I will get a flower this year as the new fan is really starting to develop nicely.

[RustyExotics]

Epidendrum melanoporphyreum is known as the black Epidendrum. it has dark-purple/black sepals, petals and lip with incredible green and white contrasts. I'm not actually sure who, if anyone/ is selling any at the moment.

-Nicholas

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Amanda L

I just did a google search on black orchids and saw Fredclarkeara After Dark 'Feuerbach' now I want one. THANKS! HeHeHe.

10 years onwards. Was this particular plant ever cloned, and is it circulating among the general public and on sale at any orchid nursery? Judging from internet searches, it doesn't look like it's being sold.

[Ray]

There are quite a few excellent After Dark cultivars available, as well as some similar hybrids, thanks to Fred Clarke at Sunset Valley Orchids.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Ray

There are quite a few excellent After Dark cultivars available, as well as some similar hybrids, thanks to Fred Clarke at Sunset Valley Orchids.

There certainly are Ray! I'm definitely thankful that there are those other cultivars available to the general public. Definitely a massive thanks to Fred Clarke who did the incredible hard yards in producing those plants.

[SillyCookies]

I saw pictures of the Cymbidium Kiwi Midnight which appear to be very close to black, and it has a light pink lip which contrasts wonderfully with the near-black colour.

[Roberta]

Maxillaria schunkeana is nearly black. All of these, with back lighting, turn out to be dark burgundy but in normal light do appear black.