Slc Jewel Box 'Dark Waters'

[Paul]

Hands down one of my top 10 favorite orchids and my favorite catt hybrid. Unfortunately, I find it incredibly difficult to get anywhere close to an accurate photo capture with a digital camera. Reds and purples seem to be the troublesome colors. (Never had that issue with film.... and yes, I'm old enough to remember using 35mm film. ) I'm sure the satiny sheen of the petals didn't help.

Tried tweaking the color a bit to get closer to reality but still not there and artifacts started appearing. Real color is a deep velvet red with a brighter, more fiery tone towards the center of the flowers.

[Ray]

That's great, Paul. It and 'Scheherazade' were two of my all-time favorites.

[Subrosa]

Saw one in person at the Philadelphia Flower Show last year. Nice try, but I think you forgot to put the batteries in! I was stunned by the luminosity of the red on the plant, and bought the first one I could. Fingers crossed, looks like 5 sheathes are forming......

[JScott]

She's beautiful! I don't have 'Dark Waters', but I have 'Scheherazade' and 'Orange'. 'Orange' is in bud for me right now, and I expect to see buds on 'Scheherazade' by the end of February. They're two of my favorites. Maybe I should get 'Dark Waters' too

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Ray

That's great, Paul. It and 'Scheherazade' were two of my all-time favorites.

I've never been a fan of 'Scheherazade'. Not sure why. It is more purply/magenta-y but I like purples and some of the magenta types. The richness of 'Dark Waters' has always captivated me. And it typically would bloom for me in February like clockwork so rather surprised it came into bloom New Year's Day or the day after that.

Originally Posted by Subrosa

Saw one in person at the Philadelphia Flower Show last year. Nice try, but I think you forgot to put the batteries in! I was stunned by the luminosity of the red on the plant, and bought the first one I could. Fingers crossed, looks like 5 sheathes are forming......

One of the best of the old hybrids (first made around 1967, I think). The untweaked photos are screaming fire engine red which is in many ways even farther off the reality mark than the one I altered. Rather surprised you found one at a show, John. They don't seem to get into circulation very often anymore. Too many "new and improved" hybrids on the market.

Originally Posted by JScott

She's beautiful! I don't have 'Dark Waters', but I have 'Scheherazade' and 'Orange'. 'Orange' is in bud for me right now, and I expect to see buds on 'Scheherazade' by the end of February. They're two of my favorites. Maybe I should get 'Dark Waters' too

I also have 'Orange' though it didn't bloom last year, hopefully it will this time around. If I could only have one, it would be 'Dark Waters'. Due to lack of space in my apt, I try to confine myself to mini's and micro mini's. 'Dark Waters' is one for which I'm willing to sacrifice space.

[Orchid Whisperer]

In October I received a division of 'Dark Waters' that had some scale problems, but was easy enough to clean up. It is now in sheath with 2 buds. Your photo gives me something to look forward to!

I also have a back bulb division of the same plant that is sprouting. I hope to be able to trade it when it is growing well (it will likely be 2 or 3 years to blooming).

[Dollythehun]

Beautiful, Paul.

[JScott]

Originally Posted by Paul

I also have 'Orange' though it didn't bloom last year, hopefully it will this time around. If I could only have one, it would be 'Dark Waters'. Due to lack of space in my apt, I try to confine myself to mini's and micro mini's. 'Dark Waters' is one for which I'm willing to sacrifice space.

I like how small 'Orange' is. Mine had a rough summer. I was gone for most of July, and I had a friend come over every day to water the plants, but when I got home, I found that one had fallen from the rack and was lying on its side in the blazing sun. It was severely burned and badly desiccated. I think it somewhat stunted the developing growths, because they are a bit smaller this year than usual, and a couple of them only have one or two buds instead of the usual three, but it is in bud on five growths, so I won't complain.

'Scheherazade' is the first orchid I ever bought at an actual orchid nursery. I was about twelve years old and we were visiting my aunt and uncle in Des Moines. We went to the botanical gardens, and they had a lot of orchids there, and I saw that they were tagged as being from Iowa Orchids Inc. I made my parents take me there (it was right there in Des Moines) during a snow storm hahahaha, and that was the one I selected, so it is special to me. Of course I don't still have that same plant. I was 12. It eventually died. But it has been one of my favorites ever since. I don't remember the name of the guy who owns Iowa Orchids, but he was incredibly nice. I made several trips there after that, and I would always buy one plant, and then he would just give me several others. I no longer have family in Des Moines however, so I haven't been back there since I was a kid.

[Subrosa]

[COLOR="red"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]One of the best of the old hybrids (first made around 1967, I think). The untweaked photos are screaming fire engine red which is in many ways even farther off the reality mark than the one I altered. Rather surprised you found one at a show, John. They don't seem to get into circulation very often anymore. Too many "new and improved" hybrids on the market.


This plant wasn't actually part of the main displays, but was on a table with other orchids from PHS members.

[estación seca]

Hausermann's had both 'Orange' and 'Dark Waters' listed last winter, but before it warmed up enough to ship, they were gone.

Edit: They have 'Orange' now, but it's too cold tp ship.