Happy Labor Day to all! But since I no longer labor, and I don't count growing orchids as labor, the Sultan of Slippers has something to share.


This beautiful Phrag. Is Phragmipedium QF Nohea. The "QF" is Quintal Farms. This is a hybrid of Phrag. Naukana Kealoha X Phrag. Patti McHale. Patti McHale is P. pearcei X P. sargentianum. Pearcei is a narrow leafed species of mostly green and white flowers. Sargentianum features varied colors but mostly and golds and reds.



This is a single growth plant with 2 new growths coming and it is my second Phrag. to bloom. It features gorgeous, rich green foliage and its first flower on a 40cm. tall inflorescence. Dorsal is half-right twisted for added interest. Dorsal is lighter green with longitudinal deep Rose stripes. Petals a brighter green suffused rose apically.






Pouch is darker green with rim spotted burgundy. Staminode bright green with rich burgundy hairs along upper margin. Notice the bright green blotches inside the pouch as well as the contrasting white triangle! There just seems to be so much to look at when it comes to a Phragmipedium flower!!
Flower is fairly small for such a large plant, 5.4cm. X 7.0 cm.! I was hoping for one with a good deal more pink in it as some Noheas are, but that did not happen here.
Nevertheless, it is a beautiful flower on a plant in my mix of medium charcoal, medium perlite and seedling Orchiata.

Ursula, My Gongora galeata is on the same schedule as yours in spite of my neglect. All my orchids are badly in need of repotting, but I'm on the disabled list due to knee surgery at the moment. They're lucky to get watered.

Bill, I love this Phrag! Phrag pearcei was the Phrag we observed in Ecuador growing on a river bank, which at times is totally submerged!
All around an interesting cross!


Carol, I thought you had that Gongora too! Heh, take care of yourself and please heal quickly!

Update on my Bl. Punakea today with most of the flowers open now. Thrips went to town on this poor thing while I was away, but the latest flowers have a bit better color and less streaky damage, thankfully.

That one is always a good bloomer!

Bill that's a pretty Phrag you have there, the color is awesome!
Carol , I hope you have a quick recovery, everyone I know that had the procedure done said it was well worth it! Our gongora at the botanical garden bloomed last month, I think. What fun strings of cute flowers those are!
Thrips or no thrips Elaine, it looks great!

Thanks Lindsey!

Here I go again, another first bloom Phragmipedium to share with all of you. This little beauty is just so upbeat, just like pure sunshine ☀️ Who could resist growing something like this. This is Phragmipedium Ehukai.


It is a hybrid of Phrag. Karame X Phragmipedium besseae. Karame is correctly besseae X Jersey. AND if I have not lost you yet or bored you to death, Jersey is besseae 'flavum' which is the yellow form of besseae. The other parent of Jersey is Phragmipedium d'alessandroi. D'alessandroi is most often a rich orange color of "suspect" form. It is often twisted and with narrow segments.
But with Ehukai, this is a pretty nice flower


But when I saw it listed and thought orange, I had to have it!! And boy, is that orange!!!
The dorsal is butter yellow blushed lighter orange with several darker thin longitudinal stripes. Petals are nicely held, full and flat and a bright orange with a yellow mid line. Flower only measures 4.9 cm. X 4.1 cm. Petals are 1.5 cm. wide x 2.7 cm. long. Pouch is 0.9 cm. Wide, bright yellow blushed orange centrally. Staminode rich yellow with 2 vertical orange slashes.


It is a compact plant with an 11" leaf span and the flower sits on top of an 11 cm. Inflorescence in a thick walled 3" plastic pot. Like it???🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊

Love that one, Bill. It's a beautiful color on a sweet flower.

I do agree!

Another beauty Bill!
I've got a few new things before a lull, many of my large flowered Catts have either taken a bloom cycle off or are in sheath. It might be time to unpot some and see if the mix is going downhill.
But here is a first time to bloom plant, I got it as a seedling about 4 or 5 years ago
C. Vickie Andrews 'RJM'






Blt. Audrey McIntosh with a couple of spikes



Ctt. Chien Ya Champion 'Red Apple' just starting to open.

All 3 are very pretty!
What color on Chien Ya Champion! Blt. Audrey McIntosh is no slouch either! Her color saturation is just wonderful.

Vickie Andrews is a very full white. She has wide sepals and beautiful petals! The lip is good sized making for a wonderful flower.
3 winners for me Lindsey.

Gorgeous! I echo that part about the gorgeous color on the 'Red Apple'! I love it!

This is one of my most fragrant beauties, Bc. Island Charm 'OC'. Her sister orchid should begin to open her 3 buds in a couple of weeks. This beautiful white has a strong fragrance of honeysuckle-jasmine, with a hint of citrus. Happy Sunday!


Bc. Island Charm 'OC'

Ursula, I enjoyed seeing all of those healthy Spiranthes in situ -- it is so helpful to have the "big view" to get a feel for the local enviroment. I had Spiranthe 'Chadds Forge' for many years, but it slowly got shaded out. I should have moved it!

Here's a Catt. hybrid that has really well under lights. It bloomed in Dec/Jan with two fliers also.

Oops! That was "two flowers" It has a nice fragrance also. I grew it first on the window sill -- no flowers, and a bottle lamb went after it, so the leaves took a beating. It never bloomed until I put it under lights.

Ken, that is a gorgeous white!!

Sunny, very pretty!!
About your 'Chadds Ford' -
We find it is a good idea to cut the vegetation down somewhere in June, never after the 4. of July. That works well at our place. This way, the Spiranthes don't have to compete so much.
I should mention, that one flowers more October into November!

Thanks, Ursula.

Ken, you always have the most beautiful white orchids...they never have a blemish ,or a bug....I'm jealous!
Hi SunnyinMichigan to our little slice of paradise! That's a gorgeous Catt you have there...love it!
There's a few new things open here in the past few days.



C. Fredis J. Rufunjol 'Paris' HCC/AOS


Myc. Erin Courtney's SunCoast
and




Blooming for the first time Lc. Busy Bev 'Blue Jewel'