OrchidKitty wrote:
This morning, I proudly held up my Phrag. ecudorenses for DH to admire.
It is blooming for the first time, and in S/H. Spouse glanced at it and
said, "Homely little thing, isn't it?" Then he looked at me as if he
wondered why I had it.

Hum. Well, it's true that there are splashier plants out there, but
ecudorenses has a modest, sincere charm that its dazzling hybird
cousins lack. Also, there is something special about having an orchid
that a person could find in the wild.

Most of my orchids are hybrids, but some growers are drawn nearly
exclusively to species orchids. Why? Is it because species can be more
difficult to grow? Or because species do have a pure, modest beauty? Or
is the grower hoping to conserve them? If you grow mostly species
orchids, do you know why you prefer them?

I found your Phrag. at;
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...3Doff%26sa%3DN
(Isn't that an adress?!)
I agree with your DH (Designated Hitter?) that it does not set me
afire, but, you probably do not relish CATTS. So many to choose from,
so little time!
Joe T

O.K., I think it has something to do with purity and the idea that here is
something that has not been adulterated by us. Of course, many hybrids are
bred to be hardier than species plants, but I think that people like Mick
Fournier are making attempts at breeding hardier species by crossing strong
examples. (Slap me if I'm wrong, Mick!)

I have plenty of species, plenty of hybrids, and plenty of primary hybrids.
This I can tell you: now that I've been growing orchids for a while, I do
gravitate to a species plant or a primary grex providing that I can see the
flower prior to purchasing the plant. After all, they vary so much. My
husband wondered why I was purchasing *another C. mossiae* until he saw the
flowers. Now he's in love with the wageneri but still loves the straight
mossiae. He's hooked, LOL!

Diana

On Wed, 7 Jun 2006 17:54:30 -0400, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote:

O.K., I think it has something to do with purity and the idea that here is
something that has not been adulterated by us. Of course, many hybrids are
bred to be hardier than species plants, but I think that people like Mick
Fournier are making attempts at breeding hardier species by crossing strong
examples. (Slap me if I'm wrong, Mick!)

I have plenty of species, plenty of hybrids, and plenty of primary hybrids.
This I can tell you: now that I've been growing orchids for a while, I do
gravitate to a species plant or a primary grex providing that I can see the
flower prior to purchasing the plant. After all, they vary so much. My
husband wondered why I was purchasing *another C. mossiae* until he saw the
flowers. Now he's in love with the wageneri but still loves the straight
mossiae. He's hooked, LOL!

Diana


I grow hybrids - After all Ascda are by definition hybrids. But we
grow any Phrag we can get our hands on. And my favorite Bulbo are all
species. I think If you come into orchids from the BIG splashy
Cabbage catts it takes you a while to mature into the smaller more
delicate species. don't blast JOE T. I started with 50 Hausermann's
best - don't get any Bigger - Floofier than that

On the other hand Many of today's species are so line breed and
in-breed that Grandpa would not recognize it as a pure species. They
are no more capable of existing in the wild than some of the hybrids.

I have found very few Orchids I would not like to own... a few I
refuse to try to grow. But if someone good would grow it - few I
would not like to call my own.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/main.php