Angraecum sesquipedale STUDY

Angraecum sesquipedale flower

       I am currently conducting a study regarding the Angcm. sesquipedale flower.  I am looking for anyone that is growing the plant and is expecting it to flower over the next two to three months.  I am specifically looking for a series of photographic images of the flower from the day it first starts to open and a follow through for a minimum of three consecutive days.  Any image(s) that I do use in the study will receive full photo credit.  

       The flower should be photographed in a full frontal format and a full profile format each consecutive day for a minimum of three days (up to five consecutive days if possible).  Shooting the spur/nectary is not necessary.  Using a black material would be most beneficial.

       Please contact me via email as well as send your images and contact information to tkangcm@live.com .  Your contribution is very much appreciated.  Looking forward to your help.

The Variations of Angraecum Lemforde White Beauty

       I started growing Angraecum Lemforde White Beauty about seven years ago for the simple fact that I could not get Angcm. magdalenae to bloom.  I had no problem getting Angcm. magdalenae to grow or eventually put out basal keikis.  I could not get them to bloom.  The plant grows in a natural habitat at altitudes of between 4,700 ft. to 6,000 ft. (1,433m-1,830m) and temperatures have nearly a 20 - 25 F (9-11 degrees C) difference during the day compared to night time.  It is my opinion through observation and experience that Angcm. magdalenae is not a heat tolerant orchid (it is usually described as an intermediate to cool growing plant).
       I chose Angcm. Lemforde White Beauty because the shape of the flower was so similar to that of Angcm. magdalenae.  Listed by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) as the seed parent while Angcm. sesquipedale is listed as the pollen parent.  Angcm. Lemforde White Beauty was registered in 1984 and the originator was Lemfoerder Orchids.

Two entirely different Angcm. Lemforde White Beautys

       Regarding this post, here lies the issue; I photographed what was labeled as Angcm. Lemforde White Beauty at the Miami International Orchid Show this past fall (2013).  Due to the flower's shape, I was confused as to what the plant really was.  Traits that I had become accustomed to were nowhere to be seen in the flower.  My first thought was that the plant had been labeled incorrectly.  The structure of the plant itself appeared to be that of Angcm. Lemforde White Beauty.  It had closely grown alternating leaves coming from the stem with the bottom third of the stem being thick and bulky.  Leaves were seven to nine inches (20-23cm) in length and up to 3 inches (7cm) wide.  It was suggested that the plant may have been that of Angcm. Crestwood.  That was ruled out because there was no plant structure bearing any resemblance of Crestwood traits an the flower was a very pristine white; absolutely no yellow/green tint in the sepals or the petals (the most notable Angcm. Veitchii trait in the Crestwood hybrid).

       After talking to several people about the difference of the two flowers, I looked into the variations that take place in hybridizing.  Once you have a basic understanding of creating a hybrid, the following explanation made the most sense.  

       I found an article published in the American Orchid Society (AOS) Bulletin, January 1974 issue written by Fred Hillerman.  He clearly states "...Jones and Scully sold seedlings of a cross of Angcm. sesquipedale X Angcm. magdalenae, but I have seen no mention of its flowering."  This seedling cross being sold more than fifteen years before Angraecum Lemforde White Beauty was registered.  The seedling cross (seedling #1528) was confirmed by Robert Scully as being sold in 1968.  He goes on to explain that the seedlings were actually from a flask obtained by Jones and Scully (J&S) from Marcel Lecoufle in 1965.  The small seedlings were reflasked from a single bottle to two bottles that were grown out to a salable size and then were sold as a catalog offering in 1968.  At the time, Marcel Lecoufle was considered a major link to the world of Angraecoid genera.

       Nearly twenty years had passed since the initial introduction of the unregistered hybrid between Angcm. sesquipedale and Angcm. magdalenae.  In 1984, the originator, Lemfoerder Orchids, registers the hybrid Angcm Lemforde White Beauty with the RHS.  The parents are officially listed as Angcm. magdalenae as the seed parent crossed with the pollen parent being Angcm. sesquipedale (notice that the parents have been switched from the cross obtained by J&S from Marcel Lecoufle).

       When a grower makes a decision to cross certain plants it is not uncommon that the reason(s) is to increase or decrease the size and shape of the flower, change the color(s) of the flower, lengthen the time the flower will stay in bloom or to change the size and shape of the plant itself as well as other traits.  I recently sent an email to Lemfoerder Orchideenzucht hoping that someone could answer one specific question; "...what was the main reason to creating the hybrid Angcm. Lemforde White Beauty?"  I received a response almost immediately from Dr. Peter Reuter regarding the creation of the hybrid.  He states that the main reason was to decrease the plant size of Angcm. sesquipedale; which was achieved.

       Dr. Reuter also added that the results would be different depending on the quality of plants being used in the hybridizing.  As an example switching the pod parent and the seed parent would change the overall results (I'll address this issue in a moment).  He also wrote that Angcm. bosseri systematically is the same as Angcm. sesquipedale and was used which produced additional variations. 

       In 1986, Fred Hillerman wrote in his book (An Introduction to the Cultivated Angraecoid Orchids of Madagascar, pg. 216); he states that he "...had not yet seen the plant and that it should have been crossed years ago.  That it should also avoid the twist problem suffered by Veitchii type crosses.  Magdalenae will probably greatly reduce the size of the sesquipedale plant and also result in a larger flower."  It is believed that seedlings were available through Angraecum House (Fred Hillerman's business) at the time his book was published.  A project he had started a couple of years prior.

       Upon the release of the Angraecum House 1989 price list/catalog, Fred again mentions Angcm. Lemforde White Beauty.  Listed on pg. 4 of the price list, "...beat us to the punch here but we think our 'Star of Malagasy' FCC X to the best magdalenae we have will give us a real winner.  Our first one has flowered and it;s everything we could have wished for."  I have had conversations with Lisa Hillerman (Fred's youngest daughter) and she remembers her dad crossing Angcm. magdalenae with Angcm. sesquipedale and wanting to create a larger magdalenae type flower yet smaller than the sesquipedale.  The flower type that I have bloomed now for more than six years.

       What I have tried to do here is to show that several people in different parts of the world were hybridizing Angcm. magdalenae and Angcm. sesquipedale to achieve a specific goal.  Each grower according to their own results were successful in their attempts.  Imagine hundreds of offspring from a single cross.  Not all of those plants will appear similar.  Some will carry the traits of the seed parent while others the pollen parent.  With a large portion carrying traits of both parents.

       The illustration below should give you a better understanding as to the distribution of the various flower types and the explanation I was looking for regarding the extreme difference in flower types.

  

       The white star represents the flower that bloomed in 2008.  Flower shape was similar to that of the seed parent and a larger size.  The sepals and petals were thick at the base and came to a point with a slight curl.  The black star represents the flower from 2013.  The flower shape was very close to the pollen parent yet still had a slight curl rather than reflex to the sepals and petals.  Looking at the illustration, you can now imagine the room for the various offspring and where that offspring may come from regarding the location on the table and the traits the offspring will carry.

       Switching the seed and pollen parents around may change the traits of some of the individual offspring is considered by some as speculative.  There is a lot of room on the table and many of those results would be similar as though they haven't traded ends of the table.  One last note, no matter what the seed or the pollen parent is, the hybrid grex name would remain the same.

       [UPDATE Oct. 27, 2014: I recently rec'd several photographs of an Angcm. Lemforde White Beauty which bloomed for Dr. Chris Johnson, one of the blog's readers. As can be seen in the image above, the form of the flower resembles traits more familiar with Angcm. magdalenae than Angcm. sesquipedale.  Comparing Chris's bloom to mine shows that both plants came from a section of a table closer to Angcm. magdalenae.] 

Angraecum Crestwood

             Angraecum Crestwood is a multi crossed hybrid.  Starting with an Angcm. sesquipedale and crossing it with an Angcm. eburneum; coming up with Angraecum Veitchii.  Before I finish the hybridizing here, let me remind you that the Angcm. Veitchii had been posted earlier in this blog.  Take the Angcm. Veitchii and cross it with Angraecum sesquipedale again.  You end up with Angraecum Crestwood.

Angraecum Crestwood

 

             One of the odd traits of the Angcm. Veitchii was the fact that the flower always wants to open parallel to the ground.  In other words it wants to face down with the spur/nectary following suit, staying parallel.  That issue is actually called “twisty flower”.  The lip of the Angcm. sesquipedale is pointing down and slightly out while the lip of the Angcm. eburneum is upright appearing as a hood rather than a lip of the flower.  Angcm. Veitchii seems to open on its own terms.  Not following either of the parents traits.
             Cross the Angcm. Veitchii with Angcm. sesquipedale and it now opens with the traits of Angcm. sesquipedale.  The lip is now down and slightly out in the new hybrid Angcm. Crestwood.  It  looks very near an Angcm. sesquipedale; not as large but with the colors nearer the Angcm Veitchii, A white lip, with a slight green throat and white stripe down the center.  While the sepals and petals are slightly green in cast.  The two petals of the Angcm. Crestwood do not retract as much as they do in Angcm. sesquipedale.  The plant has bloomed in late spring through late summer; even into early fall.  The flowers will last up to four weeks if not in severe weather conditions.

Angraecum Crestwood

 

             Regarding culture; Angcm. Crestwood’s family tree contains two of the largest Angraecum plants that exist.  Keeping this in mind, it is best to pot/basket the Angcm. Crestwood in something large enough so that re-potting won’t be necessary every couple of years.  It will not get near as tall as it's lineage does; however it will not be setting on your window sill either.  It can reach in excess of 24 - 30 inches (75 - 90cm) and after five years or so have numerous kekeis or secondary plants from the main.
            Use a large medium of charcoal, aliflore, perlite and some lava rock.  The larger medium will give the plant ample space to grow its roots, plenty of drainage and air to let the root system breath.  In warmer months, water the plant every 2 – 3 days, trying not to get water on the leaves where it could sit in the leaves against the stem eventually causing stem rot.  Once cooler weather arrives, watering can be cut back to every 3 - 4 days.  If you notice any of the exposed root system starting to wrinkle, increase your watering habits.  I fertilize the plants every week year round (because of my sub-tropical climate here in South Florida) with a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer.
             As the plant gains height, aerial roots will start to appear at the base of the plant.  The taller the plant grows more roots can eventually grow.  Do not damage these roots.  As with so many Angraecums, mess with the roots and the plant will go dormant and not flower for several years.
             When using a systemic  fungicide, it is best to spray the entire plant; especially the base or bottom of the leaves.  Make sure to allow the fungicide to reach the root system within  the pot/basket also.  If issues regarding fungus does appear, use a topical fungicide as needed until it is time to use the systemic mixture.
             Angraecum Crestwood does very well with bright, indirect sunlight.  My plants get a fair amount of 50% spackled light a couple hours a day.  The 20 inch (50cm) or so length leaves are broad and can be burned by direct sunlight.
             Angcm. Crestwood can be grown indoors in a large pot sitting on a table near bright light.  Do try and place the plant outdoors during warm weather.  It will appreciate the breeze.  Once temps reach an average night range of 55 degrees or below, it is time to move the plant into warmer surroundings.

Angraecum Veitchii "the first"

     Who was John Seden?  He was a horticulturist working for the Veitch Nurseries in the Southwest part of England in the late 1800s and into the early 1900s.  John was a hybridizer that was responsible for the first Angcraecum Hybrid.  John used Angcm. eburneum (the seed plant) and crossed it with Angcm. sesquipedale (the pollen plant).  On January 10, 1899, Angraecum Veitchii was displayed for the first time and was officially registered with the Royal Horticultural Society as an orchid hybrid that same year.  More than a hundred and ten years later, Angcm. Veitchii is one of the most popular Angcraecum hybrids grown by hobbyists today.
     With the history of the first Angraecum hybrid out of the way, I'll say there is good news, great news and of course I have a bit of bad news.  Bad news first, Angcm. Veitchii will not fit on your standard window sill for those are thinking of growing this plant in your house .  Especially those of you who have a real winter with that cold white stuff called snow and the ice that shows its freezing head.  It will however do well in a large pot (with good drainage and at least 12 inches (30cm) wide and in a north window (medium light) or an east facing window that sees the sun no later than 11am (the plant leaves can burn).

Angraecum Veitchii

     In a green house environment or the warm sub-tropical climate of South Florida, the plant will most likely not slow down in its growth.  Its parents growing period is just about year round and if the plant is being grown in warm sub-tropical weather, it will grow year round also. 

     Both the Angcm. eburneum and the Angcm. sesquipedale do not like their root systems inferred with.  Angcm. Veitchii is the same way.  It is best to put a younger plant (even a seedling) into a pot that can house it as an adult.  I started my Veitchii in a 12 inch (30cm) basket.  I chose the basket to give the root system a better opportunity to breath and air out.  The medium is an even mix of medium to large pieces of charcoal, lava rock with some smaller aliflore, coconut and broken pieces of tree fern fiber.  This mix drains well yet holds enough moisture for the roots to absorb it.

     A mature plant can have a stem of about twenty inches or more.  With the leaves arcing up from the crown, the plant will be close to 26 - 30 inches (65 - 80cm) high.  Leaves are slightly folded length wise, bilobed at the ends and have a very heavy substance about them.  They grow on alternate sides of the stem and can be up to 14 - 20 inches (35 - 50cm) long.  Use a systemic fungicide on the plant at least every 4 weeks.  The leaves of Veitchii can live quite a long time and once you have a fungus mark on any leaf, will will last as long as the leaf survives.  Use a topical fungicide at the sign of any fungus rearing its ugly head. 

     Watering takes place every 2 - 3 days during the warm summer months and is slowly backed off  to every 3 - 5 days when temps start to level off in the mid to upper seventies.  If temps drop below seventy degrees, I will water once a week.  For those of you growing this in your house, water it in your kitchen sink or bath tub and give it ample time to drain out.  You may want to keep it in a pan with some marbles in the bottom to help with humidity.  Humidity is important to the plant.  I fertilize my plants every 7 days, year round!

Angcraecum Veitchii (both sides of plant)

     You'll notice the four inflorescence in the above image on the left.  As the buds develop, they will start to weigh the inflorescence down and become pendant like.  Once the flowers have opened, notice the nectary (spurs) in the image above right, they are all just about parallel to the ground and all you see is the back sides of the flowers (all flowers are facing down).  This is an affliction being caused by the parents.  Angcm. eburneum's lip is up-right (like a hood), the flower twists around, the lip become erect and the spur hangs down.  Angcm. sesquipedale's lip is down and slightly out, yet the spur still hangs down.  Now you have Angcm. Veitchii, its confused, lost and not sure what to do.  The affliction is called "Twisty Flower" and yes, it is a real issue.  This is what we can do to improve the physical look of the flowers.  As the first flower starts to split its sepals to bloom, Put a stake in the pot or basket and attach the inflorescence to the stake.  Once that flower has opened and facing out, the remainder of the flowers will follow suit.  All will open so that we can fully enjoy their beauty.  If the inflorescence is stake prior to the first bud opening, all of the flowers will open facing down.  As old man Ripley would say, "believe it or not"!

Angcm. Veitchii

     Flowers are about 3 1/2 inches (9cm) wide by 3 1/2 - 4 inches (9 - 10cm) long.  The nectary or spur is usually 3 inches (7 - 8cm) long.  The sepals, petals and anther cap will have a greenish tint while lip is white.  They are fragrant at night and can last 6 - 8 weeks, as long as the plant is kept out of the harsh elements of weather.

     Angraecum Veitchii can be a somewhat fast growing plant if given the proper requirements.  It will start to produce basal keikis after the first blooming and then continue producing more keikis as the plant matures.  You will see keikis eventually start appearing up on the stem as well as roots.  If the plant needs to be put into a larger container, it is best to break a few of the slats on a basket and then drop that into a larger basket, adding medium to fill the voids.  If using a clay pot, break the pot at the bottom and let whatever pieces fall off just fall.  Do not attempt to pull any broken parts of the pot off of healthy roots.  The plant can go dormant and not flower for several years.

     Enjoy the post.







Angcm. Lemforde White Beauty

     We have a King (Angcm. sesquipedale) and we have a Queen (Angcm. magdalenae).  And what that produces is Angraecum Lemforde White Beauty.  A remarkable hybrid that very much resembles the Queen (although slightly larger).

Angcraecum Lemforde White Beauty

     Two very different Angraecums in size, basic shape and most of all the environments from which they grow.  But their offspring pictured above is one of the most sought after Angraecum hybrids to date. 

     The flower from a sesquipedale can be up to 9 inches across.  The magdalenae will produce a flower about 4 inches across.  The Beauty will average 5 - 6 inches across; so it's picked up a little size from the sesquipedale.  The spur or nectary is about 2 inches longer in the Lemforde White Beauty than it is in the magdalenae; another attribute that it gets from sesquipedale.

     The basic shape of the flower is very similar to magdalenae.  The sepals are broader closer to the pedicel as are the petals.  The lip is not near as long as the sesquipedale but it is much wider resembling the magdalenae.  Another prominent feature that has carried over from sesquipedale is the retraction of the petals (they can retract almost 90 degrees).

     The environments in which the parents of this hybrid come from are two totally different ends of the spectrum.  Angcm. sesquipedale grows on the edge of forests at about 300 feet above sea level on the lower and thicker trunks of trees in a tropical condition.  Growing best in nature in bright shade or a bright diffused light.  Angcm. magdalenae grows at 5,600 - 6,500 feet above sea level as a semi-terrestrial (also considered a lithophyte plant that establishes itself in several inches of leaf debris and dead vegatation that has gathered between large rocks of the mountain they're found on.

     With the sesquipedale growing in a tropical condition, it its well suited for the weather here in South Florida.  It will continue to grow and develop 12 months a year.  Angcm. magdalenae grows at a much higher altitude and has it's growing season cut back 4 - 5 months when it is drier and much cooler.  The plants don't grow as big as the sesquipedale does.  Even in the summer months, temperatures do drop and it is the daytime heated rocks that help the magdalenae.  What I am getting at is the fact that the sesquipedale originating in tropical conditions allows the Lemforde White Beauty to grow so well here in South Florida.  While you may have a every difficult time trying to get an Angcm. magdalenae  to bloom here.  Our sub tropical climate is no comparison to the mountain regions the Queen grows in.
     Angraecum Lemforde White Beauty will grow very similar to Angraecum sesquipedale.  However, you can put the plant in a smaller pot (6" shallow) because it will not grow much higher than 10 -14 inches.  It will also accept a larger amount of brighter light.  My plants here is South Florida get direct sun light until about noon.  After that, they get spackled light the remainder of the day.  In the cooler north part of the country, the plant will do fantastic in a north facing window.  Back off on watering the plant in winter months to about once a week to every 10 days.  When the temps start coming back up, move the plant outdoors under an eave overhang and leave it out there until night time temps start hovering around 50 degrees.  Angraecum Lemforde White Beauty will bloom and look radiant with it's pristine white flowers anywhere from mid May to late July; that really depends on what part of the country its growing in.

     

     

Angraecum sesquipedale

Angraecum sesquipedale

     The Latin interpretation of Angcm. sesquipedale is "measuring a foot and a half" (referring to the length of the flower from the tip of the dorsal sepal to the bottom of the nectary or spur as it is often referred to).  It is also referred to as the King of Angraecums. 

     It is from the east coast of Madagascar and grows on the trunk of trees (epiphyte) in slight shade or diffused light.  The plant can exceed 4 - 5 feet in the wild and will often grow in clumps.  Very seldom though will it grow that high in culture.

     One VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: this angraecum, along with so many others in the genera do not take kindly to having their roots messed with.  It is not uncommon for the plant NOT TO BLOOM for several years if the roots are disturbed (especially during re potting).  I highly recommend that when potting or placing in a basket that you use something at least 8 - 10 inches wide to start (even a seedling that may be only 4 - 6 inches high).  The sesquipedale has no dormant time, it grows year round.  The plant will eventually grow into whatever you may have place it in.  The media that I use is a combination of coconut husk, perlite or alifore, charcoal and pieces of tree fir.  Bark breaks down to rapidly here in So. Fla. and can cause problems within a year or two.  I also put some weight in the bottom of the container to try and prevent the wind from blowing the plant over and possibly snapping the stem.

     From mid May until mid November, I water the plants that are in pots or baskets at least twice a week.  Three times when the temps start hovering and exceeding the 90s.  In cooler months, I water no less than once a week.  I fertilize every 7 - 10 days and keep about a tablespoon of dynamite in the pots and baskets so that the plant is fed a minimal amount through each watering.  About once every 4 -6 weeks I will spray the plants with a systemic fungicide (particularly the bottom of the leaves).  I do keep a topical fungicide on hand always.

     The sesquipedale will bloom at any time from late November into early February.