Here’s the incredible C. x ventricosum that Ron was talking about in his thread on C. macranthos. It is being grown in Connecticut, and if I remember correctly, this is its second season there. The grower unfortunately doesn’t value the plant much. Look at those vivid colors!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/tvelardi/Red-Ventricosum1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/tvelardi/Red-Ventricosum2.jpg

Now that’s what I call a beautiful plant!

Tom

Tom,

Indeed beautiful!

thanks

Wow now that's a plant.

incredible!!!

Gorgeous! I would love to see a cluster of these!

Why doesn't the grower like it? He/she should give it to me!!!

Doesn't value the plant? Are they insane???

Great photo and flower!
Thanks Tom

Stunning, love the colour :good:

And this is the flower when it is just about ready to drop. It is nearly three weeks old. When earlier the color is even more intense - this is "faded." The grower has spectacular white Cyps - his passion, and he collects ventricosum for the white morphs. This one was an accident.

I like reds and have gently suggested several trades to no avail. However, since my plants are all still in pots, a nice reginae albolabium might appear on this doorstep with a padlock around it that suggests it could stay with him in return for his "ugly" red ventricosum - he really does disdain it!

Ron

Yeah it is pretty wild that he doesn't like it, but then again there's no accounting for taste. Amazing, it is even brighter than this photo! Wow, ventricosum can really give incredible plants. I hope you end up with this plant one day Ron, that way you can self it and produce some lovely seedling plants. Better yet, cross it with a nice tibeticum...now that could yeild a flower beyond belief. It up to you Ron to become the leader in pure red hybrids. I have great faith in your ability!

Tom

Really a wonerful flower

Best greetings

Olaf

wow, the colour is stunning!!!

Wow another beautie!!!

I agree...great color!!

Actually, I am not insane. I just think it's ugly. Rather like looking at someone's liver.

Now there's another Ventricosum growing right next to it that I think is gorgeous but neither Tom or Ron bother to post a photo of it.

OK, in all fairness here is the one that he likes (also his plant)! It is a beauty too. I love these ventricosum hybrids!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/tvelardi/ventricosumFrosch3.jpg

Tom

Paul - Welcome!

I noticed soon after discussion started on this that someone from CT with your name registered and I thought "hmmm...." Could that be said person being discussed? I came very close to posting publicly and also pm'ing people to find out if they thought you were who I thought you were, but I do not grow Cyps yet and I don't know the community and I thought it best if I not intrude. However....

Sure enough!
Welcome to the forum - I think we'd all enjoy hearing the reasoning for your opinions here - I for one would welcome it! I know what I think, and what others think, but being a person who would like to grow these at some point in the future, I'd like to know what, and WHY you think what you do!

Please, feel welcome and help us (or at least me - )understand!

Thanks Paul!

Heather (who knows so little about Cyps, but what she thinks is "pretty" and that got her far enough to grow 100+ slippers!)

I am at the innocent place where I really know nothing about these, except that some day I'd love to have them growing in my yard in Massachusetts. AND what looks lovely to me. I'd like to learn about what I should be looking for!

Bring it on! ;)

Hi, Paul,

Thanks for logging in! For the folks here, Paul has been growing Cypripediums for more than 30 years. His garden is a spectacular place in the spring with the Cyp's. The number and size of the Cyp pubescens, some of which have been on site for more than 30 years is breathtaking. He has a couple of Cyp pubescens with flowers larger than yellow Volkswagen Beetles!

Paul has provided all the wisdom that allowed me to go from struggling neophyte Cypripedium grower to more confident near-neophyte Cypripedium grower!

As it turns out, our Tom Velardi is also from this general area - Poughkeepsie, although he is currently some 7500 miles farther west.

Ron

The number and size of the Cyp pubescens, some of which have been on site for more than 30 years is breathtaking. He has a couple of Cyp pubescens with flowers larger than yellow Volkswagen Beetles!



:bowing:

May I be so bold as to request photos? I know we would ALL adore seeing them!!

Hi Heather

Thank you for your welcome. I'm just not a big fan of veiny, blotchy hybrid cyps. Give me yellows, pale pinks, creams and whites colored cyps and I am a happy camper.

Unlike tropical orchids, cyps are a lot of work and they only bloom 5 - 10 days and you are at the mercy of the weather, bugs, deer etc. This wasn't my best year as we got heavy rain just in time for peak bloom time.

Now, the white cyps are coming in to bloom and I am sure Tom will be kind enough to post a few more photos.

best,

Paul

Paul has provided all the wisdom that allowed me to go from struggling neophyte Cypripedium grower to more confident near-neophyte Cypripedium grower!

Pardon me for saying so Ron, but IN A PIG'S EAR! You are the man when it comes to Cyp cultivation. I predict you are going to be one of the leading growers and hybridizers in the world this coming decade .

As it turns out, our Tom Velardi is also from this general area - Poughkeepsie, although he is currently some 7500 miles farther west.

Ron

Almost true! Not Poughkeepsie but Peekskill, some miles further south on the Hudson River. I grew up with C. acaule in the surrounding woods, but no local populations of any other Cyp. Part of me wishes I lived in a colder climate so I could grow them better, but I don't like winter very much!

Tom

Paul, welcome to the forum. I wondered if you would ever be coming here.
Dot

Welcome Paul...this from a guy who lived in Illinois where he took cyps for granted in the woods...and now lives in desert dry Utah...you think if I click my heels together three times and say "there's no place like home" that someday I may grow these? WELCOME:Party:

Both plants are great. love them all

I have previously been lokking for a red Cyp that does not go towards pink and thisone is pretty close to red red. Especially if it was more read earlier.

May I be so bold and hope that You might do a selfing to go further with this one in an atempt to get a red one.
This one had not so much vainse and red and wello mixing as some other may have that makes them a bit boring.
I think Yours migt be a candidate to make a true red red cymbidium.
Hope You dare try.
Regardng the other one it is to me a more "normal" vent that also has its butey but that is not that unusual I think.

Very wellcome to this forum Paul.
You will see the difference copared to Cyp forum.
I will not say that the difference between the to forums are like the differences between Germans and Americans but this forum seems to be a little warmer I think.
Hope You will provide kmnovledge on both places

Thanks for inspiring us
Kind regards
Joakim Balogh
Sweden