The flower is now half open. Photo is not so great but you get the "picture". :lol: Thanks for looking!
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze6o1l1/yb1.jpg

[quote="Paphraguy"]The flower is now half open. Photo is not so great but you get the "picture". :lol: Thanks for looking!

I think it's great! :D
Looks like a nice fat flower! The shape of the pouch is very round, isn't it?

The pouch is the usual narrow pouch, I know it looks more rounded in the photo.

OOOOOOOOOHHHHHH!!! Wow nice color!!!

http://littlefrogfarm.com/images/besseae_flavum.jpg

More light yellow than the bright yellow yours is, Peter. A definite touch of green (although a lot of my flavas open mostly green and turn yellow). This bud was green enough that I was hoping the flower would stay green (that would be cool). It is still opening. This is a baby plant in a 2" pot. Not a bad flower though.

besseae "Winter Sun" x "Hidden Agenda" An OZ cross. I haven't asked Terry, but I presume that "Hidden Agenda" is a red x yellow cross (heterozygous yellow), to try and get some size into the yellow in the F2. Or it could be some other hidden agenda...

very nice its the armeniacum of phrags!

2 INCH POT!!!! That looks great! I might have to try my hand at a nice small phrag.

2 INCH POT!!!! That looks great! I might have to try my hand at a nice small phrag.

Well... Technically a 2.25 SVD (square very deep) pot, actually. And before you get too excited besseaes can get pretty big. Not as big as the hybrids, though. I haven't grown the flava form for all that long (it hasn't been available all that long...), but so far it seems to stay a bit smaller than the 'normal' red form.

I guess for a small space, besseae or schlimii would be my selection. Even the hybrid (Hanne Popow) tends to get a little out of control, I think the species stay smaller.

Nice flavum you have there, Rob! Mine looks bright yellow because it was in direct sun when I snapped that photo. I'll post another photo when the flower is in full bloom.

Rob, very beautiful little bessie, I just love these!

My new Hanne is 17" in leafspan, so yes, a bit out of control.

Here is the updated photo and I think the flower is still opening some more and may get a little larger. The petals are more rounded, larger and more symetrical, overall the shape has improved. I love it!
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze6o1l1/yb3.jpg thanks for lookin!

I love it too! I hope my next blooming is as fine as your's (glad they're sibs!!) Love the fat lemony pouch! Yum! Yum!

:heart: Man, I love besseae! :heart:

Thanks, Heather, I also think the flower looks more yellow this time and it reminds me of lemons and I kept smelling it to see if it smelled like lemons. :lol:

Petals are more full also.
I think we should have Rob "judge" it...heehee!
(no, seriously!)

Add this to the top, please? Thank you!

Flower has opened some more. I just love :heart: this species!
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze6o1l1/yb4.jpg

Petals are more full also.
I think we should have Rob "judge" it...heehee!
(no, seriously!)

Give me some measurements... My first impression is that it is very nice for a besseae flavum. The form is excellent (far better than any of mine). The color would have been nicer if it had been that bright gold of the first picture... But this is still excellent.

Send it to me and I'll take it to judging next week. And I promise to send it right back... (where is the fingers crossed behind the back icon, anyway? ... *grin*)

The flower is 3" wide and 2" tall. The flower initially spiked/bloomed indoors under HPS light and I placed it outdoors just yesterday and the flower lost it's bright yellow color being outdoors, I guess.

The flower is 3" wide and 2" tall. The flower initially spiked/bloomed indoors under HPS light and I placed it outdoors just yesterday and the flower lost it's bright yellow color being outdoors, I guess.

Umm.... Is that an estimate or an actual? If it is actual, then you should run, not walk, to your nearest AOS judging center. BTW, it is a lot easier to work in centimeters, for judging purposes.

As far as I know, the flava form is traditionally smaller than the red form. The largest besseaes I can find (in Wildcatt, which is all I have at work) are ~3.5 x 2.5" (9.2 x 6.8cm). Those are very high AMs, to red besseae. I don't have access to the pictures to assess the form of those awards. But your form is competitive.

If this were the antiques roadshow, this would be the part where I tell you what your plant is worth... *grin* But I wouldn't do that without seeing it in person. By the way, the cost of the above evaluation is exactly one division. :poke:

Seriously though, it is a very nice flower. That doesn't always translate into a quality award. But you should breed with it regardless. If you don't want to, send the pollen to me.

Hi, Rob!

Yes, that is the exact measurement, I measured it this morning. :lol: I'm just too nervous about having it judged. Thanks for the nice comments!

Hi, Rob!

Yes, that is the exact measurement, I measured it this morning. :lol: I'm just too nervous about having it judged. Thanks for the nice comments!

Bah...

But don't feel obligated to have it looked at. You know it is good. I know it is good. You don't need to pay the AOS 40 dollars to find out that it is good. Do, however, give it a clonal name. Right now. When you do divide it, you will want to know where the pieces are.

Plenty of people feel the same way you do. There are many many truely extraordinary plants that will never see the pages of the Awards Quarterly. Some people just don't know what they have, some don't want to bother, and some have philosophical disagreements with the whole process. All are valid reasons.

An anecdote: I saw a Jason Fischer in February which was by far the best phrag I had ever seen. It may have been the best orchid I have seen. I literally couldn't speak for a minute or so after I saw it, and I see a lot of phrags. Seriously, if there ever was a 95pt FCC, this one was it. It was on the society show and tell table. The owner was an 80 year old or so man, who has grown orchids for years. He had absolutely no desire to have it looked at. I tried to convince him, the vice-president of the society (a student judge) offered to take it himself to judging the next day. Absolutely no hassle to the owner at all. Still didn't want to do it.

He didn't want to sell me the plant either, and I would have given him my mortgage payment (grrrrr). That wasn't as stupid as it sounds... I could have made a small fortune from that plant. There are yearly prizes awarded by the AOS, which can be a fair amount. I think there is one for the best FCC, I know there is a prize for best slipper, and failing that (or in addition to that!) I could have easily sold divisions for exorbitant prices. Oh well.

And no stealing MY clonal name there, Peter!

Rob, you should ask him if he'll put it in his will for you. If he's 80...well, you know, what will happen when he's gone? (That may be a rather crass question to ask someone though..."So, can I have it when you die? Please??" Maybe you should try to get to know his wife - you know how SO's often feel about our plant obsessions, she may be looking to unload it when the time comes...)

The whole showing judging thing reminds me of the dog shows. I used to show dogs years ago and it was not a pleasant experience for me. Anyway, there are many people out there who have drop down gorgeous looking dogs that could win ribbons anyway and yet they choose not to show them, how sad is that? But now I do understand why they prefer to stay away from showing their dogs because I feel the same way about my plants. I would just rather enjoy them than to get all nervous and sweaty and get a big heart attack and no I'm not 80 years old, Heather! :cheeky: I do admire those who have the courage to show their plants for judging, maybe someday I'll try showing when I get enough courage to do it! Yeah, I'm a big chicken! :roll:

and no I'm not 80 years old, Heather!

No, I was talking about the guy in Rob's anecdote, not you, silly!

Rob, you should ask him if he'll put it in his will for you. If he's 80...well, you know, what will happen when he's gone? (That may be a rather crass question to ask someone though..."So, can I have it when you die? Please??" Maybe you should try to get to know his wife - you know how SO's often feel about our plant obsessions, she may be looking to unload it when the time comes...)

I don't think I could do that... But I do think I will see if I can get in touch with him to see if I can purchase a division.

I don't think I could do that...

Me neither! I was mostly kidding...Good luck getting a division! Was it a mature, multi growth plant? I love Jason Fischer (the plant - didn't want anyone getting confused!)

and no I'm not 80 years old, Heather!

No, I was talking about the guy in Rob's anecdote, not you, silly!

:lol: Ok, my wrong! Sorry. :lol: I can't wait to see your bessies in bloom!

I will have to hope that my yellow on the next blooming is as nice as your's, since they are sibs! Then I can take MINE for judging...:D

I enjoyed the experience of judgeing, but I can certainly understand why one would not be interested in all the fuss!

I don't think I could do that...

Me neither! I was mostly kidding...Good luck getting a division! Was it a mature, multi growth plant? I love Jason Fischer (the plant - didn't want anyone getting confused!)

It was a mature plant, but I don't recall if it had a lot of growths. I think Jason Fischer is married, so you might want to keep your affection a secret from his wife. Cute kid though. He is an excellent public speaker.

I think Jason Fischer is married, so you might want to keep your affection a secret from his wife. Cute kid though. He is an excellent public speaker.

My attempt at clarification failed, I guess. He is rather cute, and very nice and helpful on the phone. I had a shipping mix up a while back, and he helped me race to clear it up. I have not had the pleasure of hearing him speak, but hope to some day.

Nah Nah, Nah Nah Nah! I saw the new bloom! Hahahaha! (Evil laugh)

It's just as nice as the first, I think! Nice job Peter, I can't wait to see mine, hope it blooms just the same!

Here is the 3rd flower. Slightly smaller than the last, not too happy with how the photo came out. Thanks for looking!
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze6o1l1/y.jpg

Well, that negates my evil laugh, now, doesn't it? :poke:

Beautiful besseae bloom. I am so envious!

I just love the golden yellow color

WOWZERS! Me likey!

I'll have to import some of these.

Here is another shot with 2 flowers and a bud.
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze6o1l1/yb2.jpg

Here is another shot with 2 flowers and a bud.
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze6o1l1/yb2.jpg

Don't forget my pollen! *grin* Feel free to send both flowers worth... (where is the 'greedy' icon, anyway?)

Truely a wonderful plant.

Rob, I have other people on the wait list so just one flower. I already lost 2 flowers from the same spike because I forgot to save them.

Rob, I have other people on the wait list so just one flower. I already lost 2 flowers from the same spike because I forgot to save them.

Hence the reminder to save pollen... *grin*

Have fun!

Rob

Yep, this time I'm keeping an eye on the flowers. :lol:

LOL! I was telling my family of the pollen frenzy...they now think not only am *I* nuts, but now all of you are also! Heeheee!! Welcome to the family!

LOL! I was telling my family of the pollen frenzy...they now think not only am *I* nuts, but now all of you are also! Heeheee!! Welcome to the family!

Yep, we're all slipper nuts! :lol:

We just don't see them here . what a wonderful clear colour .
great growing Billie