Our Introductions to Phragmipediums

Until 1996, while participating in the IPA Symposium in Chicago, we had not considered hybridizing any genera other than phalaenopsis. Mr. George Hausermann, Jr. had the phragmipedium collection of an individual which he was selling at an attractive price. Our friend, Gail Mathews of Savannah, decided to buy the collection with the condition that we would haul it to Charleston in our empty van. We have an insulated glass greenhouse on the bank of the Cooper River which she knew to be as empty as our van. If any of you know Gail you will not be  surprised to know that six months later we still had the phrag collection. 

Most of you have already guessed that I could not stand it and just had to make a pod on Gail's plant. Phrag. Ruby Slippers' color was just more than I could stand. Immediately, I was hooked. It  just had to be incorporated in other phrags. All of you know how much I love RED!

A number of our crosses have bloomed now, including Phrag. Scarlet O’Hara (Jason Fischer ‘Orchidview’, AM/AOS x Phrag. besseae), Phrag. Rhett Butler (Don Wimber 'Orchidview' AM/AOS x Jason Fischer 'Orchidview' AM/AOS) and Phrag. Rachel Kirk (Don Wimber 'Rachel' AM/AOS x besseae 'Carol' AM/AOS) plus our newest Phrag. Tara (Don Wimber 'Rachel' AM/AOS x Mem. Dick Clements 'Katherine' AM/AOS). Phrag. Scarlet O'Hara 'Riverside' AM/AOS is our only progeny that has been shown for consideration. 

Since most phrag crosses do not produce seeds in the quantity that we get from our phals, the phrags will be very limited. 

We have been consumed with hunting down superior clones for our breeding program. With numerous trips to California proving to be fairly profitable, we leaned on our good friend, Colin Taylor of Leicester England, again and he hand carried flasks to us from The Eric Young Foundation. These efforts have paid off handsomely. We believe we have as good a collection of Phrag besseae and its progeny as is available. Our phrags have received one FCC/AOS,  23 AM/AOS awards and 6 HCC/AOS awards, plus one CCM/AOS. Our two best AM's thus far are Phrag. Jason Fischer ‘Orchidview’ AM/AOS which received 87 points as did Phrag. Memoria Dick Clements 'Katherine'  AM/AOS.  Of course, we must tell you that the first FCC/AOS which an Orchidview plant received went to the fabulous Phrag. warscewiczianum 'Orchidview' FCC/AOS.