Bletilla Soryu

[hayley]

Do anyone have any photos of Soryu ??
After waiting such a long time i aquired a imported of Soryu this year and its only a matter of waiting now to see the true beauty of the flowers .Tomorrow could be the day as the bud is just waiting to burst open
It will be like christmas for me when at last i see the true flower
My camera is ready as with approx 60 to flower and the waiting  is killing me
The buds are looking very lilac  purple which many have said recently that although called the blue orchid they are more  a purple shade

[Pascal B]

The cultivar "Soryu" is the most blue form available and blue even in bud, the lavender-purple one with a blue cast is called "Murasaki Shikibu". A picture of the last one can be seen here: http://forum.terrorchid.org/viewtopic.php?t=566

To my knowledge "Soryu" is an introduction from Shikoku nursery and most plants sold in the West come from them, a picture of it can be seen here:
http://www.shikoku-garden.com/images/802-067.jpg

"Murasako Shikibu" has been introduced a couple of years before "Soryu" so I hope you have the right one.

[hayley]

Hi, These come from Takuya so sure to be Soryu

[Peter Maguire]

Reading down that thread on the Terrorchid forum, it seems that that picture in the first posting is actually 'Soryu' (See correction dated Oct 08, 2006).
I'm also waiting for my 'Soryu' to flower, but if it comes out like the one in the first photo, then I'll be delighted 

[hayley]

I will try to post a photo as soon as the stubborn buds open !!!!!!

[Pascal B]

Reading down that thread on the Terrorchid forum, it seems that that picture in the first posting is actually 'Soryu' (See correction dated Oct 08, 2006).
I'm also waiting for my 'Soryu' to flower, but if it comes out like the one in the first photo, then I'll be delighted  

The problem is that Shikoku/Takuya seems to have propagated it by seed and not by tissue culture so there probably is some variation. True cultivars can by definition not be propagated by seed but if the plant is attractive, who cares about the name....
I have seen pix of the original clone some years back and it really had no purple in the flower as far as I can remember, it was almost Corydalis blue (sorry, never saved the pictures.... ). Based on that I still do not think the plant in the Terrorchid thread is "true Soryu" but more likely "Murasaki Shikibu".

By the way, the soil it grows in even can have influence on the flower colour. Japanese growers often grow in Akadama, a granular, clay like mineral which the plant might respond differently to than for instance a peat-based compost. Of course it won't be as drastic as with Hydrangea cultivars but it can be of influence due to certain minerals. Added problem is that some of the blue coloured flowers are unusually difficult to photograph true to colour and the same picture can have a different colour on each of our computer screens. Anyone ever trying to photograph the Asian orchid Cleisocentron merillianum would know what I mean.

[Anthony Darby]

Finally joined us Hayley?

[derekb]

Finally joined us Hayley?

And very welcome about time,  Derek

[hayley]

I thought now i had a bit of spare time i would check up on you Derek 

[hayley]

At last the 1st bud has opened 

[Slug Killer]

Photo Hayley? Is it what you were hoping to see?

David

[hayley]

I will email you photo as not happy with 1st attemp of photos
Its very pretty but i would say more lilac not blue ,very much like Takuyas 2nd photo  where as the main one used is very blue

[derekb]

I thought now i had a bit of spare time i would check up on you Derek 

I suppose that means that if my adopted step daughter is keeping watch I had better behave

[hayley]

Too right Derek,i have eyes eyerywhere 

[hayley]

I needed a little help to be able to add photos as i would have added pictures much too large ,Thankyou David 
As you will see in 2nd photo the 1st bud is fullyopn and now aitin the  2nd bud is  open
I love it ,so happy about  the long wait i had to be able to grow these and cant wait for photos people have said they would forward to me

Come on Derek tell yours and Doreens to get a hurry on ,its a race against you and a German friend and i think you are running in last place LOL