Echinopsis 'Bridge' hybrid

[Diane]

Thanks Malcolm, definitely no Trichocereus bridgesii parent in that!!!

Maybe someone will know of a Bridge nursery or other link.

Could it be from someone whose surname is Bridges?

[Phil_SK]

No Echinopsis (better Lobivia) bridgesii in there either, I reckon.

[Mal L]

Thanks for all your contributions. I guess that unless a Mr/Mrs Bridge suddenly appears on the Forum, this is going to remain a mystery. I certainly never got anywhere doing internet searching in the past. Anyway, the plant doesn't care about the label and its unknown parents, and as long as it keeps producing its distinctive flowers I will be happy too.

[Elizabeth]

I have a large collection of Echinopsis hybrids but I've not heard "Bridge" mentioned I'm afraid.

[StevenT]

Could this have been raised by the late Mike Bridges of Manchester branch?

See https://manchester.bcss.org.uk/mikebridges-database/

Steven

[Mal L]

Thanks Steve for an interesting idea. I had not heard of Mike Bridges before but my personal circumstances suggest that this could possibly be the origin of the hybrid. Firstly, my BCCS branch adjoins Manchester branch - in fact if I lived just a very short distance further north I would have been in the latter. Secondly, I do not drive, so at the time I acquired this plant, as well as growing from seed, I mostly bought plants locally (i.e. Branch sales, the annual Manchester Cactus Mart and only an occasional visit to Abbey Brook nursery in Matlock). If he gave branch talks(?) maybe he visited our adjacent branch and brought some sales plants? The only thing against that idea is that I cannot see any such Echinopsis hybrids on the very comprehensive list of plants that were in (or had been in) his collection. But maybe something he might have done as a personal hybridisation experiment didn't get added?

[StevenT]

I met Mike Bridges a couple of times at BCSS National Conventions and he was a great guy - a true Mancunian complete with that fabulous Mancunian sense of humour! And he had some very nice plants for sale there too!

The question in your last sentence sounds worth following up - how about contacting Manchester Branch direct?