I've received this orchid as a gift. There is no tag. Any ideas? I will include two pictures - one of the blooms and the other of the leaves/plant. Thanks in advance for your help!
Help with ID please
and now the leaves/plant
I am envious. Very beautiful plant and flowers. Maybe a Paraphalaenopsis hybrid with Paraphalaenopsis denevei as one parent.
That's a relief. I was fearful I had received a Vanda - and I'm a beginner! I do have a followup question, though. Today I found one leaf on this plant that was completely limp and - how do I describe - liquidy? Really soft and almost watery. Only one - and it was not one of the lower most leaves. Any idea what causes this? Is it a symptom of a deeper problem?
That's not good. I mean mostly the watery leaf. Cut it back with a clean razor as far from the rot as possible. It should be treated with something bactericidal. The other news you may not want to hear is what I meant by "Paraphalaenopsis hybrid". That would mean there is probably a Vanda parent in there too.
So why the vanda phobia? I think they are easier than phals.
Jim
ok - removed the leaf and treated with neosporin. Any idea what caused that? And what I may need to keep an eye out for? I've only had this one a couple of weeks - and I've been VERY cautious with watering.
Jim - everything I've been reading puts Vanda's in the "not for beginners" category. I'm very happy to hear you think they aren't as difficult as I've read!
They are labor intensive for most growers, need very high humidity and like it hot, hot, hot. I water mine heavily every day and fertilize twice a week almost year around. Jim does not need to do this because his are outdoors most of the time. They are not so hard if you can leave them out year around or have a gh but they do get large.
Water every day! Oh my - I haven't been doing that. I have become much more conservative with watering my phals and oncidiums. I am reworking one of my smaller greenhouses with the goal of making it for orchids. It sounds like this one should be the first tenant :-)
That is because mine are hanging with no medium. I've never been able to keep them alive more than a year when potted. I believe Jim has posted he mists his every day with a weak fertilizer (worm poo water?).
I envision sweeping, misty clouds where Vandas grow that bathe them in moisture several times a day. I try to replicate that. Occasionally, I skip a day but sometimes spray several times. After all, Mother Nature isn't on a time clock.
Yes, I mist every day with a weak fertilizer solution and water heavy on Sunday. I've tried the worm tea but couldn't see any difference so I couldn't justify the cost. Besides, I'm afraid of that dog up there.:>)
Jim
Yeah, well my SO is wearing the scars from that dog. Should have sprayed him with that worm tea before we went. And by the way...who's idea was it to go to a vermiculture farm and haul a truckload of worms and worm poo to begin with? I was perfectly happy keeping it simple and just buying orchids.
That's Harriet for you. She even gives library talks on vermiculture. She has several worm hotels at her place and claims she cured her sago cycad scale problem with the stuff. They sell a little bottle of worm tea for $10 or more and I saw no magic being performed on my orchids. It is suppose to kill insects, cure disease, wipe out fungus and fertilize all at the same time. I sprayed it on my plants and they spit back at me. :>)
Jim
This message was edited Jul 17, 2011 8:15 PM
clcato- yes i'd be careful watering yours as its in moss which holds water longer and you'll rot it.
clcato,, I share your phobia about vandacious orchids. While we have many orchids in Ca. , I've not seen them grown in any of the Botanical gardens, nor for sale in this region, except at Lowes, and those were potted. I figure there must be a good reason for that. I believe they require constant heat and humidity, which we just can't provide here.