Outstanding, Laurel. I'm so glad your loses were not as great as you originally thought and glad to see the additions. In a few words, YOU DID GOOD. Trichosalpinx chamaelepanthes, Isochilus aurantiacus and Pleurothallis palliolata I really like.
dyzzypyxxy, Lc.Trick or Treat looks really, really nice. And I give up on names. Just let me know what the plant likes. Of course to do that you need the name.Arg is right
Carol, you have some great looking blooms there. Especially like Pot. 'Cameron's magnatism. I'm still undecided about SB because of the rain as well. I've done that drive before in the rain because I had to and it is not fun. Maybe the weatherman is wrong? Could it happen that it does not rain? LOL
Our March Orchid Madness
I am once again fighting the software issues on this site. Perhaps posting one pic at a time will work.
Here is my Dendrobium nobile hybrid in full bloom. Now you know why it is on my top 8 must have list. It's even better in person.
Jim
Yeah, it made it. I rotated it a bit and took another picture.
Jim
And the flower.
Jim
Gosh that is beautiful, Jim, and it looks fantastic on the plant stand. I'm going to keep my Cyms in the basement come winter, like I used to, and reserve the cool part of the greenhut annex for other orchids. I moved the kingianum and blasted every bud. Drat!
Thanks, Ted. Now lets see if I can coax some flowers. There are a few on the list that are more cool to intermediate than intermediate to warm growers. I was encouraged by how a few similar species made it through our hundred degree summers last year. The misters were set to go off during the hottest part of the day last summer. The damp indoor outdoor carpet, with the fan blowing, acts like a swamp cooler. I think that was key.
We are having record breaking spring heat and am I ever glad for the 50% Aluminet http://www.shadeclothstore.com/products/aluminetcoolshade50__aluminetshadecloth.html a fellow orchid grower GAVE me! Entirely by coincidence it covers almost the entire roof of the greenhut. I was able to pull the dark nylon screening I had been using and drop the temp down to ambient temperatures. That eliminates the potential for burn out like last year at this time. The Aluminet falls a little short in width, which works out perfectly, because that part is under the overhang of the house where the twenty or so Vandas live. They can use the extra light.
Elaine, wish I had more space for pretty Lc.'s like yours. Those top shelf pots take up room and block light. As for the Bulbo, it's a species, leaving only Ma Nature responsible for the look not a breeder.
We made it up to Maypop this afternoon. I walked out to the garden to see what's in store, promptly returned to the cottage and took a three hour nap. lol I never do that! Guess last week's orchid activities caught up with me and my age is showing. Okay, time to crank up the tiller and tractor. It's farming season.
Ted, I decided, after checking the forcast for both here and there, to go tomorrow, and fight the traffic. They're calling for showers Sun., but if there is heavy rain Sat. there may be closures. If I get out of here by 6:30 it shouldn't be too bad.
Jim - that orchid is AMAZING!!!!!!
Awsome! I know, I'm repeating myself....
I've had the plant for 5 or 6 years. I found it on the orphan table at HD for $3.00. It had a tag stuck in it that read Cattleya. I wasn't sure but I put it in Cattleya light and it loved it. As the canes grew, it became clear it was no Cattleya and when it bloomed, I posted a picture and we all agreed it is a Den. nobile cross of some sort. There are many of them so further pinning it down is not possible. It likes lots of light and seems happy in the OC.
Jim
Repeating again, Jim....Awesome
Good Luck Carol. I'm watching the weather. Can't get out tomorrow, but we'll see how the weekend goes. This is one of those storms that's coming down from SB. Maybe it will done up there and bright and sunny for you. Well, I can hope.
Bad weather =Great bargains at orchid shows. Just saying you know. :>)
Oh yah, and you are one of those that would know. I like that thought, ya know
Jim, blue ribbon for orphan Dendrobiums goes to you. That baby is magnificent!
Friday is the day to get plants you absolutely can't live without. It will cost you. Sunday is a good day to negotiate especially if the grower is from over seas or across the country. Most growers don't want to transport plants back home. It requires packing, loading or air shipping, unpacking and rehanging. The plants suffer from being out of the greenhouse that long. Often more local growers take the leftovers for bubkes and sell them at their greenhouses or other upcoming shows but the out of town growers can make a bit more by selling them to the public steeply discounted. If you ever get to a show on a Sunday ask if they are discounting at the end of the show or ask if you buy two or more plants will they discount. Best bargains are to be had after two p.m. the last show day. Growers taught me this years ago when particular plants were too steep to purchase. They told me to come back late afternoon and if they still had the plants they would cut me a deal. Twenty percent is typical. Sometimes plants are half off or one is free if you buy two.
Good advice, Laurel! I figured that out on my own, and often go to the local shows both days. Andys' never discounts here...too close to home. I was thinking about waiting 'till Sunday, but this storm has already caused some problems farther north, and the coast has lots of mudslides when we get heavy rains, and in case you've never heard it "Ca. drivers can't drive in the rain".
I have gotten a couple of those 2 for $10 deals though...
Ca. drivers can't drive when rain is in the forecast.
Moving right along, Vanda season is almost upon us. First up is V. manuvadee X V. coerulea.
Jim
Very pretty one, Jim. I'm not as happy with a different Manuvadee cross I got last year. Floppy flowers. My Vandas are behind but I've been peeking and there are spikes hiding in between those leaves.
Here are photos of the Aluminet before it went up on the greenhut roof, Tol. Jairak Rainbow 'Plum Pretty' which won first in Tol. class at the Atlanta show (forgot to mention my new ribbons) and the gifted Lc. El Cerrito that came with botrytis spots on the flowers. Tol. Orchidum Sunburn took third in the same class. Surprising because the flowers were on back blooming spikes so there were few flowers compared to the original flush.
Lovely color on that vanda, Jim. I do love the rich purples!
Can't resist, since you all were so complimentary of this one. Second flower on Trick or Treat opened today. I have another related Lc. called Blazing Treat, which now I can't wait for it to bloom, but no spike yet.
This message was edited Mar 16, 2012 2:16 PM
Beautiful orange on that bloom, Elaine. That plant is a winner.
Jim
That is a keeper, Elaine.
I forgot to post photos above. Been racing around Maypop trying to get peas planted before the weather hit. The sky just let loose.
Well, I was at Lowe's yesterday, and found two more little friends that followed me home. They might be unsavory characters, and I certainly bought them AJA - against Jim's advice. So I promise not to whine too much if they never bloom for me again, but even the foliage is pretty on these . . .
Also, I thought Phaius microburst 'Wild Thing' was supposed to have more red on the petals and some yellow in the throat. Mine are similar color petals to the Phaius tankervillea, and the lips are solid wine/purple. Not complaining mind you, they're lovely, and big flowers too. But . . . maybe not 'Wild Thing'?
Pretty Phaphs! That Phaius doesn't look like the pics of 'Wild Thing', but it's still pretty.
Very nice Paphs, Elaine. Years ago one jumped into my car from the Lowes leftover table. It's been a faithful bloomer. As for the Phaius, it's lovely but does not look like tankervillae or Microburst 'Wild Thing'. Tankervillae has cocoa inner petals and sepals. Yours has that blush of "Wild Thing' but no yellow in the throat. It could be Microburst 'Octoberfest'. Did they have other Phaius in the store? Maybe check out the labels and see if it's another Microburst variety.
I got the Phaius months ago from a local grower, Plantio la Orquidea. It's got a label saying it's 'Wild Thing'. Oh well! As I said, not that disappointed, as it's still really pretty.
I have another baby Phaius that my kids bought me for Xmas that came from Logees, also labeled as 'Wild Thing' and also Phaius tankervillae 'Rabin's Raven' so I do hope to grow them big this year, and have four different flowers next spring.
Here are mug shots of my new Paphs, first has a name that barely fit on the label: Paph.(Makuli-Curtisii)-Maudiae x Paph. Maudiae 'Napa Valley' HCC/AOS x Sib (Phew! had to run out and pluck the label to bring it in so I could type all that out without forgetting half of it) These people should make codes for the armed forces!
Second suspect is: Paph.wardii 'Glenn' x Paph. Hsinying Rubyweb '#3'
Yada, yada, low light, cool temps, lots of water and fert, right?
This message was edited Mar 18, 2012 5:57 PM
The first tag is incorrect. Both parents are white. Maudiae is one of my favorite orchids. The wardii x Hsinying is more credible.
Boy, that makes two for me today that are mis-labeled, huh! Thanks, Laurel. Guess I can possibly expect that from buying orchids at Lowe's.
Really as long as I know generally how to care for them, that's what counts for me.
Agreed that not all orchids need to come with a pedigree. So, "Yada, yada, low light, cool temps, lots of water and fert, right?". Wrong. Mottled leaved Paphs generally like warmer temps than plain leaved ones and both are warm growers, not cool. They like bright indirect light but not to be stuck in the middle of the dining room table. Since their light requirements are lower than other orchids they generally don't require a lot of fertilizer. I only fertilize mine twice a month while Vandas get fertilized twice a week. Most other orchids get fertilized weekly. Here is some info that addresses Paph growing. http://www.ladyslipper.com/paphfaq.htm They do well with Phals because, like Phals, they appreciate more even growing conditions for most of the year. Since I cannot always care for orchids as indoor plants, and since my orchids summer outdoors, I grow only a few Phals though I appreciate their beauty.
Well, ya know Laurel, "cool" is a relative term to somebody who grows their orchids outdoors in Florida, right? To me the weather's still pretty "cool" now because it's only hitting the mid-80's in the daytime and nights are in the 60's so we can sleep with the windows open.
None of my orchids are going to live in the house. So everybody gets good outdoor light, under the trees and I move them around according to how green the leaves are. The closest they get to the dining room table is the patio table in the pool cage where we eat quite often.
Glad to hear these mottley paphs will like it warmer than others. I got the 'lots of water and fert' from Mr. Chapman of Chapman's Orchids up in Apopka, interestingly! He had some absolute beauties, but since I was with Jim I really couldn't buy any (LoL).
That's a fantastic article, thanks! I still didn't get all the way to the bottom, but I'll keep it handy.
Today is the day for our monthly food pick up from the local Trader Joe's for redistribution. Wouldn't you know an employee was getting ready to throw a Phal in the dumpster. The upshot is a Phal residing in the greenhut for the first time in years. Things are calming down since the show but I've got a busy catch up week ahead. I did manage a few photos.
First is Dendrobium jenkinsii (formerly Den. aggregatum). You may notice damaged leaves in the last photo. It was one of the badly burned orchids last March so it's not as bloomiferous (?) as usual. This orchid needs a cool period and water is withheld from After Thanksgiving until I see spikes emerging.
This message was edited Mar 19, 2012 1:17 PM
A favorite. Bulbophyllum bicolor made it through the cold crisis and didn't skip a beat. A second spike is coming along.
Ascocentrum curvifolium is almost in full bloom. It lost a few flowers during the show from all the handling. The speckled leaves mean it's getting just the right amount of sun.
Dendrobium fimbriatum has lots of spikes. The flowers only last about a week. I'm hoping more will open before the first flower spike goes. It's called fimbriatum because the lip is fimbriated, which means fringed.
This message was edited Mar 19, 2012 12:43 PM
Tetratonia Dark Prince, a Broughtonia cross,has opened a first flower. I divided this basket into four or five sections about six weeks ago. Surprised it went into bloom so quickly. It is very free blooming from Spring until Fall.
Epc. Rene Marques is still going after two months. What's impressive is it went into the lower humidity and light in the solarium and remained unfazed. Extra points for staying power.
This is the Paph. bargain I got several years ago from Lowes that is just opening. Paph. Hsinying Web 'Giant' x Paph Pulsar 'Hsinying Flame' SM/TPS. The letters are abbreviations for awards by the Taiwanese Paphiopedilum Society.
Great show, Laurel, all are nice but that Bulbophyllum bicolor knocked me off of my chair. Magnificent! Wonderful color on the Broughtonia lip. Nice Paph bloom as well.
Elaine, I can get Paphs to grow just fine. It is just that I never can get the choreography quite right on the bloom dance. If they only bloom every three or four years, then I have better use for the space.
Jim
Thanx for the show, Laurel. I'm with Jim on that Bi-Color. Still have not decided what Bulbo I should start with
Ted, I can personally recommend either bicolor or odoritissimum http://www.orchidspecies.com/bulbodoratissima.htm I've actually found species Bulbos easier to culture and bloom than some of the hybrids though Bulbo hirtum has been challenging for me.