One of my favorites is blooming, Stanhopea tigrina. Flowers only last about 3-4 days, about 6" across. Smell is outstanding, somewhat like vanilla-chocolate, and permeates the yard.
Stanhopea tigrina
It's beautiful popper. Could you please post it on the August orchids thread so others may enjoy it? Many only keep up with orchid photos that way.
Laurel
That's lovely!
Joanne
The photo for the Stanhopea tigrina is so exciting. Yesterday, I went to water mine which I've had hanging under a dogwood tree and so my great surprise, I saw a huge bud hanging from beneath the basket. I've gone to no great lengths this Summer to tend it because of a bad knee. I brought it in and put it in the flower room so that when it does bloom, I can enjoy it..This is the first bloom it has had. When I ordered it from SBOE, it had 2 buds but due to my lack of experience, they dried up and never opened. It's in an 8" basket and has 8 bulbs. Maybe, other buds will emerge. If not, I'll be happy with this one.
Just fabulous!!!! Congrats on your bud, leeflea!!
boojum, As I had posted on the AOS forum, I had to put it back outside today in it's usual place. The buds were looking a little dry. Maybe the humidity was not high enough in this room. As warm and humid as it is today, it should feel back at home outside. I've never had that problem with other orchids, even with an Encyclia(or is it now Epidendrum) ilense, with it's strange and delicate looking flowers. Today, I cut off the last blooming stem of an Ansellia, too, which I have outside. It has really been a performer all summer. To me, it's scent it that of licorice. I'm unable to detect the scent of the E. ilense, even at night and I have the nose of a bloodhound. So now, I'm waiting for a couple cattleyas to bloom. They are already in sheath. One's a George King 'Southern Cross" and the other one is Blc.'Newberry'. I forgot, I do have an Epidendrum pseudepidendrum blooming. It, too, if it has a scent, I'm unable to detect it. However, I can enjoy it's lacquer-like look. Leeflea51
Do you water the stanhopea daily?
Love to see any of your orchids in bloom!
boojum, no I don't water it daily. Do you advise doing so? This Summer, I watered it weekly,unless it rained. I hope I haven't screwed up at not doing so as I have been so looking forward to the bud opening. It's about 12:30a.m. here and now I've become impatient for sunrise to go and check it out. I'd go now with a flashlight but I'm horrified of spiders and would freak out if I walked into one. Do,please respond to the question you posed. The question I've had about watering it was how to water without getting the bud wet and if it does get wet, is that ok? Even though the AOS has been helpful for the past 3 yrs. I've been a member, they can be, at times, a little tedious,esp. some of the members on the forum. They get so technical. I grow orchids as a hobby, not a job and when it becomes tedious doing so, I'll quit as then, it won't be a pleasure. Thanks, Leeflea51
Gosh. I only grow one baby Stanhopea that has never bloomed but I was told they like to be damp. Lets see what Andy says. http://www.andysorchids.com/SearchResults.asp Yep, 3-5 waterings a week. You have done well with once a week!!
Well, I hope it won't be too tedious to read up on the general cultural conditions.....I am sorry, but I won't be so polite and say you have done well with watering (only) once a week.
http://www.aos.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Culture_Sheets&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=3706
I have never worried about flooding my Stanhopea wardii in bud, after all they would get watered too in their natural habitat.
boojum, thank you for your polite comments. Yes, I suppose I have done well with it. The reason I haven't watered it more frequently is because my knees have played out on me and am going to have to have total knee replacement surg. on both knees starting Sept 23rd. It's a rather serious condition called osteonecrosis. It has occured in the lower femur and upper tibia on both legs. Your kindness is greatly appreciated. Respectfully, Leeflea51
Sorry to hear about your condition. I assume there will be limits to my gardening in the future too.
boojum, thanks for your kind and most polite response. I'm sure I'll be up and running this time next year. Few things have ever gotten me down for long. Do you know anything about Staurochilus fasciatus? I've one outside that is doing nicely. It's about a foot high and 5-6" wide in an ope basket from which I got from RF orchids, if I remember correctly. A posting I put on another website warned me against bringing in a D. nobile hybrid too earlly as it will tolerate temps. in to the mid-40's. Just wondering what is the lowest tolerated temp for the staruochilus. Re: your possible limited gardening. I hope it never occurs for you but if it does, maybe it will be very distant into the future. Leeflea51
Thanks for your good wishes. I have no experience with staurochilus. Which one do you grow?? They all looks so different.
boojum, all I know re: Staurochlus is that it from RF nurseries and it was labeled Trichoglottis fasciatus but I was told by a veteran orchid grower that the name had been changed to Staurochilus. In a recent publication of Orchids magazine, I saw they were renaming many and it's hard to keep up with. I try to stay current but I grow them merely as a hobby. When I become too serious about them and it goes from a pleasure and joy to something that is causing me to fret and worry about them, then I'll just stop. I know some people who grow them and are so serious about them that their whole lives revolve around them. They take orchids as seriously as my mother took her bridge games. She was no fun to partner with! I do my best with the knowledge I can gather about orchid culture but if I fail, then I fail. Growing phals.is an example. I've had 5-6. All were healthy--leaves, roots, but I could never get them to bloom. I sought advice from Carter and Holmes, along with others, took their advice i.e. 20 degree drop in temp.at night for about a month but to no avail. So, I passed them along to someone whom I thought could bloom them which she did. Because I became frustrated with my inability to bloom them, I learned that something I was doing was wrong and won't be growing them again. I'm successful with catts, ansellias, Encyclia cochleata, ascocenda, sarchochilus, beallara, etc. so I think I do fairly well. Now, if I were a professional grower and exhibitor, I would feel differently. You see, I'm quite a private person. I don't like being in crowds and am quite content being here with my orchids, cats, outdoor plants and Owen. I have all I need and much of what I want. I've been lucky. How luck fell on me, I don't know. Please don't get me wrong, I've certainly had trial and tribulations such as deaths of my immediate family from cancer, losing loved ones to AIDS, etc. but here I am at 51 with bad knees for the time being(which won't be forever, if surgery is successful starting in Sept.) and of course there's Owen. Owen, our 30 yr. relationship. So, I suppose I've been lucky for such a high-tempered, impatient, somewhat vain person. It's for these reasons that I grow my orchids as a hobby only. And if I fail to water when maybe I should, then I fail to water. I ask for suggestions, heed some and not others. That's why it bothers me to think I've been screamed at or put down. Thank goodness that over these 51 yrs. I'm learning to cool my temper. It's so much better that way instead of always being on guard and reacting to each real or imagined slight. Oh, well, this left knee woke me about 10pm and I wanted to catch up on a certain political story so I just got up and responded back to a very nice person who goes by Equibibrium. And, as you seem to be a nice person, I wanted to respond to you and thank you for your kindnesses. Good night, Leaflea51
I'm also a hobbyist and happy with that status. But I love to learn about my orchids. I get such good info here on DG. I never would have taken on the responsibility for growing orchids without this support. I'll try anything I have room for but I can't seem to ever grow a Sophronitis coccinea without killing it. I found that my phals rebloom if they have a change (usually higher light for a good while). Orchids are teaching me patience I think.
boojum, it's comforting to know of another hobbyist who is still learning as I am, too. Have never tried Soph. coccinea. Would if I had the chance. On another wesite about orchid, to which I belong, they all seem to be such serious growers, talking about dilution rates of nitrogen in the parts per million. It's all Greek to me but am willing to hear them out. Maybe, I'll learn something more from them. Just have to have it simple for me, like 1/2 tsp/gallon, etc. Phals.---the bane of my existence. Can not get them to bloom. Don't have the patience to give them another try. Can bloom most of the others but not them. Good to hear from you. As I told someone else, I've been up since 10:30 last night and don't laught but I think I'm going to have to go to bed. Losing eye/hand coordination. I bid you a warm Southern good day and good night. Do be safe. Leeflea51
Same to you. Have a restful sleep.
boojum, just been up a little over an hour. Have had my alloted 2 cups of coffee. Y'day, I took my sleeping pill and was in bed, I'm almost embarrased to say, at 4:30pm. Do take care. You seem to be a great person. Leeflea51
Thanks, Leeflea. I have my moments! BTW, I like your name!
boojum, it's a silly one I came up with: Lee, my actual name, flea because on that day, I had forgotten to apply the flea meds. to the cats. Going to go and make some lemon squares. Owen picked up black walnuts in the store y'day instead of English walnut. That's fine. I like both of them. But, as a Southerner, I prefer pecans(pet peeve--pronouncing it 'pee-can') Isn' that silly to let things like that get under one's skin? Lee
How do you say it? pehCAHN? I like to say things the local way. I learned to pronounce Nevada (not Nevahda but "a" in "cat") and Oregon (not Oregon but Oregin) when I lived in AZ. I had to learn a lot about local dialects in my profession. Here's an example that's fun. http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/
boojum, I'm very aware of dialects. My being born and reared in Mississippi, I'm told I have a heavy Southern accent. Often, people think I'm from New Orleans. However, I have spent alot of time there and in the Cajun areas such as Houma and Thibodeaux. Pecan spoken in southern dialect= pea-cahn as in the word con and in con artist. Re; pronunciation of Nevada, doing so as native Nevadans say it just doesn't slip off my tongue as easily as the way I pronounce it. When I used to visit relatives in Detroit, so often people would say 'talk for me.' Well, I would shut up as tightly as a clam until I was told that people were just curious. Of course, I don't know what kind of work you are in but I will check out the site you listed. Until later, Lee
Wow. My daughter just moved to Chicago so I might hear "talk for me" too. When I lived in NC everyone told me I had a northern accent (never knew!) and that there wasn't any such thing as a southern accent. Have a great afternoon!
you, too, leeflea51