My odontoglossum is in full bloom. This plant is a monster with 17 pseudo-bulbs. It's not one of my favorites but is impressive because of it's size. I only have one that's larger. A Nun's orchid with about 40 pseudo-bulbs in a 24" container. It's too bad that the foliage on most orchids is so unattractive but the blooms are so beautiful and last a long time.
Karyn
Awesome plant Karyn! I only have three orchids in my collection, a moth orchid , a bamboo orchid, and a vanilla orchid. The Phal is developing a few buds on an existing stalk, but nothing close to as impressive as your plant. How do you induce such a heavy flowering? Is plant age a major factor? Any tips for a newbie?
Peace,
Nate
Thanks Nate. I've had that one for about 8 years. The bigger they are the more flowers they'll produce. I've found that orchids love to be ignored! The more you coddle them they worse off they'll be. Over the winter I don't keep them anywhere that's particularly humid and I don't keep water in their trays. I mist them with a foliar feed or plain water occasionally and feed them orchid fertilizer a couple times. They are in a south-westen exposure bay window while inside. During the summer I give them morning sun and spray them with a hose often. I feed them a couple times over the summer also. They probably get a root feeding 5 times a year and a foliar feed twice as often. Most of the varieties I have only bloom once a year. These are some from last winter and summer. Some of my cattleyas are in sheath now and should be blooming again in about a month. The pics are small. I'd minimized them a while back and don't feel like looking through my computer to reload them.
Karyn
This message has been edited by Tiedjens on Feb 13, 2007 8:59 AM This message has been edited by magicman2u on Feb 12, 2007 8:14 PM This message has been edited by magicman2u on Feb 12, 2007 8:12 PM This message has been edited by magicman2u on Feb 12, 2007 8:11 PM This message has been edited by magicman2u on Feb 12, 2007 8:10 PM This message has been edited by magicman2u on Feb 12, 2007 7:15 PM
Karyn & Wayne, your orchids are great. I love them, but haven't had a lot of success. I do have 1 plant I bought at an orchid nursery in Hawaii about 18-19 years ago. If it gets good light and enough fertilizer, it's pretty faithful about blooming in Sept/Oct. The blooms are small & not especially pretty, but have a strong, spicy fragrance & last about a month. The name tag disintegrated long ago, but it is a hybrid that is part brassocattleya (sp?).
Patrick
Brug Moderator
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place
Gosh they are so beautiful!! I have spent tons of money buying them and trying to grow some but they are not for me!! I'll just enjoy looking at everyones pictures and stick to brugs.
All of the orchid pictures are gorgeous. I gave up on growing them after having two that never would bloom. Maybe I mothered them to death. Now, I'm more interested in looking at the ones that others grow. You guys are good.
I, like Shirley, will enjoy these beautiful photos, and take my hat off to you for your success. I tried them only once, and like fuchsias, gave up after the heat got them no matter where I placed them. I am a quick learner (sometimes)!!!
They are very beautiful, and I know it must be so rewarding when they bloom.
Believe me, I spent more years than I'd like to admit killing every orchid I touched. I was always hovering over those poor plants, constantly checking water and humidity levels. I finally learned to ignore them and they grow beautifully for me now. I only have about 20 plants, maybe 8 varieties. I pay about as much attention to them as I do a cactus. There are a few that I'd love to grow but wouldn't even attempt because some do require very specialized enviroments. There's a bulbophyllum called Medussa that I've wanted for a long time but I'm sure I'd kill it or short of that never get it to bloom. Phalaenopsis (moth orchids) are probably the easiest and very inexpensive. You can pick up a blooming sized plant just about anywhere for under $20. Epidendrums (Reed Stem orchids) are another that's super easy, inexpensive and one of the few that grow well in soil. Thanks for the compliments. I do think they are pretty when in bloom.
Karyn
Thats funny cause..I thought Orchids needed extra special care too. Mine sat in front of a cold window ...with little light and grew its flowers buds. I didn't even fertilize it! I watered it about once every 3 weeks. Now it sits on my dining room table...with almost no light ....room humidity is like 30%...its just bloomin away! How easy can it get!!!
Wayne Thompson
North Tonawanda,NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39
Wayne I just took a look at your "My Garden" link. Wow! Everything is so pretty with lots of good info and links. I also love the Photoshopped flower pics.
Thanks,
Karyn
Thank you Karyn ...glad to see someone enjoying what I have created! I hope to add 2007 pics to it this year...but will see! I hope to be moving into a bigger house. One that I'll own! Don't worry...most of my plants will be coming with me....somehow! Thanks again..for looking!
Wayne Thompson
North Tonawanda,NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39
This message has been edited by magicman2u on Feb 15, 2007 7:33 AM
i have no clue what orchid this is but it is the only one that i cannot kill grows in normal soil the blooms are allot smaller than most orchids but the plant is not as fussy also a picture of the beginning stage of a pineapple forming this in not the flower they actually form on the pineapple itself when it is allot larger and this pineapple is the best tasting but it has thorns all over the plant and when the pineapple forms it also has the thorns all over the pineapple fruit.well worth the pain though lol
in gardening there are no failures only learning experiances unless of course you give up mikey in fl
Mikey the blooms look like an epidendrum. If you post a pic of the foliage that would help with the ID. That shot of the pineapple coming up is wild looking. Is the pineapple pink on the outside when it's big?
yes it does have a little bit a red tint to it and the flesh is a darker yellow than the regular ones in the store. i used to have a yellow pineapple that looked really similar but the fruit was bitter so all those plants got composted. heres a pic of the foliage of the orchid. i took a pic of the pot it is in it has grown to about 5 foot in this pot i pretty much ignore it only water if we have not had rain in several weeks and its in normal soil
in gardening there are no failures only learning experiances unless of course you give up mikey in fl
Pretty little orchid, Mikey and what a lovely color that pineapple is. I've never grown a pinapple but may try it after seeing yours. for sharing them both.
heres an updated pic on my pineapple the thorny pieces on it get bigger and the thorns get more visiuos the purpleish blue things coming out are the actual flowers if b y some chance it gets pollinated there will be seeds inside the pineapple i have planted a few seeds that i have found a few times but nothing ever sprouted they are related to bromeliads have always wondered if they are cross compatable but i have no broms in bloom to try it and have never done it nore do i know how to pollinate it. i don't want to hijack this thread so when the pineapple gets bigger i will start another one for update pics and i do have another one of the pups beside this one that is in about the same stage as this one was wehen i forst took its pic and noticed some of the pineapples i planted the tops of the store bought ones are about to put out a pineapple. they also get the same type of blooms but donot have the thorns
in gardening there are no failures only learning experiances unless of course you give up mikey in fl
This message has been edited by mikeyinfla on Mar 2, 2007 8:21 PM
Orchids are pretty, although for me they're another one of those plants I know nothing about. We have two and if I pay any attention to them they start shrinking and dying. Last year I hung them out under a tree and with the exception of one cold night they haven't been moved since, usually I give them a passing glance once or twice a week just to see if they've died yet.
They've both had buds since before this post was started, it just seems to take a while for them to open. The Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis) hasn't opened yet, but the other one has:
I don't know what to call it but I just found one that looks pretty identical called Blue Vanda, Ascocenda Princes Mikasa 'Blue' maybe that's what this one is?
Almost forgot, there's a third, the "Bamboo Orchid" that someone gave my MIL, it's growing like mad but I have no idea what it's going to look like. The leaves on it look like the one Mike posted, I'm hoping the flowers will too.
I only have three orchids in my collection, a moth orchid , a bamboo orchid, and a vanilla orchid. The Phal is developing a few buds on an existing stalk, but nothing close to as impressive as your plant. How do you induce such a heavy flowering? Is plant age a major factor? Any tips for a newbie?
