Everblooming Orchids! Yeah!!

[Dorothy]

A sticky puts it permanently at the top of the threads in this particular forum so it can be easily accessed

[quiltingwacko]

Thank you Dorothy!

[AaronM]

The closest thing in my collection to ever blooming is my Brassavola cuculatta which I've managed to get into a rough schedule of six week blooming followed by a month off. While not a gorgeous plant (mine looks like a box of horizontally growing chives) it is fragrant at night. I keep mine in the bathroom, which seems appropriate since it smells like freshly shampooed hair (it took me six months to finally put a name to the scent).

Aaron "What's that smell?" M

[AaronM]

Oh, and Dorothy, can you sticky "The Ultimate Orchid Collection" as well?

Aaron "Schills his own threads" M

[AlfonsoDoucette]

Florida might be a little hot for most Pleurothallids but if you can grow indoors in the air conditioning there are many species you can grow that are constantly in bloom all year long.

A few species that will be constantly in bloom once they get big enough~maybe 80 to 100 leaves~are:

Porroglossum amethystinum
Masdevallia bicornis
Restrepia trichoglossa
Many Scaphosepalum sp.
Many Lepanthes sp.

These flowers are not 'showy' like Cattleyas but I think they are really beautiful. And, some of the more floriferous species can put on a really nice show.

The key to success with Pleurothallids is good water quality (I don't have a big collection so I can use distilled water), high humidity (if your humidity is low your plant will not develop leaves and flowers normally), intermediate to cool temperatures (there are exceptions), and good air movement (if the air isn't circulating you will have problems with rots, molds, and bud blasting).


Alfonso

[sparkle orchids]

Originally Posted by AaronM

O.K fellow orchid lovers. Here is another opportunity to share your vast orchid knowledge with those of us with more unvast orchid knowledge. That's right, I'm starting a new list. You know how much I love lists.
As many of you know. My collection of orchids is somewhat lacking in the flower department (See thread: Somethings Missing...Oh Yeah, Flowers!). So I was thinking wouldn't it be nice to have some orchids that flower continuously (as opposed to never). So, sit back dust off those brain cells and start typin. I want to know about your favorite everblooming orchids. I know there are a few. Anything that blooms at least nine months out of the year qualifies.

Thanks.

Aaron "The Orchid Whisperer" M

Spathoglottis!!!! At least in the right climate.

[Dorothy]

Originally Posted by AaronM

Oh, and Dorothy, can you sticky "The Ultimate Orchid Collection" as well?

Aaron "Schills his own threads" M

Done, Aaron

[ChrisJGreen]

Originally Posted by cb977

I find that between the two E cochleata that I have, there is always something in bloom! Den oligophyllum is another that keeps going and going...and my favorite Phal equestris 'Three Times A Lady' x Blue Too' just almost never stops!

My E cochleata has been in bloom for about 6 months and isnt showing any signs of stopping and also has new growth too. All good fun.

[Sandy4453]

Hi Aaron. If you like Dendrobiums...I have one that hasn't rested since I got it last year. It's an antelope type Dend., constantly blooming and growing. The newest canes are over 2 ft. and I just noticed 2 more beginning. Had I known how huge this plant would get, I may have hesitated because of the space I'm running out of but, absolutely no regrets. I just cut the last spike off after it being in bloom for well over 5 months.

Dendrobium Lorrie Mortimer

[Leisurely]

I agree with Dorothy about the growing conditions influencing blooming. I am very fond of reed stem epidendrums and west coast growers wrote about their plants staying in bloom for a year and a half. My plants bloom from March to August on the indeterminate spikes. They do not set new spikes during the warmer months and I think it is because our nights, in the mid seventies, are too warm. The same could be said for my B. Nodosa and its hybrids. They bloom in spring and fall but not during the summer and again that is probably due to the high night temperatures. The same also applies to the minicats. They refuse to set buds during the heat and sometimes if one or two does, the buds always blast. They literally rot in the sheaths.