My Top Orchids/My Essential Orchids.

[BrassavolaStars]

Hello all,

What are your favorite orchids in your collection?

So far, out of the ~200 I have, these are the plants that I could never be without that I would call my favorites.

Ctyh. Siam Jade
Phal. Violecea
Rl. Glauca
Zygo. Blue Blazes
Angcm. Leonis
Rlc. Taichung Beauty
Den. Pittero Gold “Diamond Ring”
B. Hugging Stars
Den. Angel Baby
Mps. Hawaiian Punch “Kalapana”.


I also have some that I’ve never gotten to bloom that I may add to my essential orchids list once I’ve seen (and smelled) the blooms such as Angcm. Magdalenae, Angcm. Infundibulare, Angcm. Birrimense, and Trichopilia suavis.

[SouthPark]

I love all orchids, big and small, and other plants, and animals too.

I do have a favourite orchid - namely:

Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton m. Splash'

[DirtyCoconuts]

Ooooh this is a fun and impossible thread.

Out of your list the only plant i have is the zygo blue blazes and I certainly agree! That plant, the blooms and the scent are amazing!!!

I’ll do some reflection and add mine to this list...what to do with NoIDs?

[SunnySmiles]

I like this thread!

My collection is tiny by comparison, I only have 15 orchids or so, but that's my favourite:

Oncidium Heaven Scent "Redolence"

There is also one Phalaenopsis NoID that I love especially because it's been with me for ages and has a great colour. And I am still waiting for a Promenaea colmaniana to flower that I bought last year, once it does that might make the list as well

[WaterWitchin]

I could no more list a favorite orchid than I could a favorite tree, fern, perennial, annual, child or grandchild. All are loved for varying reasons.

My favorite orchids are always the ones in bloom. After that, they go back to the shelves and await their next turn. Failing to bloom, over time, means I'm not one of their favorite companions and they get sent elsewhere.

[Keysguy]

I have a couple hundred as well and my answer is....."whichever ones are in bloom today"!

[JScott]

I would always consider my collection deficient if I didn't have:
Cattleanthe Jewel Box 'Scheherazade'
RLC George King 'Serendipity'
Lc Dinard 'Blue Heaven'
and a Paph, whose name tag says something, but it has been since registered and named, and I'm not sure what the name is now
And RLC Williette Wong 'The Best'
Oncidium Sharry Baby
Aliceara Tropic Lily 'Hilo Spaceship'
Cattleya lueddemanniana
And Cattleya percivaliana
and RLC Miya's Fascination 'Odom's Wildfire"

[Keysguy]

I would always consider my collection deficient if I didn't have:
Cattleanthe Jewel Box 'Scheherazade'

Good one! Is it in bloom now? The first set of buds on mine just opened yesterday.

[JScott]

Originally Posted by Keysguy

Good one! Is it in bloom now? The first set of buds on mine just opened yesterday.

Yes, mine is in bloom now too!

[Leafmite]

This is complicated. I got rid of all the very large orchids, bought a bunch of smaller orchids, culled my collection down to around thirty favorite orchids, then have been buying seedlings which will require me to wait and see.... I have between forty-five and fifty orchids, now, down from around a hundred.

I would say that, currently, if I had to choose just a ten orchids, I would choose....

1) Angraecum magdalenae
2) Phal bellina 'Star'
3) Dendrobium auriculatum (blooms frequently, looks nice out of bloom and is fragrant)
4) Schoenorchis fragrans
5) Psychopsis Mendenhall 'Hildos' FCC/AOS (leaves)
6) Bulbo frostii (cute pseudobulbs)
7) Encyclia phoenicia (still a seedling)
8) Potinara Triple Love 'NN'
9) Lc. Love Knot v. coerulea (still a seedling)
10) Lc. Acker's Spotlight 'Pink Lady'

But, this might change after some of those young Cattleyas begin blooming....