Orchid Lust

[tmoney]

i can’t help you, sorry. my only advice would be that if you are liking the paph, start collecting the species. they, imho, are much more interesting and exciting than the hybrids.

and harder to find good ones (possibly), so then it comes full circle to helping you avoid filling up shopping carts online!

[dbarron]

I'm thinking I may ask our 'local' vendor (local being KC, but she comes down for local chapter orchid show/sale) to bring me some hybrids like Bryce Larkin ([parvi hybrid).both avoiding the freezing and support 'local'.
While I appreciate everyone doesn't want lots complex hybrids that all kinda/sorta look alike, other than breeders (which I understand), why all the species growing in paphs? The hybrids tend to be more flexible in growth requirements (from my reading...not my practice) Help me understand this.
And, also, if you celebrate it, Merry Christmas.

[Toadwally]

Tue. I drive 50 min. SE to Little Brook Or hids in Lancaster. Phal. species will be my hunting grounds.

[dbarron]

Wish I had something within even a 2 hour drive Envy!

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by dbarron

While I appreciate everyone doesn't want lots complex hybrids that all kinda/sorta look alike, other than breeders (which I understand), why all the species growing in paphs? The hybrids tend to be more flexible in growth requirements (from my reading...not my practice) Help me understand this.
And, also, if you celebrate it, Merry Christmas.

Choosing which orchids to grow is totally a matter of taste. How does one explain love? And what's attractive in "early career" can change. I started out with hybrids, which got acquired pretty randomly (meetings and shows), most easy (In my neighborhood, Cymbidiums are the gateway drug) Over the years, as I learned more about orchids' origins, I have become enamored of species. With orchids, there's an infinite amount of learning possible. Hybrids in general may be more robust - hybrid vigor. But (depending on type of orchid) to me, may be even trickier to determine correct conditions when two orchids with different needs are crossed. (Like a warm grower and a cool grower... may be more forgiving by finding a happy medium, or may favor one parent or the other) To me, species are more "knowable" - I can learn about a plant's habitat and be fairly accurate about what it wants. Then the question is, of course, can I meet the needs? But it's all an adventure. Every generalization has exceptions, often many exceptions.

[dbarron]

I like your explanation Roberta, I wonder if anyone else has different slants?

[Toadwally]

No accounting for taste!

[Dalachin]

I checked out our local nursery during a bout of orchid lust before the holiday and was sad to realize he no longer sells orchids. He says the big box stores and online specialists made orchids less profitable (and I suspect the loss of contracts to supply and maintain plants to large local businesses was a huge hit). He had Hoyas and peperomias. I nearly hit send on an overnight shipping order from Andy’s until I came to my senses. Luckily I got a couple of beauties at our local orchid meeting in Dec to distract me. Probably going to hit that send before spring truly comes to the northeast, it’s a long wait.

[Roberta]

I think my favorite word, "patience" , is important here... if the weather turns nice, hit that "send" button. But not worth risking a frozen plant. Heat packs help but they don't work miracles. They raise the temperature in the package by 10-20 degrees F above ambient temperatures, and for no more than 72 hours. So if you're pushing the envelope, spring for overnight shipping. But if you see something that you really want, that might be in limited supply, contact the vendor to set it aside for delayed shipping. Lots of vendors will do that - they don't want DOA plants either, and you get your fingerprints on the things that you want.

[Toadwally]

Absolutely, esp. if it's a one-of-a -kind/ hard to come by.