Orchid smelling like Vicks Vapor Rub?

[JanS]

I am on a business trip with a few days in Chicago and so had to drop-in at Hauserman's Orchids. Couldn't help myself and got 2 plants, one for a bargain, the other not so:

Peristeria elata - "The Dove Orchid". They only had 5 specimens and what made me find them first was that they have HUGE pseudobulbs, the biggest one about the size of a large apple. Then I read the label (they are not presently in flower) and it described them as "smells like Vic's Vapor Rub" ...?? So I asked and was told that's how people tend to describe the strong scent.

Doing a little quick research on the web, I found some interesting facts including that it's the national plant of Panama and, (not so good) is vastly overcollected in the wild so it's on the endangered list. It's also apparently relatively hard to get so apparently prices on the internet go up to $200+ for a mature plant (I got my for $45).

I can get some good basic info about its growing requirements on the net...but does anyone on this forum have any direct experience and...does it really smell like Vapor Rub???

Many Thanks!

[Rowangreen]

Can't help you with the culture. However you can probably stop worrying about it being endangered in the wild. Hausermans is a reputable seller, so it's likely your plant comes from seed raised in a nursery somewhere. There's quiet a few orchids that are endangered or even possibly extinct in the wild, but which are common in cultivation. Some of the ones that are pricey in cultivation it's more that they take a long time to raise than that they are actually really rare.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Peristeria elata is being raised in-vitro, albeit not in large quantities, but it is being raised artificially.

I do see them from time-to-time, but they are not as rare in the hobby as some other orchids I'm aware of. There are far rarer orchids out there.

As I've never grown any kind of Peristeria species, I'll defer to someone who has. However, I will just say that they are Stanhopeinae, so you may want to post in that section of the forum ("Catasetum and Stanhopea Alliance").

[JanS]

I never meant to imply that Houserman's would be selling orchids yanked straight from the jungle. I am sure they are from cultivated seed. In fact, when I got mine home last night I found a little (and I mean LITTLE!) surprise: between the already stretched plastic pot and the giant pseudobulbs is a baby Peristeria !! The little pipsqueak has a bulb smaller than a pea, a leaf about 1 inch long but good roots of more than an inch that were exposed, just lying there in the pot. I have never yet grown orchids from seed, but from what I know it's the size just a bit past the final deflasking. How it got into the pot with the giant plant I have no clue. It will be an unexpected but very welcome challenge to grow.

I guess I didn't know, as Rowangreen points out, there are numerous orchids in culture that are endangered or even extinct out in nature. I'll have to do more research on that. It's too bad...

[gardengirl13]

OK I love the smell of vicks, so this wouldn't be bad for me! ha ha! Wow it's supposed to smell like vicks? That's too funny!