Your Dream Orchid (s)

[DweamGoiL]

Nice!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

I recently found a couple of my "dream orchids" at prices I was willing to pay

... found a propagated back bulb of Cym tracyanum last year at a show. Have to wait a couple more years probably before it might be bloom size, but the cost was more do-able for me tha a bloom sized one

And earlier this month got a Vanda coerulea ... was more than I generally will pay for a plant (finances require me to be quite frugal) - but in line with what I have seen these for, sometimes not even bloom size, and this one was in bud/bloom, and I didn't have to pay shipping
And, I had some cash put aside for something special I just hope I don't kill it!!!

I guess now I would really love the dark cultivar/variety (?) of Cym tracyanum

I think you'd be fine with the V. coerulea, they're pretty hardy.

Originally Posted by Vrana

Let's see... the first I cannot grow, the second I cannot find, the third would probably make my boyfriend decide he'd had enough of both me and my little hobby

Dendrophylax lindenii - the Florida ghost orchid - so beautiful and spooky!

They are quite a challenge.

Originally Posted by Vrana

Caleana major - the so-called 'flying duck' orchid from Australia.

You probably haven't seen one for sale yet for a reason...

I suspect that it has something to do with it either being difficult to grow, (possibly due to mycorrhizal associations), or that they aren't all that popular in cultivation. I'm leaning towards the first issue.

I myself haven't seen one for sale yet either, and I am able to get my hands on some native Australian terrestrials.

Their cousins, Myrmechila truncata, are currently available for sale though. If you are interested in this one, let me know.

Originally Posted by Vrana

Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis - also love this one because it's weird. But i hear it's quite stinky - a bit of an issue when you grow your orchids in the living room of a small shared apartment.

It is very smelly. Not only that, the leaves can reach 5' - 6' long when mature. Granted, it will take a long time for that to happen, but it is definitely a factor to consider when your growing area is limited in size.

[Skayc1]

My wish list is small- I'm wanting a spotted leaf phaph orchid.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

As for my "dream orchid", hmmm...

Probably Disa graminifolia.

[shushu45]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

As for my "dream orchid", hmmm...

Probably Disa graminifolia.

I looked it up online. It is very very beautiful.
Is it a terrestrial orchid??

I hope you all get what you all want.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Yes, it is a terrestrial orchid. They are from South Africa.

It is also notoriously difficult to grow for some reason.

I have never seen one offered for sale yet. Hopefully that may change soon.

[Island Girl]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

As for my "dream orchid", hmmm...

Probably Disa graminifolia.

Wow! I googled it, and wow! That is soo pretty, and unusual... I can see why u like it!

I don't think I can pick just two...

[Magnus A]

My dream orchids.
I grow them both:
A yellow Sophronitis coccinea and Lepanthes telipogoniflora.

or wait, now I dreaming of a Lepanthes tsubotae...

[MrHungx]

I mostly go for the more unusual orchids, namely those not typically found at your local supermarket or home improvement store. I love cattleyas! Here's a list of what I have:

Blc. Ju Shen "Pink Empress"
Pot. Shinfong Beauty "Tzu Wen Rainbow"
Blc. Mem. Anna Balmores
Blc. Shinfong Luohyang "Golden Tree"
Cattleya NOID (green?)
Blc. Hwa Yuan Grace "Cat King"
Lc. Purple Cascade "Fragrant Beauty"
Lc. Hsinying Excell "NN"
Blc. Pamela Finney "Bigger Ox"
Phalaenopsis NOID (red or pink)
Lc. Taida Swan "Taida"
Big white NOID cattleya
White NOID Dendrobium
White NOID Dendrobium
Purple Encyclia
Pink NOID Phalaenopsis
Pink Mini NOID Phalaenopsis
Purple Dendrobium Species
Oncidium Sharry Baby
Miltonidium Bartley Schwarz "Highlander"
Angraecum Veitchii "M"
Oncidium Wildcat(?)
Lady Slipper Orchid Yellow Species
Oncidium Lanceanum Species

Those marked with a question mark are ones that I'm unsure about either color or name. I'm already panicking at how much money I've spent on my orchids. I've spent $700 alone on the plants alone, not to mention the bags of orchid bark and fertilizer. I developed an interest in orchids just this year! I had recently decreased my collection of 39 plants down to 26. Sorry if you had to read my long rant.

A little about me:

I've always been into gardening and had on and off relationships with orchids until the beginning of this year. The first orchid that compelled me to actively pursue my interest in orchid gardening was actually my grandma's NOID cattleya. I began on a quest to identify such an exotic plant and was finally able to ID it at a local nursery at the end of January of this year. I had stumbled upon the nursery when I impulsively decided to search the term "Del Mar orchids" and happened upon an orchid nursery a little over a mile away from my house. It was there that I bought my first cattleya: a Blc. Pink Empress. I have been expanding my orchid collection ever since. Although I have been taking care of orchids for only half a year, I feel that I have already gained so much experience. I hope that everyone has as much talent as I did with orchids. They are very rewarding.

[DweamGoiL]

No need to apologize for wordiness...totally understand

Thanks for sharing your list and how you got 'the fever'