Help with next orchid

[james mickelso]

I'd opt for a couple mini catt types. Bloom multiple times a year if raised in good culture.

[My Green Pets]

I agree with the Phragmipedium suggestion, or a Paph like malipoense x rothschildianum which is huge and spectacular and amazing. OR if you want to go more in a cattleya direction grab yourself a C maxima or better yet a C Rex, both mind-blowing flowers. But if you want to get more into the weird and wonderful world of bulbophyllum grab yourself a B echinolabium and enjoy the freak show

[Troythediver]

Wow. A lot of really great suggestions. The epicattlyea hasn't bloomed for me yet, but it's little growth bud that was present when I bought it in august is now nearly full grown and rooting, so I would say that it loves being right up against my south east window. The neofinetia is beautiful by the way.

The bulbos scare me a bit...maybe I should check out that forum. My significant other would not be happy if I bought an orchid that smelled.

I also like the phrag idea because orange is a color I'm lacking in and some of the besseae hybrids look to be quite vivid.

Yet the deep purple/ black paphs would also go well.

---------- Post added at 03:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:09 PM ----------

Does anyone have a favorite mini Catt? I have heard of them, but haven't read up on them. Anyone have a suggestion for their favorite? Do they have some that still have the huge flowers.

For the people who have phrags and paphs. Do you treat them the same in terms of watering or do the phrags get it more often? Normally I water my Paph slightly more frequently than the other orchids because from what I can tell they like that better.

And thanks for all of the suggestions. I know that for all my work I won't get reblooms for about a year because all of my orchids appear to be leaning toward a spring blooming regime. I'm hoping that the big unknowns: dendrobium, oncidiums, Catt, and epicattleya will flower in my conditions. Unfortunately, because they all were struggling when I purchased them, I'm also trying to make up lost ground...but I'll just have to wait.

I forgot to ask if anyone from the north knows of orchids that reliably bloom every fall/late summer.

[Troythediver]

As far as space goes: I'm planning on mounting snap-in shelving in front of those windows to have more growing space. The window in the pic below is technically west northwest. It gets a couple of hours of direct sun from spring to fall. Right now I don't have any orchids on that window.

Anyone grow orchids in that type of light up north? I think a phal may get enough there but I haven't tried.

[Rico13]

I think you should try a terrestrial species, you could try a genus like Cynorkis or Pterostylis. As long as you understand their dormancy, they are not at all hard to take care for. Plus, you only have to take care of them for half the year.