Just curious...

[yoliejr]

since i'm fairly new to this, and discovering the many genera out there, do you guys test out varieties or is that you gravitate to one (or two) particulars?

[RandomGemini]

I research a bunch, and pick out one a plant to try of a variety that interests me and that I think I can grow in my conditions.

[MattWoelfsen]

If someone posts their plant and blooms on this board that I find appealing, I ask them questions on how they grew it, and if it looks like a plant I could grow, then I look for vendors who offer that plant. There are many people from around the world that post regularly on this board, sharing their plants and causing me to get orchid "fever".

The folks on this board have been kind enough to share their cultural conditions for their plant and I have avoided acquiring a plant that would later die. I really should donate some money to the Orchid Board--without the helpful people here, I would still be experimenting with plants that I should not have bought or they have helped me figure out how I can grow that orchid.

[Phal-lover]

I normally grow Phals (pretty obvious from my user-name) but I love oncidiums, and am partial to dends and Pahps. I can grow pretty much any orchid here, though. XP

[Leafmite]

If it is said to be wonderfully fragrant, looks pretty/cool, and the blooms last longer than a week, I give it a try.

[RandomGemini]

I want to expand on what I said last night, I do similar things to what Matt does too, but sometimes, I will find a species of orchid I want to try someplace locally and I will pick them up that way.

I just picked up a couple of paphs at Trader Joe's. One of them happened to be the exact cross I was wanting to purchase and I got it at TJs for half what it would have cost me to get the same plant from an orchid nursery on the internet.

Buying plants like this is not optimal, but I'm finding that as I notice problems with the plant and figure out how to correct the issues, I'm learning a lot more from the experience than I would just reading a book. The first phal I purchased for myself, was a rescue.

Because of that experience, I now know what to look for in order to find healthy plants to bring home. Paphs are different from phals, because they're terrestrial, not epiphytes, so that's a whole new ball of wax for me, and I'm learning about them the same way that I did phals. I found a cheap plant that I wanted to save (or just really liked) and I brought it home.

I think a lot of it depends on how adventurous you are feeling. I'm willing to throw a bunch of stuff at the wall and see if it sticks, within reason. I do stick to varieties that I have the ability to provide appropriate light and humidity for. If I'm not sure, I don't bring the plant home. I also stick to smaller plants, because they are going to grow and I am going to run out of room eventually and there are some orchids that get absolutely massive (found a Cymbidium at TJs that was 3 feet tall!). In fact, I may have to have my husband build me some plant shelves for the picture window in the family room, if my orchid collecting habits keep up. LOL!

As far as what attracts me, I like the whole plant to be attractive. Pretty blooms catch my eye first, and scent will be the next thing I notice, if it has one, but after that, I pick up the plant and I take a good look at it. If I don't like the leaves, I'll put it back. I have to like the way the plant grows, because for much of the year, I'm going to be looking at it without flowers.

My favorite of my plants, so far, is my dracula lotax, because it looks like I'm growing grass on a hunk of wood on my wall in my office. There's something really peaceful and tranquil about that to me.

[My Green Pets]

It was overwhelming at first, but when you go to an orchid show or see many different varieties in person, there always seems to be one (or more) plants which literally refuse to let you leave without them

[tucker85]

I've tried lots of different types of orchids over the ten years that I've been growing them. Some have done well in my environment and some haven't. Now I tend to stick with the types that are easy to grow under my conditions. I'm not really into trying to keep difficult orchids.

[WhiteRabbit]

I like trying new types, but look for ones that should be OK with the environment I have - temperature tolerance is great, and have to get by without artificial lighting.

And since space has become an issue, plants that won't get very big. ...

Recently this has lead me to small vandaceous species

[Optimist]

My environment is very arid. I have tried with humidity loving orchids, but need those with pseudobulbs that can stand being arid, also warm. Oncidium hybrids with some miltoniopsis in them do okay, it seems. Catleyas do okay. Summer is a bear here. I basically need to keep them in a steam bath and water every day to survive the heat. So, I choose according to my environment.