Easy care/blooming orchids for windows and beginners

[annabanana1987]

Cupcakes and cat pee huh? What a funny combo! But such a sweet little plant ♥♡

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[RandomGemini]

Right? I had a hard time defining that.. pungent aroma. I remember I was talking about the scent with someone here and they said that it smelled like vanilla to them and I said I could see that, if there weren't this... stinky undertone that I couldn't define. Someone else with the same plant piped up and said, "I think it smells like cupcakes and cat pee." and that exactly described what I was smelling.

I think that since this is a hybrid, it's likely that there are versions of this exact hybrid out there, that don't have that l'air du cat pee... LOL!

[annabanana1987]

Hahaha I'll look :-D

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[Leafmite]

Here are some orchids that I am growing that seem pretty easy. Most are fragrant, a few aren't. I like to grow smaller orchids as they don't take up as much space. I just gave away most of the large cattleyas. So....
Easy, small, orchids:
1) Angraecum didieri (wonderful fragrance at night)
2) Haraella rectrocalla (blooms nearly constantly)
3) Schoenorchis fragrans (Very easy and cute)
4) Rodriguezia venusta (just got this one but it seems pretty easy to grow)
5) Brassavola Little Stars 'Yasuji Takaeki' (wonderful night perfume)
6) Dendrobium oligophyllum (blooms year round)
7) Vanda falcata (neofinetia) (night fragrant, very nice)
8) Oncidium Twinkles (I found one that smells like Sharry Baby!)
9) Oncidium cheiroporum (smells like old books stored in the attic)
10) Tuberolabium woodii (fantastic smell...honey)
11) Dyakia hendersoniana (this is also a newer one but it seems to be an easy one)
12) Sophronitis cernua (easy mounted)
13) Cattleya aclandiae (easy mounted, nicely fragrant)

Nice medium sized orchids:
1) Burr. Nelly Isler 'Swiss Beauty' (wonderful fragrance, blooms a few times a year, the bright red blooms are long-lasting)
2) Cattleya gaskelliana (probably the easiest cattleya to grow and has a nice fragrance)
3) Cattleya mossiae (probably the second easiest cattleya to grow an is also nicely fragrant)

---------- Post added at 09:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:27 PM ----------

Cupcakes and cat pee...could this be similar to the old books from the attic smell? It might be coming from the Oncidium cheiroporum.

[RandomGemini]

Leafmite, did you happen to order the one that smells like old books from an online vendor and if so, which one? I'm a writer. I need an orchid that smells like old books!!!

I don't believe that oncidium cheiroporum is a parent of rosy sunset, at least, not in any reference for it that I can find.

[RandomGemini]

Ah ha! It is a grandparent of Oncidium rosy sunset!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Onc cheirophorum is also one of the parents of Onc Twinkle.

The other parent is Onc ornithorhynchum.

Encyclia cochleata is a nice one that's unusual and easy to grow.

You could try Psygmorchis pusilla as well.

[Sekhmet121]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

There is an orchid show/sale here in 31 days, am i anxious or what? I have 15 orchids. The ones that bloom for me are cats, phal, paph, jewel and enc. they grow on a south facing windowsill. Should i stick with just these varieties? What other small ones would respond easily and favorably here or in lower light? I need to start checking them out so i can narrow down my search at the show. Thanks for any and all responses!

Is this the show that's going to be at Lakeside? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I have one of the days off.

If you ever get across the Lake, there is a grower in Abita who is just wonderful. I've bought a couple of gorgeous plants from him and he's a real sweetheart. Added bonus, you know everything he has will definitely grown here.

Throwing my support in for the Oncidium Twinkles. I have a Pink Profusion that is just adorable. Will fit in any window. Neofinetia falcata is also small, sweet smelling, and so far growing very well in my window in Slidell.

[mimigirl]

Leafmite thank you for all od that typing! I have written down all of your suggestions, with all the others, and am now checking websites of vendors who are attending. If the suggestions are not at show then i will go online for them. Gosh you sure can type!

---------- Post added at 09:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:37 AM ----------

Sekhmet121 yes! Lakeside in 30 days! I look forward to it every year. This year i feel a little more confident for several reasons. One, i know which of my limited collection perform. Second, all of the suggestions given here. Third, i plan to check google on my cellphone (r tablet if lakeside finishes wifi work) to check on ones i m liking if they were not suggested by any of you guys due to availability or price. Would you go on Friday?

[Leafmite]

I did go a little crazy, didn't I?