Which orchids have short-lived flowers? My brassia's short-lived flowers made me sad!

[astrid]

Hello everyone!!

At this point, I'm still in the "shallow end" of my orchid interest so I'm only growing some phals and a few oncidium types like a brassia, miltassia, and odontoglossum.

I only recently acquired my brassia and I was very very disappointed to find that only 3 days after the last flower bloomed, they all started withering.
Then I learned that brassias do indeed have a shorter blooming time than other orchids.

Are there general rules of thumb, or general species to avoid? I love orchids because their flowers are long-lived, and want to avoid any with very short flowering times.

Aside from brassias, which ones tend to bloom shorter?
Any particular species or hybrids?

Are there some particular brassia-type orchids that will bloom for a long time?
I was told miltassias are longer-lived, what's your experience?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Most orchids don't have flowers that last months on end like certain Phals.

The average bloom time for a good number of them is about 1 - 2 weeks.

It's probably far easier to say which orchids tend to last a long time, than to go through the multitudes that are "short lived".

I've found many Cattleyas, Lc's, and Blc's to last quite a long time about 2 - 3 weeks, sometimes 1 month. Some Laelias do last about this long as well.

Many Phal hybrids are long lasting.

Dendrobiums in the section Spatulata can have flowers that can last up to about 3 - 4 weeks.

These are some orchids I can think of off the top of my head.

---------- Post added at 09:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:38 PM ----------

If you don't mind short-lived flowers, but the plants keep on blooming randomly throughout the course of the year, then that's a whole different group of orchids we can discuss. Size of the flowers are a different story though...

---------- Post added at 09:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:40 PM ----------

Btw, this is the reason why some experienced growers buy orchids in-bud, rather than in-bloom.

[Leafmite]

There might be something else going on with that brassia. There are all kinds of reasons the flowers do not last as long as they should. Sometimes a cold or warm blast of air will do that. Stress, root problems, poor treatment in the store, exposure to cold/dry air or drafts can all cause the blooms to fail. Brassias usually have long-lasting blooms. Have you checked to make certain that the roots are healthy?
I read that someone had a problem with an orchid's blooms dying suddenly and they called an expert to take a look. The expert discovered that while the orchid was perfectly healthy, the furnace was malfunctioning and leaking gas. A repairman was called and the problem solved. I doubt that this is the cause of your blossom loss, though.

[astrid]

Thanks, king_of_orchid_growing.

I guess I'm pretty new, but the odontocidium wildcat I have was in bloom for almost two months this summer, and it's getting another spike now.

I haven't had so many orchids, so I am under the impression that they all have flowers that last about a month... give or take. I guess I'm mistaken!!

I would buy things in bud, but usually I see orchids in the shop that I can't resist buying!! I still try to get ones with a few closed buds when possible.

Alright.
So.
Which types of orchids have really long-lasting flowers? (edit: any particular ones you'd recommend out of the broader categories you listed? I saw you replied to that question in your original post- oops!)

and
Which orchids like to bloom quite often in the year?
I know psychopsis are sequential bloomers, and I heard that phrags and paphs are also pretty frequent bloomers.

Anything else?

Thank you!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I read about her problem earlier, and I hesitated to comment about the gas thing because I really didn't know enough to say, and I didn't have too much time to dive into it. I have experienced this too. This problem can not only make the orchids drop flowers prematurely, it can also kill the orchid outright over time.

Again, if there is an area of your house, (like a gas furnace/heater), that might be leaking gas, you might want to take the time to investigate.

[astrid]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

There might be something else going on with that brassia. There are all kinds of reasons the flowers do not last as long as they should. Sometimes a cold or warm blast of air will do that. Stress, root problems, poor treatment in the store, exposure to cold/dry air or drafts can all cause the blooms to fail. Brassias usually have long-lasting blooms. Have you checked to make certain that the roots are healthy?
I read that someone had a problem with an orchid's blooms dying suddenly and they called an expert to take a look. The expert discovered that while the orchid was perfectly healthy, the furnace was malfunctioning and leaking gas. A repairman was called and the problem solved. I doubt that this is the cause of your blossom loss, though.

The brassia has pretty healthy roots, healthy bulbs, and so on. I just bought it about 2 weeks ago.
I did have to cut some of the leaves a bit back because of mechanical damage, but it was nothing drastic.

I'll see what happens with the next spike. All my other orchids are doing just great in my tiny dorm room conditions.

If they're too short-lived, I'll just sell it to someone who has a bigger heart than me!!

---------- Post added at 10:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:00 PM ----------

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

I read about her problem earlier, and I hesitated to comment about the gas thing because I really didn't know enough to say, and I didn't have too much time to dive into it. I have experienced this too. This problem can not only make the orchids drop flowers prematurely, it can also kill the orchid outright over time.

Again, if there is an area of your house, (like a gas furnace/heater), that might be leaking gas, you might want to take the time to investigate.

Hey there! My place is heated with a radiator- so good old steam is keeping my room warm. I've got all the plants a safe distance from the radiator as well. All my other plants are in really good shape, so this one might just be shocked from trimming, shocked from bringing it home, etc.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Certain Pleurothallids have unique flowers that bloom frequently throughout the year.

Yes, Psychopsis are sequential bloomers that often stay in bloom for a large part of the year. They do occasionally take short breaks.

Many Scaphosepalum are almost always in bloom, as are Platystele. Platystele are tiny flowered though; they are more novelty type of orchids.

Some Dracula spp can bloom rather randomly throughout the year.

Some Maxillarias bloom often, and quite randomly. Most are seasonal bloomers though.

I don't know…

Maybe see if you can get some Laelia tenebrosa, Laelia purpurata, Laelia anceps, or Laelia superbiens in bloom.

I know Laelia superbiens is in bloom right now, ('cause mine is, and the guys at Santa Barbara Orchid Estate just told me theirs are too). It might cost you a lot for a blooming sized plant though. They are very large and showy.

Orchids in the genus Nageliella may have small flowers, but they bloom successively from the same spike over a period of time.

---------- Post added at 10:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:04 PM ----------

You might also think about getting Cattleya gaskelliana maybe. Cattleya mendelii maybe? Cattleya rex?

These last about 3 - 4 weeks.

Some Miltoniopsis last about 2 - 3 weeks.

Idk, just try a few and see how you like them.

---------- Post added at 10:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:09 PM ----------

Zygopetalums maybe? Flowers last about 2 - 3 weeks.

Sedirea japonica last about 2 - 3 weeks too. They are nice and fragrant as well.

My Dendrobium tangerinum flowers lasted about 3 weeks, maybe 4 weeks, and this Dendrobium is in section Spatulata.

---------- Post added at 10:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:13 PM ----------

I'm not too sure about Schomburgkias, but I think when I was working at a nursery, these lasted quite a while too.

---------- Post added at 10:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:17 PM ----------

Angraecum maybe? Many are very large plants, but a good number of them have flowers that last a while. They are fragrant at night too.

Phal cornu-cervi and Phal mannii bloom successively.

[Ordphien]

I find very few of my orchids stay in bloom for very long.
My dendrobium wawaran blooms once to twice a year, but holds its flowers for 5-8 months.
And my two paphs hold their flowers for a month or two.

I think the key is to buy orchids that can bloom multiple times a year. My lepanthes telipogoniflora's flowers only last 5-9 days. But it's making new flowers at such a constant rate that it's almost never out of bloom.

Zygo hybrids are a favorite of mine as they bloom 3 - 5 times a year. With each show lasting about a month.
Den phal hybrids can bloom multiple times a year.
My maxillaria tenuifolia blooms 2-3 times a year.

[CA2FLxplant]

Well, this mounted NOID Den. Has been in bloom since at least August, and it's throwing out three more spikes!

It's probably been the most abused plant I have.

[wintergirl]

Dendrobium laevifolium are very small orchids but they can have little flowers that last 4-8 months. I bought one in bloom at the orchid show 3 weeks ago and the same flowers are still pretty and more bloomed.

I'd like to put a picture here but I guess I do not have enough posts.

Here is the plant, it is very little and has cute little pinkish blubs that you really can't see in the picture.