The one good thing about April weather

[Skycat]

After basically ignoring my Dendrobrium crumenatum on the windowsill all winter other than occasionally watering to make sure it stayed green, I was examining it more closely just now (tried to repot it, but I found a lot of roots stuck to the inside of the pot, so I thought maybe I shouldn't disturb it further). Then I found something peeking out of the youngest of the fully-grown growths.



Is this what it looks like when these are starting buds? It is the thunderstorm orchid, and we've been having no shortage of thunderstorms here!

And here's the entire plant



(those bent-over leaves are like that because the curtain was pushing against them at one point)

(also, yeah, I know those pseudobulbs are very dehydrated; that's why I was checking the roots)

[bil]

They shouldn't be allowed to dessicate, as they need a bit of water overwinter.

Why is it called the thunderstorm orchid?

[Skycat]

Originally Posted by bil

Why is it called the thunderstorm orchid?

Thunderstorms trigger them to bloom.

They shouldn't be allowed to dessicate, as they need a bit of water overwinter.

Yeah, but this is what happens before you get used to actually paying attention to pseudobulbs. You focus mainly on the leaves, and then it's like... "wait, these pseudobulbs weren't always this wrinkly, were they?" I think I'm getting better at it, but there's not much to do about those particular ones now.

[Leafmite]

Are these the ones that are very short-lived but it is fine as they initiate buds every thunderstorm? The ones I am thinking about are said to be very fragrant. We get quite a few thunderstorms in the summer so I was actually thinking about buying one but then I realized I don't have the room for it.

[bil]

Originally Posted by Skycat

Thunderstorms trigger them to bloom.



Yeah, but this is what happens before you get used to actually paying attention to pseudobulbs. You focus mainly on the leaves, and then it's like... "wait, these pseudobulbs weren't always this wrinkly, were they?" I think I'm getting better at it, but there's not much to do about those particular ones now.

Fancy that. I wonder if that is true, or just a saying? If true, what is it that triggers it, low pressure?

[NeofinetiaCanada2014]

These blooms when a sudden rain storm comes and drops temperatures 10 C suddenly. It only last 1 day! I'm from Malaysia where these grow and see them only during the rainy season


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[ollypolly]

Originally Posted by bil

Fancy that. I wonder if that is true, or just a saying? If true, what is it that triggers it, low pressure?

I read flowering occurs 9 days after rain. Watching mine I'd say that's spot on. I was also thinking that low pressure was the trigger also but I got nothing after the cyclone went through. Although I did get blooms after some rain 2 weeks ago.

Skycat

All my pseudobulbs that aren't in current growth are wrinkled no matter how much or little water I give it.