What would you consider are "Collection Must Haves"

[Skycat]

Pretty much anything I can get a good deal on.

[snowflake311]

One of every kind of orchid you can grow well. So it depends on where you live and your conditions.

Zygos, Oncid, Paph, milatonia, phal, and other hybrids.

[disalover]

Paph rothschildianum and sanderianum

[bil]

Originally Posted by snowflake311

One of every kind of orchid you can grow well. So it depends on where you live and your conditions.

I agree. It's sensible to focus on what does well where you are. If you have to fight to get it to grow, it probably isn't worth it.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Oh no, I don't have anything mentioned. So I guess my collection is lacking. Well I use to have 3 Sharry Baby's but between me not watering enough and mealy bugs they died.

[bil]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

Oh no, I don't have anything mentioned. So I guess my collection is lacking. Well I use to have 3 Sharry Baby's but between me not watering enough and mealy bugs they died.

Mealy bugs? Wehave three white plagues down here and they are one of them. I have to admit, I don't do 'green'. I see one of them, and it's out with the chemical megadeath.

[Leafmite]

I try many orchids and some stay but many go. There are some that I will never give away as they are 'must haves' and will remain a permanent part of the collection, even being replaced should they die.

I think every collection should have a Cattleya mossiae, a Neofinetia falcata and a (the already mentioned) Brassavola nodosa.

Some of the others I think that are must haves:
Potinara Burana Beauty 'Burana',
Cattleya Mini Purple 'Blue Hawaii',
Cattleya walkeriana,
Cattleya dolosa,
Cattleya aclandiae,
Soph cernua.
Leptotes bicolor
Ascocentrum pumilum (easy, small, blooms frequently)
Schoenorchis fragrans (or 'the creeping Schoenorchis,' Schoenorchis scolopendria)
Haraella rectrocalla
Mormolyca ringens (no idea why I must have it but I am never going to give this one away)
Angraecum of some type
Bulbophyllum of some type
Dendrobiums (normanbyense, aggragatum, phal-type that is usually in bloom)
Psychopsis of some sort

---------- Post added at 12:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:14 PM ----------

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

Oh no, I don't have anything mentioned. So I guess my collection is lacking. Well I use to have 3 Sharry Baby's but between me not watering enough and mealy bugs they died.

I hate mealies.
I had Sharry Baby but it took up so much space and needed divided so often. I gave all the divisions away many years ago.

[lotis146]

I'll add a multi-floral Paph.

[astrid]

I have all on that list except for the blc dan o'neil!! Oh I love all of those!!

I'd say that everyone should get an oncidium twinkle type orchid. Mine has a lovely fragrance (lemony) and the tiny flowers make a wonderful display.

Every collection should have at least one mounted orchid, imo. I didn't try them until recently and I feel like I was missing out all along!

I also think everyone should have a burrageara Nelly Isler because their fragrance is just wonderful and if you get them the proper temps, the flowers have a wonderful reddish color. I can't wait for mine to bloom again! They're a bit fussy, though, and need to stay evenly moist but not too moist... headache!

Edit:
Iwanagara Apple Blossom as well. gorgeous and fragrant.

[WhiteRabbit]

Cattleya intermedia