Bulbophyllum lobbii "Kathy's Gold" X dearei "Elizabeth"

[voyager]

I never got into Bulbos.
I figured they were not easily grown inhouse alongside Dendrobiums.
So, I never gave them even a thought while in AK.

When I bought all the orchids from the impacted grower back in 2014, I included a few Bulbos, 3ea. on 6" rafts after remounting them, and what was growing, and still is, along with the Derndrochilum magnum in its planting.
They were blooming when I bought them, but had not bloomed since until this one now.

That grower was at a lower elevation and a more inland location, that had much warmer temps.
I still believe that our higher elevation and cooler night temps are not fully to their liking.
I now also think the eruption probably impacted their flowering.

Of all the Bulbos, this one is the only one to bloom so far.
I'm ecstatic.

From looking at online pics, I believe this one has a strong B. dearei shape.

EDIT:
I cannot find any pics of the B. dearei "Elizabeth" online.
They may have fallen out of favor, or may never have become so.
Flower shaped for both of these species seem to be very variable.

[voyager]

It seems that I do have somethings to learn about Bulbos.
The pic in my o/p was taken in an eager hurry to document my first Bulbo bloom in the 5 years I've had them.
The bud next to the open flower has bloomed.
It has more color and is developing more color more quickly than the 1st one.
The brown colorings are developing nicely, giving the blossoms much more character.

I've also found at least 4 more buds developing, plus 3 more that may be new growths.
I'm now beginning to believe that they were sulking the first year or two because of having been moved.
Then, the eruption smacked 'em up alongside the head, stretching it out to about 5 years.
Not sure, but it's the best explanation I've come up with.

I mounted them on rafts made from old growth Western Red Cedar boards that I had been hoarding.
Keeping them well watered has caused them to deteriorate badly.
It's shaken my faith in that wood's resistance to rotting.

I want to remount them onto other rafts I've made up, but now leery of moving them.

[Roberta]

First, congratulations on a really nice blooming.

When I have a disintegrating mount that has a plant well-rooted to it, I just tie the whole thing to a new mount. Eventually, the roots will grab the new one, and tie the whole thing together, but in the meantime you have a "system" that gives stability but you don't have to wreck roots.

[voyager]

Hi Roberta,
Yeah, I was thinking along the same lines.
I screwed the old mount into the top of the newer.
It will give support to the older as it continues to fall apart.
Then, I can add more sphagnum to the area between the rafts, replacing the deteriorated moss now missing from the older one.

The big problem I see now is that beginning with my enthusiasm over the blossoms, and having fixed the mount, that then, when I add the moss, I'm afraid I'll have disturbed it enough that it'll go into another sulk, giving me another 5 years until it blooms again.
Hopefully,l I'm just a worrywart.

[Roberta]

With your humidity, I think don't worry too much about the sphagnum. The old rotting mount will also hold moisture. So tuck in new sphag when convenient, but probably not high priority.