bulbophyllum fletcherianum update- slow but good

[DirtyCoconuts]

I thought i had a thread on these babies but i cant find it

i bought two seedlings last year and made a weird home for them- they were both just dime sized bulbs and one had a small leaf- the other was two bitty bulbs each with a fingernail of a leaf

i was NOT expecting any luck as i am bad at seedlings and but i REALLY like this species and i wanted a challenge

the first couple months seemed good, then a pbulb just retired - no change in temp or culture or anything. i was sure it was over, $50 experiment over...move on


BUT- i let it ride and so did the plants.
Fast forward 8-10 months and there are thriving. the leaves are still growing, they have both added a second leaf and there are new pbulbs forming behind them

i suspect that these leaves will top out at 8-10 inches and then one or two in the 2' range and then, god willing they are still healthy, then they can get 5-7' long!!!

Untitled by J Solo, on Flickr

just a few short years(decade) away! lol

[Shadeflower]

don't think many would have gotten this far from your description - they look really good.
They sound expensive though for that size

only a bit more to go (found on google) had to check how big it gets

[Roberta]

You do have some years to go, but they are looking great! The "aroma" is truly to be anticipated... one of the Bulbos that looks and smells like rotting meat.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

don't think many would have gotten this far from your description - they look really good.
They sound expensive though for that size

only a bit more to go (found on google) had to check how big it gets

they are not just expensive, they are basically unattainable in the retail trade

i have a few life time quest orchids, several of which i have obtained but with out a trip to thailand, i have no chance lol

this plant and bulb beccarii are so damn hard to source and the sellers know it and rake one over the coals.

i have yet to get a beccarii and i have only about 30-50% optimism for these guys too LOL

[smweaver]

Your seedlings look excellent. I can't wait to see how they continue to progress for you in their journey to adulthood and (fingers crossed) a marvelous display for foul-scented blooms. These big bulbo species always look fascinating to me, even when they aren't in flower thanks to those massively long leaves. I would think that they would all do very well for you in your South Florida location. Keep up the good work, and please keep us posted with updates.

Steve