dipping my toes

[drtd]

I am thinking about dabbling in Bulbophyllums, and want to start out light so I don't just kill them. Any suggestions on a good species for a bulbo beginner? I have plenty of orchid experience, and a pretty broad scope of species in fairly average growing conditions. I live in zone 8b (Pacific NW), and grow mostly in windowsills with supplemental lighting in the winter. I would like something that I can over-summer outside.

-Danny

[katrina]

Oh...boy...there are so many to choose from...let's narrow things down a bit.

Do you want to keep it small or is large OK for your space. Some have to get pretty darned big before they bloom well. There are also a good number of what could be considered miniatures so that is an option as well.

What about fragrance? Do you mind if it's pretty stinky or would you prefer to keep it to the better smelling and/or not much fragrance types?

What about type of grower...Clumpy grower or is one of the rambling growers ok? The ramblers can be very hard to contain in a pot and usually do best in a basket or on a mount.

So, so, so many different types of bulbos...best to get a bit more info so your first one is a good fit.

[Daethen]

Katrina, good advice!

[drtd]

Smaller side, mounted or basket, rambler (easier to divide later) and fragrance doesn't matter. Hope that narrows it down :-)

-Danny

[My Green Pets]

You want a species or hybrid? I can only recommend the two on my wish list as I don't grow them myself (yet!). Caution as they both smell like poop, lol

B. echinolabium - who could resist foot-long flowers? Growers on the OB have said that they will do fine in phal light, perhaps a bit more.

B. Doggy Doo (echinolabium x orthoglossum) - I think this one is gorgeous! It brings the brighter colors of the orthoglossum to the long, slender petals of the echinolabium.

There are lots of other very interesting hybrids out there and they may be more robust, easier-to-grow plants.

Either way, let us know what you decide! I have to live vicariously through other bulbo growers until I can try some for myself!

Bulbophyllum echinolabium


Bulbophyllum Doggy Doo

[quiltergal]

I'm rather partial to falcatum because it is so weird looking. It's a small rambler. No scent that I can detect.

[drtd]

All fantastic suggestions! Would any or the be suited for windowsill culture over the winter? The humidity is not the greatest, but the light is descent. I see that you grow them in pots. Should I stick to that or try and mount? I am planning on building a vivarium for some of my smaller orchids to accompany my chameleon. Would they be a good candidate for that? I have read that they (Bulbos) can be rather sensitive to physical damage (i.e.-my chameleon crawling and/or perching on them).

-Danny

[Brooke]

Here is a list of easy to grow, no bad fragrance and very attractive. All of these take Catt light and want to be grown moist.

Small - pectin-veneris (tingabarinum)
inunctum
plumatum
purpurescens
vaginatum
croceum
othonis

Medium medusae
falcatum (eventually gets very large)
Candy Ann
Elizabeth Ann
arfakianum (rambles)
grandiflorum

The last two are the duck head blooms.

All of these are easy to divide but grow on short rhizomes. The ramblers are easy to divide but very hard to contain and many need to be large to bloom. If you mount anything you need to be prepared to water multiple times a day.

I have pics for most of these, I think.

Brooke

[My Green Pets]

Brooke your pics of these would be a blessing to the Internet. Please share!

[drtd]

Agreed :-D