Update on my Stanhopea tigrina nigroviolacea 'The Predator'
Okay, so even as I would buying this plant, I felt like I was out of my mind to do so. Not only is it the most I've ever paid for a plant, but I've never even grown a Stanhopea before hahahahaha. And it is such a rare one at that. I was going to feel like such a jackass if I spent that much money on a rare plant, and then killed it. Fortunately my fears were unfounded.
It was a booger to repot because the root ball was so tight and they were all tangled in the mesh basked, and half of the plant was kind of growing down the side of the basket, but it needed it desperately, so I went for it. I cut away the plastic basket with scissors (although I couldn't get it all. Some of the basket had to remain, but I know that's no big deal) and then I had to kind of place it in the new basked all weird, kind of to one side because of the downward growths.
I potted it in mostly sphagnum, but I also added some rockwool (I know a lot of people have a low opinion of rockwool, but I use it sometimes and I like it) and some of the mix I pot my Catts (and a lot of other types) in, which is composed mostly bark with some LECA and stalite and medium sponge rock. I added that hoping to keep the sphag a little airy and not compact down so much.
I potted it in a large basket which I lined with coco fiber. After I potted it, I was worried the basket was too big but...
Since I repotted it, it has grown like crazy. I bet it has eight or ten new growths coming along nicely. I don't think my basket is too big anymore. I think it's going to fill up that basket.
If any of you remember from earlier, when I bought it, it was listed in being in bud, however between the time I ordered it and time it shipped, the buds blasted (the seller told me it was probably because they had moved it around a lot while trying to sell it and it probably got too much sun and not enough water). She gave me a discount, but said it was still within the blooming season and I may see some blooms yet to come. That did not happen, but that's okay. I would have bought it whether it was in bud or not.
Anyway, here are some pictures. It's already way bigger than it was when I bought, and I feel confident that I'm not going to murder a rare, expensive plant like some kind jackass. I can't wait to see it finally bloom this summer.
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