Catasetum tenebrosum

[The Orchid Boy]

I have Catasetum tenebrosum on my growing wishlist. I'm hoping to get one this spring or summer. I've read a lot of articles and posts on catasetum care and think I know the basics. This will be my first catasetum. I really like the flowers on this species. Anything in paticular that I should know about this species? And how tall does it get?

[euplusia]

Tenebrosum is absolutely stunning, but for me it is not the easiest to grow. The size is average, flowers emerge in spring from a new lead.

[Bud]

This is my posted thread:

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...enebrosum.html

This is currently on winter rest but I can see a new plant coming out....I will wait until its got 5 inches roots before I continue regular watering and fertilizer.
I follow the Sunset Valley Orchids 'SVO' culture to the letter

---------- Post added at 05:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:28 PM ----------

the longest leaf was 15 inches and the whole plant is in a 5 inches diameter plastic pot

[isurus79]

This species gets pretty big! You can see in Bud's link above how large the p-bulb gets (maybe 3" or so across) and how large the leaves are on a very new and immature growth (which is when this one flowers). If I remember correctly, I think my growths were close to 2 feet tall and maybe a foot and a half wide on a large, mature plant.

I really liked this species because it was usually the first to grow and bloom in the spring. The blooms were also very unusual and fragrant.

[catasetum-ian]

concur with Steve, large catasetum with attractive flowers, the only thing is don;t like is the long dormancy period of this species, here in my microenvironment, dormancy at times can be as long as 4 months! other than that, i love this species.
the care is like any other catasetums.

[The Orchid Boy]

I'd like maybe a more compact catasetum. From my shelf to my T5s is 24". I don't mind long dormancy. That is part of the reason I want a catasetum. They "die" for a time then "come back to life". I'm not familiar at all with catasetums except for basic culture. I'd like a catasetum species that is compact, goes dormant, has male and female flowers, and shoots pollen. Do all catasetums do those things, most, or a few?

[catasetum-ian]

Originally Posted by The Orchid Boy

I'd like maybe a more compact catasetum. From my shelf to my T5s is 24". I don't mind long dormancy. That is part of the reason I want a catasetum. They "die" for a time then "come back to life". I'm not familiar at all with catasetums except for basic culture. I'd like a catasetum species that is compact, goes dormant, has male and female flowers, and shoots pollen. Do all catasetums do those things, most, or a few?

catasetum flowers are unisex flowers, incomplete flowers. and all male flower shoots pollen (can be annoying at times when you have uninvited guess causing the flower to whither off early). and sometimes you do get a hermaphrodite.

compact catasetums......tenebrosum does not fit in the list, they are huge. you may want to try with the all time favorite catasetum denticulatum.

[isurus79]

You might want to start with an easy Catasetinae, like Clowesia Rebecca Tyson Northen. It has perfect flowers (ie. both male and female parts on one flower), but is compact and you could cut your teeth on a plant that is fairly forgiving.

Ian is right about Catasetum denticulatum being compact and it really is the most stunning of the species IMO, but also very tricky to grow!

[catasetum-ian]

Originally Posted by isurus79

You might want to start with an easy Catasetinae, like Clowesia Rebecca Tyson Northen. It has perfect flowers (ie. both male and female parts on one flower), but is compact and you could cut your teeth on a plant that is fairly forgiving.

Ian is right about Catasetum denticulatum being compact and it really is the most stunning of the species IMO, but also very tricky to grow!

i remember when i first got my denticulatum and was told by fellow catasetinae growers here spooky tales about how difficult is it to grow here and many have failed.

from my experience try growing it with charcoal or fir bark media, avoid moss. mine is grown in charcoal media and i treat it the same as other catasetinae. it is one year and half plus since i got the plant and doing very well.

other compact catasetums - catasetum cirrhaeoide..very nice fragrance

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by catasetum-ian

i remember when i first got my denticulatum and was told by fellow catasetinae growers here spooky tales about how difficult is it to grow here and many have failed.

from my experience try growing it with charcoal or fir bark media, avoid moss. mine is grown in charcoal media and i treat it the same as other catasetinae. it is one year and half plus since i got the plant and doing very well.

other compact catasetums - catasetum cirrhaeoide..very nice fragrance

Not to hijack this thread, but does that mean your denticulatum dries out a bit quicker than your other Catasetinae? I used to grow mine in moss and maybe this was the problem.