Need help deciding on new Stanhopea

[ladybug15]

Hello everyone,
Long time lurker here with my first post.
I have recently fallen in love with Stanhopeas, and need to add to my collection (I already have tigrina and spindleriana). I have had no problem blooming them for the past 2 years. Not sure if it's just beginners luck, or if these are some of the less fussy Stans.
I am hoping those of you who grow them can recommend a few others that are a must have for Stan lovers.
The ones I am considering are: candida, wardii, jenischiana and oculata.
Do any of these have as powerful of a scent as tigrina? If so, how would you describe the scent? Also, I would love to have one that could flower a couple of times a year and put out successive spikes.
Thanks for your help!

[WhiteRabbit]

Glad you found us!

I can't help with Stanhopea recommendations - I'm sure others can!

[isurus79]

I've grown a whole bunch of Stans and when I left Hawaii, the only one I kept was my reichenbachiana, though I really miss my costaricensis as well. The reichenbachiana starts blooming at an absurdly small size and blooms several times per year. That's the one I would recommend, though I know its not on your list.

---------- Post added at 06:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:29 PM ----------

And welcome to OB!

[ladybug15]

Thanks for your replies.
isurus79, the reichenbachiana is actually the Stan that is at the top of my wish list. I didn't put it on the list of ones I am considering now, because sadly, I can not find anyone offering it for sale at the moment. Can I ask how you would describe the scent? Is it strong? Also, how do you grow it?

[Rowangreen]

I think it was a jenischiana someone brought to my orchid society a few months ago... absolutely amazing scent. Very powerful but nice. It reminded me of Edinburgh rock, but you'd have had to have had it to know what I mean! Sweet, soft, maybe with vanilla. Unfortunately I think they said the flowers only last a couple of days.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by ladybug15

Thanks for your replies.
isurus79, the reichenbachiana is actually the Stan that is at the top of my wish list. I didn't put it on the list of ones I am considering now, because sadly, I can not find anyone offering it for sale at the moment. Can I ask how you would describe the scent? Is it strong? Also, how do you grow it?

You should call the folks at Tropical Orchid Farm (Tropical Orchid Farm) and they might have some that are not listed. The scent is strong (as with most Stans), though it has not bloomed for me since I moved to Texas. I'm pretty sure it hasn't bloomed because of the move and the media went bad, though I changed it about a month ago so I'm expecting blooms this summer. I have it in a basket of spag and treat it like most Stans. No winter rest though and it really prefers warm to hot temps, so it does well in the Texas heat. Here's a pic from several years ago:
Stanhopea reichenbachiana 10-25-2009 by Isurus79, on Flickr

[ladybug15]

isurus79, thanks for the pic. Absolutely beautiful! I did contact Tropical Orchid Farm, and they do not have any. Ecuagenera is out of them as well. I will keep hunting!
Rowangreen, thanks for the info on the jenischiana. It sounds wonderful. Will keep this one in mind.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by ladybug15

The ones I am considering are: candida, wardii, jenischiana and oculata.
Do any of these have as powerful of a scent as tigrina? If so, how would you describe the scent? Also, I would love to have one that could flower a couple of times a year and put out successive spikes.

I forgot I wanted to help you with these other ones! First, most of the Stans will have very strong scents, though not necessarily as powerful as tigrina. Certainly stronger than just about any other orchid though!! Also, most mature plants will bloom on several spikes during their preferred season. This might not be true for a first bloom seedling though.

I've never grown candida, so I can't help you with that. I have grown wardii and some of oculata's spinoff species (as you might know, oculata was a broad term to describe what we now know to be several other species). They are all pretty easy, though my favorite was costaricensis because of the stunning spot pattern I had on my plant (http://www.orchidboard.com/community...aricensis.html). Stan jenishiana was also a great one, but I noticed the plants had to be REALLY big for them to come to blooming size. Any of them would make a great addition to your collection though!

[Oculata]

I second what Steve has suggested with just a few variations. I have found the three easiest to grow and bloom to be S. oculata, S. tigrina, and S. wardii. Since you are interested in adding S. oculata and S. wardii to your collection you won’t go wrong with these. I find S. oculata to be a little more robust in the fragrance - a little like vanilla and marshmallows, but the fragrance varies a bit as Steve mentioned depending on the form of S. oculata. Stanhopea wardii has very intense yellow to gold flowers and dark black eyespots with a slight citrus (lime) scent…..very nice but not as strong as S. tigrina or S. oculata.

My suggestion would be to start off with one of these first before moving on to other species because these three are very easy to grow and you will be rewarded with blooms regularly every year. I have grown S. candida for a few years now and it is a very nice Stanhopea. It blooms for me two or three times a year during the warm season which is good. The fragrance is that of wintergreen, so if you like the scent of Bengay then this is the Stanhopea for you! I grow mine outdoors during the warm season and bring it indoors during the winter and it grows well. As for S. jenischiana – this was the first Stanhopea that I grew and it is indeed beautiful, but is a shy bloomer unless you keep it slightly dryer over winter and no fertilizer during that time. My S. jenishiana blooms for me most years, but sometimes skips years and is not as reliable as the others on your list. Just putting in a plug for S. panamensis for multiple flower spikes per year. My S. panamensis blooms in August/September and then again in late November, so it is nice for a repeat bloom and has a slight jasmine-moonflower scent.

Enjoy your Stanhopeas...they are addicting!

[ladybug15]

Bob-Thank you for the wonderful information. S. oculata sounds very nice and the fragrance sounds yummy! I think this may be the next one I purchase. I will definitely keep S. panamensis in mind. Multiple flower spikes a year is always a good thing with Stanhopeas!