to buy or not to buy? $12 NOID brooklyn botanic garden!

[stefpix]

I am tempted to buy this - originally from the botanic garden annex. was 25 $ now half of that. No tag, no info.

is it a Cattleya? is it possible to pinpoint somehow what it could possibly be - not exactly but somehow a ballpark idea...
should I buy it or not?
the orchids on sale at the botanic garden have no tags!
but there are great supplies for a good price...
and if someone is into bonsai there is a lot of tree seedling/cuttings to start with!

thanks stefano
stefpix.com

[Libo]

I would say it's definitely a catt or hybrid, but in bad condition. Now that it showed signs of severe desiccation, my bet is the roots are probably dried out and dead (I have lots of experience buying half-dead plants). It would take a great effort to save it. If it's a NOID in good health with low price I will say buy it, but this one maybe just not worth the effort. Considering it's not sold when it was in good shape, maybe it's not as beautiful as you would expect after all...

[stefpix]

Good points - I got a Lc Angel Love for 5 dollars - dead roots was in some "mud"
cut off most of the roots and put it in a glass vase with water and I can see new root "eyes" and a little new growth - seems water culture is good for Cattleyas... tried with 3 Phals I bought for a dollar at Lowes but water culture seems not compatible for those.
I salvaged another Vanda alliance NOID seems ok in water.
anyway here are some photos -
isit a spike in that phal with terminal spike? bought it for a dollar at Lowes

[Libo]

Wow, that's really cheap! If it's one buck I won't vote for no As for your angel love, it definitely will revive! With an labeled plant, you know what you are saving, that gives you motivation. With an NOID however, it's a gamble. As I have said that one reason it was not sold maybe it was not that pretty, the other maybe that it was just too expensive at first. I bought a NOID catt at a local greenhouse for 5 dollars, while all the catts sold there with flower on it are at least $40. I'm really lucky that the new growth have a sheath on it so I'll see the flower in a short time. However I'm not really expecting it to be stunning since all the ones I got an eye on were bought regardless of the high price.

From the picture of your phal, it looks more like a keiki to me but I am no expert...If it is a spike, here's what happened to my phal with an emerging spike while transplanting to S/H (I should be clear that the spike appeared after the flowering period, so it was "off-season" anyway). The spike never grew and rotted...The plant is OK though. Another interesting thing on your phal is that, I've never seen a spike growing from the crown before! But from the picture, the old cut flower spike is from the top of the growth? That is new to me...

[stefpix]

I put 2 phals there. The terminal spike can happen in hybrids I was told - It mean that the plant cant grow any more leaves so it will eventually die. just google "terminal spike phal" or something. weird because it is sprouting new roots and what looks like a spike or a keiki [btw it is purple]. the only way is to have a keiki develop to eventually save.

I think sometimes with too much hybridization instead of vigor you get problems and it is counterproductive and forced.

akin to those dog breeds that are unable to deliver a pup without a C section!

[Libo]

Um...that makes sense. Thanks for the knowledge, learning new things everyday! Then I hope that it is a keiki so you will have an identical plant