C walkeriana - very round - Orchid Board

catwalker808 · #1 12-01-2009, 03:57 AM

Here's a very round flower, rare in the cross, which produced mostly huge semi-albas or blushes. The larger clones were 4-1/2", some 5".

This flower has no pointed petal tips, so it's dimensions are smaller, approx 3-1/2". This is from the cross 'Puanani' x 'H&R'.

smweaver · #2 12-01-2009, 07:07 AM

All of the walkeriana pictures you've been posting have been overwhelmingly beautiful. May I ask, where is your location? Are you able to grow this species outdoors all year, or do you have to provide winter protection (either in an enclosed greenhouse or a protected patio/porch)? Congratulations on all of your wonderful blooms. This is another species that I think would be worth growing for the nice fragrance alone. The fact that it produces large and fantastic blooms makes it all that much more impressive.

Steve

Rosim_in_BR · #3 12-01-2009, 07:18 AM

Undoubtedly a very fine walkeriana!

catwalker808 · #4 12-01-2009, 01:34 PM

Thank you for your kind comments.

... We are located in Hawaii at elevation 20-35 feet. Although our climate and elevation are very different from the natural habitat of C walkeriana, they grow and bloom extremely well. In fact, this species seems to be very adaptable to many climatic conditions (obviously even temperate Indiana).

I have copied part of my reply to Steve's C nobilior inquiry, because the remarks pertain here also:

We do not have cold winter periods here. We do have intermediate periods, but usually with good sunlight. However, our winter is also our rainy season. Therefore, we will have a mixture of:
78-82 F sunny days & 72 F nights, ; 75 F rainy days & 62 nights; 65-68 F clear days & 53 nights ... all intermixed, between December and late March.

I think it is important to know about the habitat and climate of the species. However, it is even more important to know the most critical requirements for the plants' successful growth and flowering. In nature, plants have adapted survival mechanisms, to assure at least a minimal existence in the worst of times (such as drouth periods). In cultivation, however, we can try to provide the "best of times" for our plants.

My point is, rather than starve and dehydrate plants (just because they can survive these events in nature), we should try to have our plants thrive instead. ....

We grow most of our plants under 50-60% shade. The shaded light levels are over 5000 foot candles in summer and probably range from 2000-3500 in the rainier winter period (of course it's darker when cloudy or rainy).

In the summer, the light is too bright. 60-70% shade (3500-4000 fc) would be better. When it is too hot and bright, the plants just sit and sulk. In winter,the combination of occasional intermediate temps and rain are not great if plants hold too much water in their pots. So mounts or baskets would be good. I use plastic pots that come pre-made with 20+ holes on the bottom (they are made for flooding on propagation mats). But they hold only moisture, no standing water, for my plants.

Buds & flowers don't like prolonged rain, so when buds emerge, plants are put into a plastic covered greenhouse to bloom. We bloom the same plants twice a year ... the first period is late October to December and the second period is January to April or May ... some into June. The best blooms are during the cooler intermediate periods, when flowers open more slowly, are bigger, better shaped, with crisper colors.