Brassavola Nodosa

[CR7cristiano]

This guy has been growing attached to my palm for years. Now its becoming closer to specimen size and the birds were so nice to drop some poor man's beard in it which has grown around it holding in that moisture; nature at work, and it just finishes the natural look.

[isurus79]

Nice! How many spikes is that?

[CR7cristiano]

It just one spike; a lot of flowers however.

[isurus79]

That's what I was thinking. I'm pretty sure this is not nodosa then and it is probably B. subulifolia (formerly cordata) or B. Little Stars, which is the hybrid of the two. Either way, its a beautiful plant and it makes me miss growing my 'chids outside all year round!

[CR7cristiano]

Why do you say its not nodosa?

[isurus79]

Partly the shape of the lip and the vivid green coloration of petals, but mainly the number of flowers on the spike. Pure nodosa has fewer large flowers while pure subulifolia has many, smaller flowers. Little Stars is somewhere in between.

[CR7cristiano]

The blooms are small..and usually 3-5 flowers per spike. More flowers is the doin of superthrive.

[NYCorchidman]

Superthrive does not affect flowering as far as I understand. It can even results in deformed flowers if applied while spikes are developing.
It is a type of "hormone" that promotes rigorous root development in stressed plants.
So by growing more roots, the plant can benefit from it indirectly of course.

[RJSquirrel]

nice flowers and good job on the beard you pesky birds
Im on the Little Stars band wagon also. The canes look very similar in size. Nodosa canes, well the ones I have, are very smallish where as the little stars are much larger.

Nodosa In my world dont put out a lot of new growths maybe 2 in a year where as the Little Stars is new growth boomer as it has 9 new ones...

If the tag says nodosa then thats what it is going to be then, But really nice flowers for you regardless..


and on the topic of Superthrive I do not use it anymore as was said it can cause problems and has for me personally. I argued once it didnt but after a few years using it I cut it out and I dont have anymore yellow leaves coming up from new growth. Sorry Zootrophion I was wrong. Superthrive ruined my paphs IMO. But I am responsible ultimately

[NYCorchidman]

I would say cordata.