Myrmecophilia thompsoniana

[ingse]

[Paul Mc]

Wow, interesting shape and coloration!

[Silje]

Cool! I've got this one, but it's still a small plant. How large do they have to be to be flowering size, you think? And how do you grow yours?

[ingse]

I have had this plant for about four years and this is the first time it flowers. I have not been giving it enough light and moved it last autumn,so it is just under the light in my greenhouse.
I water it every day now, but let it dry out a bit in the winther months.
This one is in a epiweb basket, but i have two other Myrmecophilias potted in bark and coconutfibres. One of them had a spike last winter so i do not think they are too difficult
( I had a powercut and the spike blasted, sometimes i just hate living in Norway )

[Silje]

Originally Posted by ingse

I have had this plant for about four years and this is the first time it flowers. I have not been giving it enough light and moved it last autumn,so it is just under the light in my greenhouse.
I water it every day now, but let it dry out a bit in the winther months.
This one is in a epiweb basket, but i have two other Myrmecophilias potted in bark and coconutfibres. One of them had a spike last winter so i do not think they are too difficult
( I had a powercut and the spike blasted, sometimes i just hate living in Norway )

As a Norwegian I can easily imagine the challenges our climate and conditions will throw at anyone that wants to do greenhouse gardening.

I only got one Schomburgkia (or Myrmecophilias as they're called nowadays). It's a Thompsoniana and I got it only a month ago. It's mounted and has a purple tint indicating that it has received a lot of light. It looks otherwise happy with good root and new shoots coming. I've hung it in the lightest area in the greenhouse where it gets direct morning and afternoon sun.

I'm intrigued by these fancy ant heaps. I hope I manage to keep it happy. Yours is, without doubt!

Well done!

[FSUOrchids]

Be thankful that the spike isn't very long, because I saw a bunch of these in Homestead down here recently with spikes measuring 5-10 ft long.

[ingse]

The possible lenght of the spike and how much trouble i would get growing these, was the first thing some of my orchidfriends told me when i bought them
Shorter spikes might encourage others to try to grow this species too.
5-10 ft. long spikes must indicate that the ones you saw was happy.....

[isurus79]

Beautiful colors! A great species that can easily be grown inside by the home grower.

[james mickelso]

Wowser!!! Love this orchid. Nice color combo and the shape is sooo cool. I had some schomburkias a couple years ago but sold them. I might get some more. I love the twisted sepals. Very cool.

[gnathaniel]

Wonderful species! I'm impressed at how well you grow this in Norway, my couple of Myrms don't look half as good.