Ancistrochilus rothschildianus

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Ancistrochilus rothschildianus - love these little green onions, especially when they are in spike. First open bud, many spikes and buds on it's way. Grown outside year round, bark chips, bright shade, regular watering and fertilizing in growing season, very minimum watering and no fertilizing in winter time till new growths.

[AnonYMouse]

Lovely. Mine's in bud, too!

[Ordphien]

I love the way the lip curls up and out.
The colour is pretty scrumptious too.

[Orchid killer]

Tommy, please let us more about this genus.
We are not familiar with it here in Africa.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by Orchid killer

Tommy, please let us more about this genus.
We are not familiar with it here in Africa.

That is very funny, because this is actually African orchid. The pseudobulbs look really like Hershey's kisses, and it comes from Guinea, Sierra Leone and across to Uganda. Hot to cold growing, shaded location, and it goes deciduous, at fall, looses all the leaves, usually right after the spikes, or when spiking, and it should be kept dry and no fertilizer till new growths appear in early spring. I grow mine outside3 year round and treat it like my Deciduous Dendrobiums, watering only when pseudobulbs are shriveled.

---------- Post added at 09:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:49 AM ----------

Many thanks everyone :-)

[Orchid killer]

Originally Posted by TOMMYMIAMI

That is very funny, because this is actually African orchid. The pseudobulbs look really like Hershey's kisses, and it comes from Guinea, Sierra Leone and across to Uganda. Hot to cold growing, shaded location, and it goes deciduous, at fall, looses all the leaves, usually right after the spikes, or when spiking, and it should be kept dry and no fertilizer till new growths appear in early spring. I grow mine outside3 year round and treat it like my Deciduous Dendrobiums, watering only when pseudobulbs are shriveled.

---------- Post added at 09:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:49 AM ----------

Many thanks everyone :-)

When you mentioned that Ancistrochilus was from Africa, I got Isobyl la Croix’s book ‘African Orchids’ out, removing all the dust and cobwebs and you are quite right. But it is mainly limited to West Africa. I live in Zimbabwe, small country in southern Africa and the genus is not found in our parts. Giving it a read, it looks interesting and worth giving it a try in cultivation.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by Orchid killer

When you mentioned that Ancistrochilus was from Africa, I got Isobyl la Croix’s book ‘African Orchids’ out, removing all the dust and cobwebs and you are quite right. But it is mainly limited to West Africa. I live in Zimbabwe, small country in southern Africa and the genus is not found in our parts. Giving it a read, it looks interesting and worth giving it a try in cultivation.

I think you would love it! Very unique and interesting species.

[WhiteRabbit]

Wonderful!

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

Wonderful!

Many thanks Sonya

[Orchid killer]

Originally Posted by TOMMYMIAMI

I think you would love it! Very unique and interesting species.

Where did you get your plant from?
It is very difficult to get species here, we have to import them which is very difficult and expensive. There are a few orchid dealers in South Africa, but this genus is not on their price lists, probably because it is a African species they are restricted.