Coelogyne nitida (syn. ochracea)

[shakkai]

I think I read somewhere that some Coelogyne produce a spike from the new growth before it matures. Is this true for some? If so, which ones?

I've got the same question as Henke had about Coel. cristata... is this a spike or a new bulb?

[calvin_orchidL]

Hey Shakkai,

I have this one too - got it as a division from a friend last summer and it sulked and sulked...but it has several new growths now that look like yours. Asked him about it, and he says that the spike emerges from the tip of the new growth before it unfurls it's leaves (unlike coel. cristata which makes a separate spike at the base of the bulb). I've been checking mine for signs of a spike every day, but so far haven't seen anything. At least you'll be getting a nice new growth!

[shakkai]

Thanks so much for the information, Calvin! So, this is one of the ones that does form its spike on the new growth before its fully mature. OK. I wonder how far it has to develop before a spike (or lack thereof) is obvious?

[calvin_orchidL]

Originally Posted by shakkai

Thanks so much for the information, Calvin! So, this is one of the ones that does form its spike on the new growth before its fully mature. OK. I wonder how far it has to develop before a spike (or lack thereof) is obvious?

I'm wondering the same thing! I'll take some photos this weekend Also, do you have more than one growth? Mine seem to be developing at different rates and I don't know why...

[shakkai]

No, sorry, only the one growth (there are only 4 mature bulbs total). This is the first winter I've had it, so its all very new to me!!

Well, I guess we'll both be watching them like a hawk. First sign of anything changing on mine, and you'll be the second person to know!

[shakkai]

I checked this plant again tonight and I think I am starting to see what look like buds underneath bumps in the top part of the new growth.

I'll try to get a photo tomorrow.

Calvin, how do your's look?

[calvin_orchidL]

Hi Shakkai! Just snapped some quick shots - sorry for the bad photo quality but it was really hard to focus on the growth! I think I'm giving up and waiting for next year's growths ... sigh...but I can't wit to see if yours turns out to be buds - I'd love to see how they develop! your plant looks much healthier than mine - do you keep it evenly moist all the time? I think my pbulbs shriveled too much during the winter (kept it too dry!) and so now the plant is suffering - the best growth is coming from the pbulbs that managed to stay plump.


Here is the largest growth so far - leaves have already begun to unfurl, so I doubt blooms will come


Here is a shot of the next largest growth...you can see other growths at various stages of development, which is kind of weird

[shakkai]

It is really hard to get the new growth in focus, I agree!

Here are some shots from today:





I included the shadowy one, as it shows the light coming through the thinner outer sheaths, and it certainly looks to me like there are a series of darker 'blobs' which could very well be buds. At least I hope so!!!

My plant is mounted - something I did as soon as I learned how much they hate repotting and being disturbed. If it outgrows the mount, I just attach it whole to a larger mount, no disturbance.

What that means is that it spent this winter very dry - only an occassional misting, no soakings November to February, and with the roots exposed to the air that means quite dry. That said, my humidity here is quite high year round - many times the natural outside humidity is 80-90% or higher. The inside humidity is pretty much the same. So it is conceivable that it got some moisture from the air in any case. Compared to last September when I started to decrease the waterings, these bulbs are just starting to plump back up.

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[shakkai]

PS. I think mine lost leaves on one pseudobulb. But the leaves on the other pseudobulbs remained.

[calvin_orchidL]

Originally Posted by shakkai

It is really hard to get the new growth in focus, I agree!

Here are some shots from today:

Attachment 11195

Attachment 11196

I included the shadowy one, as it shows the light coming through the thinner outer sheaths, and it certainly looks to me like there are a series of darker 'blobs' which could very well be buds. At least I hope so!!!

My plant is mounted - something I did as soon as I learned how much they hate repotting and being disturbed. If it outgrows the mount, I just attach it whole to a larger mount, no disturbance.

What that means is that it spent this winter very dry - only an occassional misting, no soakings November to February, and with the roots exposed to the air that means quite dry. That said, my humidity here is quite high year round - many times the natural outside humidity is 80-90% or higher. The inside humidity is pretty much the same. So it is conceivable that it got some moisture from the air in any case. Compared to last September when I started to decrease the waterings, these bulbs are just starting to plump back up.

OOOH those do look like buds!!! That's very exciting - can you post pictures as they mature? I'd love to see how they grow.

Yes my humidity is incredibly low (20-30%) which is terrible...I have them potted in sphag but I think they suffered a set-back because the plant was shipped to me while there wasn't much active root growth...hopefully mine recovers

Good growing! I'm looking forward to your pictures!