Ansellia africana Lindl.

[Tindomul]

Wow, gorgeous Orchid!
Orchid3, this plant is very closely related to your Cyrtopodium.
SUBFAMILY Epidendrodeae, TRIBE Cymbidieae, SUBTRIBE Cyrtopodinae

[Rosim_in_BR]

Originally Posted by orchids3

It looks a little like the Cyrtopodium Punctatum we find here in Florida USA. It may be related. From what you say it must like high light levels but how much water does it need?

I give my plant the same water I give to my Cattleyas. Provided a free draining substrate, the water isn't a problem at all (at least it has been working good for me!), but the light makes all the difference.

[Mike O'C]

Originally Posted by Rosim_in_BR

I always wanted to try this showy African orchid, so I bought a small seedling and hang it high to receive as much light as possible. the plant has been growing well and bloomed for the first time now! Beautiful tigerish pattern!
Ansellia africana Lindl. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Ansellia africana Lindl. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Mouro not sure what tigers look like in Brazil but in southern Africa Ansellia is known as the leopard orchid because of the spotting. In South Africa it is known to the Zulus as imfe nkauw (imfe is an indigenous sweet reed type of sugar cane and nkauw is a monkey - so the sugar cane of the monkey because of the vague resemblance to sugar cane growing in trees!). It is used as "muti" (Zulu for medicine) and is sold in the "muti" markets. It is used as some kind of love charm by young males going courting. We used to know it as Andsellia gigantea and Ansellia gigantea var nilotica. The ones from further south (nearer Durban) are often pure yellow and with smaller more oblong flowers. The further north you go the more and bolder the spotting. In the Kruger Park the flowers are bigger, more buttery yellow, more "triangular" and have bigger spotting. Plants from east and west Africa (e.g. Kenya) have almost black spotting on a greenish background. Some folk have hybridised the various forms. There is a clone "Mont Millais" with nice black spotting on a greenish background. Now Mouro don't go and grind your plant up to make muti!

[Rosim_in_BR]

Originally Posted by Mike O'C

Mouro not sure what tigers look like in Brazil but in southern Africa Ansellia is known as the leopard orchid because of the spotting. In South Africa it is known to the Zulus as imfe nkauw (imfe is an indigenous sweet reed type of sugar cane and nkauw is a monkey - so the sugar cane of the monkey because of the vague resemblance to sugar cane growing in trees!). It is used as "muti" (Zulu for medicine) and is sold in the "muti" markets. It is used as some kind of love charm by young males going courting. We used to know it as Andsellia gigantea and Ansellia gigantea var nilotica. The ones from further south (nearer Durban) are often pure yellow and with smaller more oblong flowers. The further north you go the more and bolder the spotting. In the Kruger Park the flowers are bigger, more buttery yellow, more "triangular" and have bigger spotting. Plants from east and west Africa (e.g. Kenya) have almost black spotting on a greenish background. Some folk have hybridised the various forms. There is a clone "Mont Millais" with nice black spotting on a greenish background. Now Mouro don't go and grind your plant up to make muti!

Thanks for the general info. It is always good expanding orchid knowledge. Don't worry, I'm not grinding it up into medicine powder!
BTW, tigers here look like any other tiger in the world . It is just that it is common that Brazilian orchid people use the word 'tigerish' when they mention the yellow orchids with brown/dark markings, no matter whether they are spots or stripes.

[Mike O'C]

Originally Posted by Rosim_in_BR

Thanks for the general info. It is always good expanding orchid knowledge. Don't worry, I'm not grinding it up into medicine powder!
BTW, tigers here look like any other tiger in the world . It is just that it is common that Brazilian orchid people use the word 'tigerish' when they mention the yellow orchids with brown/dark markings, no matter whether they are spots or stripes.

Mauor, I owe you an apology for the leg pull/teasing you about the "tigerish" ansellia. I had an opportunity to view your photos and must confess that the markings on your Ansellia are more "tigerish" than "leopardish". Mea culpa There were 4 plants exhibited at our shhow last week and I attach photos of 2. There was one which looked like yours with bars/stripes marked Ansellai africana "Caprivi" so I presume that it came from the Caprivi in Namibia. the two photos show a typical KwaZulu-Natal form (pure yellow with smaller more spaced flowers and thinner and shorter pseudobulbs/canes. the other photo is the type of cross that you can buy from vendoprs here. It is a cross between more northern forms with a greenish background as opposed to a yellow background and denser flwoers with a greener background and darker spots.;

[Gin]

Mine just finished blooming , it is ansellia Africana ' Daryl's Odyssey' I have a picture of it if I can find it . Gin

[hosshead]

I have a pretty large Ansellia that somebody gave me because they didn't know what to do with it.
Neither do I, really.

I haven't, apparently given it enough light.... what about temps?
Does it need a cold spell?

I have a southern window wall in the greenhouse. I think I'll be moving it there immediately!

[Rosim_in_BR]

[QUOTE=Mike O'C;155175]Mauor, I owe you an apology for the leg pull/teasing you about the "tigerish" ansellia. I had an opportunity to view your photos and must confess that the markings on your Ansellia are more "tigerish" than "leopardish". Mea culpa There were 4 plants exhibited at our shhow last week and I attach photos of 2. There was one which looked like yours with bars/stripes marked Ansellai africana "Caprivi" so I presume that it came from the Caprivi in Namibia. the two photos show a typical KwaZulu-Natal form (pure yellow with smaller more spaced flowers and thinner and shorter pseudobulbs/canes. the other photo is the type of cross that you can buy from vendoprs here. It is a cross between more northern forms with a greenish background as opposed to a yellow background and denser flwoers with a greener background and darker spots.QUOTE]

I've seen the pure yellow in shows, but not often. Never found it for sale. It is very desirable.

Originally Posted by hosshead

I have a pretty large Ansellia that somebody gave me because they didn't know what to do with it.
Neither do I, really.

I haven't, apparently given it enough light.... what about temps?
Does it need a cold spell?

I have a southern window wall in the greenhouse. I think I'll be moving it there immediately!

Yes, it needs hot temps and very bright light to flower.

[Mike O'C]

Originally Posted by hosshead

I have a pretty large Ansellia that somebody gave me because they didn't know what to do with it.
Neither do I, really.

I haven't, apparently given it enough light.... what about temps?
Does it need a cold spell?

I have a southern window wall in the greenhouse. I think I'll be moving it there immediately!

Hosshead, I do not know where you live in Canada but when I worked in Newfoundland they always told me that if I did not like the weather go outside in 10 minutes and see if I had changed my mind. In other words the weather changed very quickly - one minute bright sunshine and snowing the next. Mauro is quite correct when he says that high light is the key. Although it gets very hot where they grow in nature, it will grow and flower quite happily here where the temperature goes down to about 2C in winter (sometimes lower) and it is grown in full sun. I suggest that in your summer months grow it out of doors in full sun and in winter bring it in doors to a warm bright spot. Good luck and enjoy it if you get it to flower.

[Mike O'C]

Mauro the only forms of Ansellia that I have had are the pure yellow and the one wiht fine peppery brown spots. Because the fibreglass on the roof of my greenhouse (unheated) is over 36 years old it has gone yellow and does not allow too much light to penetrate it. As a result my plants have deteriorated to the point of extinction and both now consist of two or thee leafless canes. i have moved them out into my shade house where they seem to have each put out a new growth (keiki on one). so hopefully I will get them back to flowering.