Zimbabwean orchid

[stiffy]

I stumbled across this forum after googling “zimbabwe orchid”. I was approached by a Zimbabwean in Cape Town on the 6th of January 2012. I was in Montague Gardens area when the guy approached my vehicle as I parked. He told me that it is African orchids going for R50 (+- 6 US$))each. He instucted that I have to place the stumps in a pot and fill it with a mixture of soil and bark, he clearly told me not to put it in a bowl / plate filled with water as this will kill the plant eventually. He said the bark must be more or less the same level as where the orchid grows from the stump and the roots will later start to grow over the bark... It sounded very simple when he explained everything to me so I decided to buy two of them. After I read through this forum I realise that I was also ‘conned’ by the Zimbabwean and I doubt that the orchids will survive and eventually bloom doing what he suggested.

I am a bit of a newbie when it comes to orchids (hence I bought these “easy to care for ones”). The only experience I have with orchids is a potted specimen which I bought at Woolworths 3 months ago... I don’t have allot of experience when it comes to re-planting / fragging / cutting of roots etc...

Currently they are still in the handmade cavities filled with compressed moss. I am going to carefully remove them from the stump and plant them into “orchid mix” sold by the local nursery. The watering methods I saw on various websites shows to water them once a week in a container with very good drainage. I am not exactly sure how deep to place the bulb underground. Must only the roots be covered with orchid mix and bark or can I place the ‘bulb halfway or entirely into the soil?

I am also attaching photos. I included a matchbox for size reference. Advice welcome.

[Marlene]

I was wondering if anyone did identify this zimbabwean orchid. I have recently bought one and would like to know more about it.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

It's some sort of African species of "Bulbophyllum". Without seeing flowers, it's hard to tell what they specifically are. Suffice it to say, they are clearly orchids that belong to a group of orchids formerly classified in the genus Bulbophyllum and are currently reclassified in the genus Megaclinium.

Orchids that used to be clumped together into the super-genus name of Bulbophyllum have now been separated into smaller groups of orchids and assigned different genus names.

[Trini Kjeldz]

Originally Posted by pkaccounts

Hello all. I'm new to this site. I did a search for "orchid from Zimbabwe growing on fuzzy stump" and wal-la. I lucked into finding this thread.
So, I also bought from this exact man. I suppose his life story is not so much in question here as what type of orchids he's selling.
The one he sold me has three long stems growing out of it with two to four long leaves at the end of the stem.
He also told me to sit it in a tray of water and it will flower once a year.
I don't have small round leaves like the other posts here, but wonder if they will come. Mine looks like a plant that is endemic to the Cayman Islands, Like an ant on a banana orchid -notmytribe.com
Or so says this one website.
I'll keep you posted with any growth.
Also, did anyone buy a dormant bulb that he was selling? I'm interested what it was?

dis man is so funny u all have me cracking up even though its interesting and i cant wait to see the flowers or the fern.......urs look like Schomburgkia for some strange reason

[Trini Kjeldz]

Originally Posted by Shane

Hi I am from Zim, The "stump" is a type of grass with a very large fiber tuft and grows on the ground in and around the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe we used to call it Bobijan stert. The orchid does not grow naturally on this grass "stump" but is placed in it by the fellers that sell them, the orchids also come from the E/Highlands (Chimanimani, Inyanga,Vumba), I have never seen them in the wild nor have I seen them flower. I too bought some from a vendor on the side of the road and repotted into 12cm pots with med Pine bark, they are under a tree in my back garden with my Catts where they get morning sun untell about 09:30 and then late afternoon sun again - have had good results so far, well they are growing and getting stronger with each new bulb but still no sign of flowers yet. I will post some pics on the w/end. Regards Shane.

growth looks exceptionally lush...which isnt a bad thing butttt i thinks its too soft of a growth to get blooms...increase the light and harden up those pbulbs....dey are not catts and the rest of pics with old flower spikes do not look that green and lush..more yellow indicating high light exposure...keep everything constant but increase light gradually

[mamapowers]

I am also from cape town and someone bought this orchid for me. If at all helpfull my 'stump' does have green grass like leaves with fine white hairs all over. One small pale white and purple/blue flower even shot out from it but none since. So the host plant seems fine but i cannot find any info on caring for the actual orchid which looks to be a Bulbophyllum sandersonii. Any suggestions?

[Shiffdaddy]

Police in Zimbabwe?! hahaha theres no authority in Zimbabwe who cares enough that there is anyone taking orchids out of the wild and selling them. :P That place is in such bad shape because of Mugabe! That same man could murder 5 children and cut down every tree in Zim and nothing would happen to him D: sad but true. Idk if things have changed but it was crazy over there the 5-6 times i've been

[irnodz]

I bought the exact same orchid yesterday in South Africa.
The guy said that his wife brings it in from Zimbabwe and that is is called ANCILLA

Keep in shallow tray of water. You can actually saw of or divide the root systems to multiply or grow more plants (you must use a hack saw or something of the sort, it is too hard to break properly)

The plant will flower twice a year.
I have never dealt with this type of plant or have never seen it, but this is the info that I received

Nodz

[Silje]

Originally Posted by irnodz

I bought the exact same orchid yesterday in South Africa.
The guy said that his wife brings it in from Zimbabwe and that is is called ANCILLA

Keep in shallow tray of water. You can actually saw of or divide the root systems to multiply or grow more plants (you must use a hack saw or something of the sort, it is too hard to break properly)

The plant will flower twice a year.
I have never dealt with this type of plant or have never seen it, but this is the info that I received

Nodz

These are not Ansellia africana. I've been offered ansellias from Zim and Moz sellers along the road, as well as Eulophia petersii, but the plant in the picture above is something else. A bulbo, perhaps?

[Tindomul]

geez, what a mystery and I'm so intrigued. So many people buying the exact same thing. Wow. Hope someone gets it bloomed.