Hi! Washington State here!

[shayna71708]

Hi! I've always loved orchids. I started out loving white ones - it didn't matter which kind. For about five years I kept killing the Phalaenopsis that my poor husband would give me. I couldn't figure out why and never bothered to do any research. So finally, I decided I was NOT going to keep killing them!

I have at least ten plants right now - mostly Phalaenopsis, but I think I've got a Cattleya - it's HUGE! Like, it's at least two feet tall and the flowers are four to six inches across. I've got a Burr. Stefan Isler (doesn't say which variety but I think it's Lava Flow). I've got two Oncidium Sharry Baby orchids - one is not doing so well. I think it's because I noticed that the little teardrop shaped pieces in the center of the flowers above the lip was falling off on some, so I thought they were all supposed to come off. I went and took them all off, or so I thought. The ones that I took it off of are all dead, but the ones I missed are not. I think it's the sex organs of the plant, from diagrams but I'm still not sure. The other plant is doing well, but its pseudobulbs are starting to look a little wrinkled.

I've got a Cymbidium Elegance "Sweetheart"?, a tiny Slc. (not sure what that means) Rajah's Ruby "Sweetheart" plant...

I also have a gorgeous golden and pink orchid that looks like a mini phal, but it branches off its original spike with another spike, the flowers are REALLY waxy looking with sap, and the lip isn't toothed like all my other Phal's...so I'm not sure if it's just a Phal or a blend of several genus.

Anyway...I'm going to start wading through all the information here but if anyone can give me a trimmed down reference sheet for watering/light/temperature requirements that I can put near the orchids and have a quick reference so that I can water them on time and often enough and not have to look through 895280 pages of information each time that would be great.

Also, I have one Phal that looks like it's a camouflage pattern. Is there a "name" for that, like the spotted ones are Harlequin?? Here's some pics of them all!

[Zoi2]

Hello and welcome to the OB.
Your flowers are beautiful, I really like the color on your epi.
As far as culture conditions, each species requires a little different technique, there is a ton of info hear on the board or you can go to the AOS (American Orchid Society) web site for info.
Joann

[ronaldhanko]

Hi Shayna,
Don't grow the same things you grow, so I'm not going to offer info, but do want to welcome a fellow Warshintonian. Welcome to the OB and the world of orchids.

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board, great looking orchids.