ooh can't wait!

[geogeo21]

i got a bunch of lycatse back bulbs that i bought as a surprise orchid package. can't wait to see what happens. hoping for some big flowering skinneri types. what do you guys think it'll take two years to flower? i have to wait for it to push out this year's growth. then i know the new growth will probably be a small and form a small psedubulb. then the following new year's growth will be bigger and that's when it should be big enough to bloom. i can't wait!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Realistically…I'd say about 3 - 5 yrs in the best case scenario. You're trying to grow a blooming sized orchid from 1 backbulb; it'll take some time, particularly since some Lycastes have a distinct dormancy period. This timeframe is provided you don't mess up. If you mess up without killing the plant entirely and delay things, it could potentially take 7 - 10 yrs to bloom.

If you wanted to see flowers within a short timeframe, just save up and get a nice blooming sized plant. They're not that expensive.

[geogeo21]

as a teenager in high school, i was given a lycaste macrophylla that i had for two years and nothing ever happened. but i followed the plant's regime. i kept it in the back amongst my mother's plants. forgetting about it. i remember after two years of having the plant, and watering the plants. this lycatse that i shoved in the back was littered with tons of flowers. i was so ecxited! that was such a long time ago. i wish i had a picture of it. then the house caught on fire and everything was lost. it's hard to come by lycatse orchids in the seattle area. and when i do, they are of the lassioglossa or macrophyla types. and they become great winter chew snacks for my two kitties. i've been on the hunt for any kind of skinneri hybrids.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Andy's has a Lycaste skinneri species. It's not the lavender one that a lot of people scramble for, but it is considered a variant of Lycaste skinneri.

How many bulbs did your Lycaste macrophylla have when you first received it?

[geogeo21]

that was 12 yrs ago probably about 20 flowers i'm guessing

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Sorry, I should be clearer with my phrasing. I meant how many pseudobulbs?

[geogeo21]

i read your previous reply very fast without even noticing you did say 'bulbs'. i really don't remember. i just remembered i got it in a 4'' pot repot it into a bigger terra cotta pot and forgot about it. it got watered and everything. since it didn't bloom for me, i didn't really notice it till it was littered with flowers. that's all i can say. the other thing with back bulbs. i know with all back bulbs with orchids, there should be live dormant eyes correct? i looked and looked at the lycatse back bulbs, and i don't know if im blind or not but it didn't really seem like there were any dormant eyes. we'll just have to wait and see. i'm hoping i am blind when it comes to that and that they are there. otherwise it's a waste of time

[geogeo21]

so it's been about 4 months yet. the bulbs are still green. the eyes are finally swelling like as if they want push something out. im hoping by mid april something happens and i can take a photo to share their progress. but man this is a long wait

[lotis146]

Good job, keep it up!

As you may see I just posted about my Zns. Bluebirds that hasn't done anything in 6 months since it got attacked by a chipmunk at the end of last summer. The chipmunk did a number on the only pbulb AND bit off the one little new growth it had. Finally it has a new growth. So, I feel your pain.