Huntleya wallisii in bloom

[lotis146]

Here we have it, my Huntleya wallisii from Andy's. To my awesome surprise opening the box I found it was in bloom!!

Now this is kind of a big plant in a 6" pot with moss, lost of roots, two growths, the biggest in bloom with one waxy flower with cool little bumpy texture on it.

Sadly after a few days the flower started to die. I feel fortunate I even got it in bloom in the first place and that I had at least a few days to enjoy it. Not sure if it died b/c of the change in conditions or what but I do intend to e-mail Andy & Bill and thank them, I'll ask then what they think.

That said, here's some pics. It was a bit lighter in color, more reddish-brownish orange than dark brown.

[sbrofio]

Wow, it looks brilliant!

[lotis146]

Thanks!

[disalover]

Lovely flower

[katrina]

It's really pretty. Good choice!!

BTW - my understanding is that most huntleya are not long-lived flowers. Chances are it was at the end of it's time.

[MrHappyRotter]

I've always like Huntleyas. I love the full bodied, star-shaped flowers and the general color tones of the various flowers. It's unlikely I'd ever try to grow one, since they can become pretty formidable in size (at least for under lights growers), and it's my understanding that they can be a little demanding when it comes to temperature and humidity.

[disalover]

I just wish afriorchids sold some of there huntleyas

[lotis146]

Thanks everyone!

Originally Posted by katrina

It's really pretty. Good choice!!

BTW - my understanding is that most huntleya are not long-lived flowers. Chances are it was at the end of it's time.

See, now you make me feel better.

Originally Posted by MrHappyRotter

I've always like Huntleyas. I love the full bodied, star-shaped flowers and the general color tones of the various flowers. It's unlikely I'd ever try to grow one, since they can become pretty formidable in size (at least for under lights growers), and it's my understanding that they can be a little demanding when it comes to temperature and humidity.

The little bumpy texture is a great addition to the shape and color tones as well. When I called Andy's to see when they planned to ship he said he saw Huntleyas in the wild and that some of them were actually growing like a cork screw up the tree. I can see them getting rather large...me thinks I'll have some configuring of space, location, and potting arrangements in the future. After seeing a recent post - addictedcountryman I believe - in which they mounted several Phals on a 3-4' potted 'tree' I'm imagining mounting this plant in such a way so it can corkscrew on up! Andy did say mounting them was his next plan given how he saw them in the wild.

I guess I'll find out just how demanding they are soon enough...

[lotis146]

Lord almighty, don't you know it, I was checking the group today because - here's the terrible part - I think I've got a big bad spider mite problem that may not be so new. That is why I believe my Aganisia blooms suffered and why the biggest leaf on it had to be cut (more on that elsewhere & later). The other day while looking around I noticed that H. wallisii, which you see I got in March with one bloom, has two small new growths started at its base! Man was I excited about that. But then today I'm looking around, wiping the underside of leaves, and I stop to check the new growths to see if they're really going to grow and all of a sudden I see a spike with a big ole bud on the end of it!!!!!!!

The way this plant hangs on the lattice around the deck with its leaves and all meant it sat just perfect enough for me to have never spotted it. I'm so wonderfully surprised though I'm a bit nervous as I wasn't aware it was going to rain like this tonight, otherwise I would have moved more plants out of the way as they have suffered from all the rain we've already had. Then again from what Andy said this plant almost can't be drowned so maybe it's all the rain that has made it so happy. I was a little worried b/c more leaves were turning yellowish than I could account for age...we'll see but I just had to tell you guys about this update. Tomorrow I will take pictures. I have so many to take as it is with all Phals growing new leaves (well almost all), a couple spiking, suspected spider mites , the return of brown rot on my Dgmra (which will be its death this time), & more...

Thanks for reading.

[Kevinator]

That's great! Mine put out a flower since i received it in march and is now starting on another bud! The flower lasted for five weeks and smelled so great! I neglected mine a bit so it dropped some of its leaves but the new growth that it had in march is now maturing and is sending out tons of roots! Your's looks a bit more orange than mine. Here's a pic.