Maxillaria tenuifolia: coconut oil fragrance!

[Orchid Whisperer]

Tried to post yesterday but for some reason, don't see my post - trying again.

I bought my M. tenuifolia about 4 years ago as a moderate-sized bagged Better-Gro orchid, from Lowes. This was not a "rescue" plant, but pretty sturdy and healthy (at least here, most of the Better Gro plants seem to be reasonably healthy if you get them within a month or 2 after they arrive in the store).

My Max ten has grown steadily larger in a 4-inch terracotta pot. Last year, it developed buds for the first time, but all but one blasted. This year, 16 blooms/buds!





My culture this year has included treating the plant like a Cymbidium in terms of temperature. It went outside when it was safe for my Cymbidium, came indoors when temps were going into the 30s F at night. I don't know why this seemed like the right way to go with culture, or if my plant did well because of, or in spite of, this type of care.

[jkofferdahl]

Nice growing, and a great bloom!

[Pattywack]

Beautiful! This is a gorgeous display in the bowl. I have always admired this plant even when not in bloom and yours is a perfect size and so well balanced. I'll bet the fragrance fills the room! Thanks so much for sharing!

[Orchid Whisperer]

Thanks!

The bowl used to belong to my mother-in-law, we have been using it to display flowers for quite a while now, both orchid and non-orchid types. I like decorative containers, but prefer them just for displaying, and also prefer containers that were originally intended for some other purpose (this was always meant as a kitchen bowl, just a more decorative one; I'm thinking of using an old cookie jar this way).

The fragrance is strong enough that you can detect it in most of the room, but not overpowering. I consider it more like coconut oil than fresh coconut. Sort of smells like being at the beach in the 1970s (tanning oil preferred over SPF factor!)

[fishmom]

How nice to have all those blooms at once. I get blooms, but one at a time, it seems. I will try your culture advice next year. This year I kept it in all winter and I haven't seen a bloom yet.

[AnonYMouse]

Well done!

Looks almost like an arrangement!

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by fishmom

How nice to have all those blooms at once. I get blooms, but one at a time, it seems. I will try your culture advice next year. This year I kept it in all winter and I haven't seen a bloom yet.

Thanks!

Think of it as more what I did rather than what I advise. Probably would be helpful to have some experienced growers of Max ten tell us if I did the right thing, or did the crazy thing.

[fishmom]

Heh. One thing I've learned about Max. tenufolia is that there is a lot of puzzlement about getting them to bloom. I consulted the Baker and Baker data and that indicated that the average min. winter temperature was 56 degrees in Jan. Based on that, I kept them inside as my winter temps are in the 40s most nights. Maybe I will get more bloom as the spring advances.

[Mountaineer370]

Just beautiful! I can almost smell it from here. I too like the way you've displayed it by putting the clay pot into the pretty decorative one.

[Dollythehun]

So, you all are thinking it grows like a cymb temp wise? Mine was a tot last year but bloomed, this year it has more light and has grown but, so far no blooms.So, I am guessing light is not the factor.