My first Zygo bloom

[Keithj]

I bought the plant at the end of June from the discards area of a garden centre for £1.50. It was dry as dust but the pseudobulbs weren't looking too bad and as a flowering one was £14.00 I thought it was well worth a try. It soon put out a new growth, which threw out masses and masses of roots, and put up a spike. Given the state of the plant when I bought it I wasn't expecting that at all.

It started to open its first bloom yesterday afternoon. It's not quite fully open but I'm already in love and it's a fair old size, as you can see from my paw. It's a named one - Zyygopetalum sensations - and is supposed to be scented but I can't detect anything yet.

There are only three buds on the spike. I have no idea if this is normal or below par but I'm just pleased it's come on so well from such a poor condition only four months ago.

Keith

[jcec1]

Good job - they are normally heavily scented after a few days of opening until early afternoon - best having it in an east facing window as the scent is strongest with sun on it.

[rbarata]

When I read your post title I thought it was my post from a week ago.
I get a great satisfaction from buying orchids in bad shape (if they are cheap) and make their recovery to bloom. It really feels great!

Congratulations on your efforts to revive this one.
Mine started to release its scent around 3 or 4 days after the blooms were fully open. I was watering some other orchids in my balcony (outdoors) and I felt a strong and new scent. It could only come from my Zigo. It more noticeable around noon and seems to stop by middle afternoon.

[Keithj]

Thanks. There were a lot of orchids with this one and the Oncidium I bought but they looked really rough and I thought these looked a better bet. Now that it’s flowered once I’m hopeful it will push on again and be even more spectacular next time.

Keith

[rbarata]

One thing I forgot to mention: bloom count.
I have read that they usually go from 4 to 12 blooms.
If you got only 3 that may be because the plant is still recovering to its full potencial.

[Keithj]

I'm sure you're right about that, rbarata. It certainly had a very hard time of it before I bought it and it's unlikely, I would have thought, that it would be able to return to full health in four months.

I often wonder how long it takes orchids to return to their normal cycle when they're forced into bloom out of their normal season, on top of any other stresses they are subject to during transportation and their time on display in the shops. I did not expect it to bloom at all on this pseudobulb for those reasons. I can only wait and see now how the next new growth(s) perform, when the plant will have had a more 'normal' life - or as normal as it can ever be in a house!

Keith

[rbarata]

I had good results by putting mine outdoors in April but my temps are probably higher. See my signature and compare with your temps.

[Keithj]

You’re right that the temperatures where you live are higher than where I am but I read only yesterday that Zygopetalums and, indeed, many more orchids can do well outside. I knew Oncidium and Dendrobium types could but got the position completely wrong this year and scorched them in strong afternoon sunshine. I can put them elsewhere and have them more sheltered next year. We already bring our tender plants in around now, when overnight frosts become likely, and put them back outside towards the end of May so I’ll try that with some of the orchids next year.

Keith

[aliceinwl]

I have a Zygopetalum mackayi that's rated as temperature tolerant. The grower I purchased from has the plants in an unheated green house where they experience brief exposure to temps in the low 30s degrees Fahrenheit in the winter.

My Zygopetalum hybrids purchased from various grocery stores have done fine into the high 30s degrees Fahrenheit, but I bring them in overnight if temperatures are predicted to get lower. They do need to be acclimated: I almost killed one last year by buying it in the winter and trying to grow it outdoors right away.

[Keithj]

I'm very surprised by your experience. I thought few commonly-kept orchids, except Cymbidiums, were that temperature tolerant.

Keith