Haraella retrocalla (Project 8 - Spring 2009)

[billc]

When this was picked as a project plant I didn't think I was going to like it, but the purpose of the project is to introduce us to new/different plants. After 4 months this little guy has won my appreciation, and has turned into a blooming machine.
I've kept it moist for the most part. It gets dappled sun early in the morning, bright shade until about 2PM, and deepening shade for the rest of the day. The humidity so far has ranged from 45-65%. In winter the humidity really drops here in the Northeast US, so I'll invert a 3 liter soda bottle over him to keep the RH tolerable.

Bill

[Beverly]

My guy's still alive, though he blasted a couple buds. I put it and a couple other small orchids between the closed window and screen and forgot to water it for a few days.

[whygreenberg]

Really nice, Bill! I am in the same boat as you in terms of how I have really come to love this little guy.

Beverly—glad he's doing ok. Great thing about this one, so he blasted a couple buds, I'm sure he'll be making some more soon enough!

My update...mine is growing a new leaf, as well as two more blooms, from the same two spikes as last blooming. (They aren't speaking to each other at this time, however. Must have had an argument or something.)

This will be the 3rd blooming for me since we got them. I think I may institute a forced no-bloom period here after these two finish up.

[billc]

Looks great, Yvan. At least your blooms made it over the edge of the pot. Or maybe they're trying to get as far as possible from each other
I had to prop mine up with a chunk of bark so I could see them.

Beverly, I've had some blast also. I lost the little guy for a few days in between my roths leaves and didn't water him. He bounced right back, so you should be OK.

Bill

[nenella]

These plants are just amazing won't stop blooming!
here's a quick photo of all the buds!
apologies not a good pic I'lll try again this weekend

[boytjie]

...And mine continues to sit. Looks perfectly healthy, bright green leaves and fat white roots (the same ones it arrived with), but doesn't really grow, doesn't bloom, doesn't die, just... sits. Looks like it could be made out of plastic. I've tried higher humidity, lower humidity, higher light, lower light, more air movement, less air movement, more fertilizer, less fertilizer... Nothing. Nada. Zero. Bupkis. You get the idea. *sigh*

[Sandy4453]

Maybe, it's not a goner afterall? It's definitely going to lose another leaf but, it's growing a new one. The stem is what had me worried....hard to tell what's going on but at first, I thought it was rotting...perhaps not?.

Pic #1 - August 20
Pic #2 - today

[quiltergal]

It's looking much better Sandy! Whew! Glad it turned around for you.

Mine has it's 3rd bloom open now, is swelling another bud on the other spike, and is growing a new spike as well as a new leaf! It makes me wonder where all this energy is coming from. I keep thinking one morning I'll get up and look and it will just be a little pile of ashes!

[whygreenberg]

Ooh ooh ooh!! My Haraella has been dutifully blooming away like a trooper on the same two spikes, pretty much since I received it. But today, I think I see the beginning nubbin of a brand new third spike forming! Might be too small to capture with my crummy camera, but will try to take a pic later.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by whygreenberg

Ooh ooh ooh!! My Haraella has been dutifully blooming away like a trooper on the same two spikes, pretty much since I received it. But today, I think I see the beginning nubbin of a brand new third spike forming! Might be too small to capture with my crummy camera, but will try to take a pic later.

Yay!! I love this little orchid, it's such a blooming machine! Mine too has been blooming off the same two spikes since getting it. As soon as I get home from work I'm checking mine to see if it's doing the same thing as yours!