Haraella retrocalla - Orchid Board

RSS · #1 08-13-2008, 04:32 PM

Well I ordered this one off E-bay to replant into a Vivarium I'm working on, but it just won't stop flowering

. I've had this one for about 6 weeks and its never been without a flower or spike. I don't have the heart to rip it apart while its flowering, so I'll have to wait atleast another month maybe 2......there is a 3rd spike on its way

.

Right now its sitting in a Vivarium with about 70-80% humidity under 2 14W daylight compact flourscent.

For those wondering this plant was from E-bayer myphals, I've ordered a few from there and always been happy with my purchases.

Tindomul · #2 08-13-2008, 04:47 PM

Nice one!! Is it fragrant? I too was very impressed with this plant when I first entered the hobby. I ended up owning about 5 of them, and all but one of them bloomed themselves to death. I have one now mounted in one of my vivariums that is alive, but not doing anything. So I wonder;

Do these plants bloom themselves to death, or do they bloom in adverse conditions therefore tricking the owner into thinking its like the conditions we are giving it. I would like to know from the people who propagate this species, how they keep it alive.

Ross · #3 08-13-2008, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tindomul

Nice one!! Is it fragrant? I too was very impressed with this plant when I first entered the hobby. I ended up owning about 5 of them, and all but one of them bloomed themselves to death. I have one now mounted in one of my vivariums that is alive, but not doing anything. So I wonder;

Do these plants bloom themselves to death, or do they bloom in adverse conditions therefore tricking the owner into thinking its like the conditions we are giving it. I would like to know from the people who propagate this species, how they keep it alive.

Tindo, I currently have 4 (3 on one mount and a loaner on it's own). They all bloom frequently and all year. They are all in an orchidarium but mine are different from yours in that they get every-other day fertilizer. I think you rely on frog poop.

tuvoc · #4 08-13-2008, 05:36 PM

Way to go, RSS. Tindo, my (in)odorata is hanging from a wire I stuck in one of my phal pots. It currently has a new growth starting, and four spikes ready to bloom. It gets sprayed with a very dilute 20-14-13 solution once a day. Maybe your adverse condition theory has some merit.

Kim

RSS · #5 08-13-2008, 06:09 PM

It does have some sort of smell to it, I'll been in and out of that vivarium all day, I'll check in the morning and see if I can place that smell.

This one is putting out a new leaf so I'm hopeful it won't kill itself

. I only fertilizer once a week, and that may only be a misting. Fertilizer buildup in a closed system is scary. I've never noticed an issue with less feeding just slower growth, and thats actually a plus in smaller vivariums.

Tindomul · #6 08-14-2008, 10:01 AM

Ahh, fertilizer. Ofcourse. Yea my plants are starving.

Cowboys East · #7 08-14-2008, 03:23 PM

Hey RSS,
I have one of the Haraella retrocalla that I got from myphals a few months ago. The bloom didn't make the trip, arrived dried up. No big deal, I repotted it in some fine bark. After about a week it put out a new growth, 2 new roots and 2 spikes. The first flower dried up almost two weeks ago and I wanted to mount it on some wild grape wood. I was worried I would stunt the growth by doing so. As you can see, It didn't. The next flower should bloom in a week or so. Its about 6 inches from T8s with a minum of 55% humidity. Mist it twice a day if I remember. They are fun to grow once they get happy.

neil

RSS · #8 09-16-2008, 03:53 PM

Well an update for the plant that would not stop blooming.....here is a picture of the 5-6th flowers

. Oh and there is another spike coming out the other side of the plant

.

Atleast the new leaf is growing although slowly, its a little bigger than the last pics.

Someday I'll get it into its home and out of my seedling area

.

Ross · #9 09-16-2008, 04:58 PM

I need to post a picture or a new thread. Mine (the 3-plant mount) has so many spikes I can't count them. Most are either in advance bud or flower. Think I'll take picture and post to a new thread.

tuvoc · #10 09-16-2008, 05:11 PM

We'll be waiting with baited breath, Ross!

Kim