Calanthe Grouville - Orchid Board

Hawaiian Sunshine · #1 01-02-2009, 06:08 AM

I call this my Christmas orchid since it displays the Christmas colors and always blooms during the holiday season. The sepals and petals are clear white when the flowers first open but reddish lavender spots and stripes appear as the flowers get older.

Calanthe Grouville on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Lagoon · #2 01-02-2009, 08:32 AM

Absolutely gorgeous!

cb977 · #3 01-02-2009, 09:51 AM

Oh, that's gorgeous!

Rivka · #4 11-22-2009, 12:08 AM

hi there, i know this an old thread but i figured i would ask you about my Calanthe Grouville.

i got it last April and it had one pbulb at that time, it has been slow to grow with me and now i just want to make sure its developing ok. it had its ups and downs and got its leaves "burned"? at one point.

now with it being late Nov. it has 2 more growths but both smaller than the existing bulb but they are very plump and looks really happy.
the leaves look they have no intention of falling off or drying up at all and i wonder if i am supposed to cut watering to trigger its leave fall and blooms or only cut down water after the leaves turn?

Hawaiian Sunshine · #5 11-22-2009, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rivka

. . . . . the leaves look they have no intention of falling off or drying up at all and i wonder if i am supposed to cut watering to trigger its leave fall and blooms or only cut down water after the leaves turn?

Hi. Thanks for your inquiry. I have a couple of Cal. Grouville spiking right now. I guess they're getting ready for the Christmas season. The photo shown at the link below shows the current state of one of the plants. My other plant is quite similar. The leaves are on the plant and will usually remain when the flowers bloom. Right now there is some browning at the tips of the leaves. The browning will spread inward as the leaves get older. I will usually trim off the brown portions with a scissors since they are unsightly. Note also that the new bulb with the spike is larger than the old bulb. My plants are watered and fertilized all year round. I do not dry out my plants. Maybe I should be but I don't. I would be interested in hearing from others on their culture and watering habits of their Calanthes.

Flickr Photo Download: Calanthe Grouville in Bud

Rivka · #6 02-13-2012, 04:39 PM

Hi again. so I'm back for more advice. i still have my Cal. Grouville and it does not seem to like me, not one bit. i have not killed it but thats about all i can say. it seems to do everything at the wrong time and although it keeps growing it never spikes. i have also lost a few back bulbs. Curently i have 2 bulbs and one really strong new growth that started about 6 weeks ago and is growing better than ever. maybe it had turned a corner. but I'm wondering what more i can be doing for it to help it spike and grow strong.

i do think that my problems started because i moved it to S/H at the wrong time and it sulked for a long time. The latest growth had tons of roots , so it really does not have that excuse any more.

what kind of conditions are you giving yours? do yours haver a time a year that they usually start a new growth, how about when they start a new spike?

Paul Mc · #7 02-13-2012, 07:07 PM

My calamthe and a related phaius both have spikes currently and are in bloom, though just a tad earlier this year than last year if I remember correctly. SH may have caused the issue, but I'm not familiar enough with this method to assist. The blooming trick is temperature related usually. They need to experience nights in the mid fifths F to initiate the flower spikes. They should get that for at least two weeks if possible and them remain in a cooler space like a basement to assist further, provided you can give it enough light either natural or by grow lights. As for new growth, I have some of that just starting which is about right this time of year.

Paul Mc · #8 02-13-2012, 07:08 PM

And loosing back bulbs is usual. The new growth generally replaces the old every year.

Rivka · #9 02-13-2012, 10:04 PM

what do you usually see in timing relation with the new growth and new spikes, do they happen at the same time, or does the spike start once that growth is at a certain stage? does the spike come off of this years growth or last years?

Paul Mc · #10 02-13-2012, 10:52 PM

Spikes come off of the previous years growth generally, but they can come from old as well. Generally I see spikes and flowers before I see new growths.