Neobenthamia gracilis

[isurus79]

This is an African native that grows in full Texas sun all summer long with no shade. It loves the heat! I've got it potted in a 4" clay pot with a sand/peat mixture (50:50). The plant itself is very reed like and looks almost like grass.

Neobenthamia gracilis by Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis, on Flickr

Neobenthamia gracilis by Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis, on Flickr

[Dollythehun]

Can we please see the whole plant? Beautiful.

[MrHappyRotter]

You didn't even mention the lovely fragrance.

It's an interesting plant to grow for those with the space to grow them.

[Subrosa]

Very interesting plant ! Is the mix kept constantly damp like in a bog garden?

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

Can we please see the whole plant? Beautiful.

Yep, I'll take a pic when I get home today.

Originally Posted by MrHappyRotter

You didn't even mention the lovely fragrance.

It's an interesting plant to grow for those with the space to grow them.

You're right! The fragrance on this is wonderful!

Its certainly a tall plant, but seems to be very compact in terms of space between new growths. I got a single bulb division a few years ago, so my plant is not large. I can imagine it grows into quite a bush though!

Originally Posted by Subrosa

Very interesting plant ! Is the mix kept constantly damp like in a bog garden?

Not at all. I grow all my terrestrial orchids (including Cyrtopodium and Cyrtorchis) using this mixture. It stays wet longer than an epiphytic mix but is dry by the time I water again. These guys get watered every day when temperature is between 95-105F and every other day from about 85-95F.

[sam1147]

A beauty

[isurus79]

Here are some whole plant pics. Its growing next to my Cyrtopodiums.

Neobenthamia gracilis- Whole plant by Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis, on Flickr

Neobenthamia gracilis- Whole plant by Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis, on Flickr

[Leafmite]

What a gorgeous bunch of flowers! Wow! Thanks for sharing pictures of them!

[MrHappyRotter]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Here are some whole plant pics.

I've had mine for many years. I grow it until it's too big for my space (which doesn't take long) then pull a few keikis and start over. This was a start over year.

My plant had grown to be about 8+ feet tall with a myriad little keikis all over. I kept it outside in the summer, but it was always in shade (that's all I had), and then grew next to the light stands in the winter -- so it was certainly leggy but amazingly it survived and bloomed in lower light conditions.

I bet they're much easier to manage when you can grow them outdoors in the sun like that, and I'm sure they stay a little more compact.

[Dollythehun]

8'!?!? Wow.