Nervilia plicata

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I found this Nervilia plicata tuber at the Pacific Orchid Exposition. The tuber is about as long as my 5th finger, but thicker. Does anybody have experience with this? It is a monsoonal tuberous orchid from a very wide habitat range: Assam to Taiwan, and south to Australia. This suggests to me it isn't too picky.

The vendor suggested planting it in loose organic matter in a pot and awaiting its awakening when the growing area warms in the spring.

[AnonYMouse]

Had to Google it. Nice foliage! I totally missed this at the show, who was the vendor?

Some of the pics show what look like kanuma and/or akadama in the pots. Other than that, can't help.

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Phrao Orchids of Chiangmai, Thailand, katai2497@gmail.com . When you walked into the sale hall from the show, they were against the windowed wall on your right. They were almost to the far corner of the room, where a vendor was selling pots and supplies. They were just past the Mundiflora booth.

I was at the show Friday January 23rd. Their plants arrived very late (Air Dubai freight), and they weren't fully unpacked even when I left at about 3:30 pm. (This affected other international vendors, as well.) I left the lady unpacking alone and asked questions of the very helpful gentleman at the booth, whose name I forgot. I don't think he was from Thailand. I suspect he was a local helping out. What caught my eye was their table full of medium to large Sobralias, in community and individual pots. At the other side of the booth were a lot of bare-root plants in cellophane wrappers.

I noticed a box under one of the tables with small baggies containing mystery delights. The gentleman told me they were tuberous orchids, and most had been pre-ordered. There were two Nervilia left when I got there. I also bought the last (rather large) Habenaria medusa / myriotricha tuber from them (photo; the growing point is aiming at the corner of the baggie.) I've been reviewing the thread by orchidsarefun on the Hab, and I'm going to leave the tuber here by my computer monitor in a baggie until it sprouts.

[AnonYMouse]

I swung by Phrao a couple of times (usual MO), didn't see anything special. Since she doesn't have a website nor a catalogue (price list), I don't know what she offers beyond what I see at the show.

I went on Friday, too. The show was greatly diminished though a couple of $$ less in admission. Pity too, since I go to shows for impulse shopping. Now, I will have to preorder.

[Duane McDowell]

I ended up with seven Nervilia plicata (also from Phrao Orchids - pre-ordered).
I put them one to a pot in a very open potting soil - "Black Gold" cactus mix plus some large perlite, watered them, and stuck them under a dome. The tubers were barely covered.
All seven have sprouted, with growths ranging from 1/2" to 1" tall.
Looking forward to seeing how they do!
I like how variable the foliage is. My understanding is limited; I read where one grower says that the foliage on any individual plant can change dramatically from year to year.
I intend to keep the plants moist by leaving them under the dome. When the leaves dry up, I'll remove them from the dome and let them dry out. Then I'll water occasionally until I see sprouts again next year. Supposedly, they'll multiply fairly quickly in cultivation. We'll see!

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Mine began sprouting and the sprout was eaten by a rat. I continue watering the pot, hoping something else comes up.

[george anderson]

The Nervilia remind me of a local orchid-Tipularia discolor. That plant is leafless until fall when the trees shed their leaves-then the leaf appear-then dies by summer and flower appears. Likewise the Nervilia produces a leaf which dies and the flower later appears. The leaves all look different. I grow mine in sand peat mix. They are fun to grow.