Psychopsis Mendenhall 'Hildos'

[fotofashion]

I have had my "Hildos" for quite some time. Fearing to repot it, I just put it, pot and all, in a larger pot and filled that with media. Well, there it has sat for probably a year, not doing anything. No bloom, no new growths. I was getting pretty unhappy with it until today when I went out to the GH to look at everything. I decided to give the plant a closer look and WHAT? Is that a new growth? I had to put on my glasses to make sure. Not only one new growth but three. I am totally amazed and happy. Now all I need is a spike (or three).
Beverly A.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Love this one! Very nice and lots of blooms!

[Bud]

Originally Posted by fotofashion

I have had my "Hildos" for quite some time. Fearing to repot it, I just put it, pot and all, in a larger pot and filled that with media. Well, there it has sat for probably a year, not doing anything. No bloom, no new growths. I was getting pretty unhappy with it until today when I went out to the GH to look at everything. I decided to give the plant a closer look and WHAT? Is that a new growth? I had to put on my glasses to make sure. Not only one new growth but three. I am totally amazed and happy. Now all I need is a spike (or three).
Beverly A.

Thanks for the visit and your short story.
How exciting for you, you must be doing something right for the plant to give you new growths. Yes, if there is new growths then there will be new spikes when it matures.

---------- Post added at 03:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:58 PM ----------

Originally Posted by TOMMYMIAMI

Love this one! Very nice and lots of blooms!

Thank You Tommy!!!!

[megrim]

Beautiful flowers on this.

I've wanted one myself for the longest time, but I've had a few friends who just cannot seem to keep their alive, and they've been in the hobby much longer than I have, so I'm wary.

Photos like yours are likely to push me over the edge though lol

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by Ray

A few years back, I bought a bunch of the 'Hildos' clone to resell. Somewhere along the way I lost one, so just wrote it off.

About 9 months ago, I discovered that it had fallen out of its 3" pot, off the back of the bench, and into a 6.5" S/H pot that had been formerly occupied.

It rooted itself, has several new growths, and is currently blooming for the first time.

That's amazing Ray! Are you growing any of these in s/h? I have been considering getting one and I think they might like it.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by megrim

Beautiful flowers on this.

I've wanted one myself for the longest time, but I've had a few friends who just cannot seem to keep their alive, and they've been in the hobby much longer than I have, so I'm wary.

Photos like yours are likely to push me over the edge though lol

Thank You !

I am a windowsill grower. This plant is on the west facing window all year. I follow the culture religiously and I also put the pot in (yes IN!) a saucer of water. When the water has evaporated its time to water the pot in the sink for 5 minutes, then set it up again. My apartment has centralized temperature control because the building was recently upgraded 5 yrs ago. This plant was farmed in a GH and has never experienced outdoors.

[Vanda lover]

Bud, what medium do you grow this in? It grows in a saucer of water, similar to a phrag?

[Bud]

I potted it in a mixture of medium bark, charcoal, lava rock, hydroton and tree fern shards.
* the pot is in a saucer with water in it....not the plant in a saucer of water. I use the kind of saucer paired to a coffee cup.

[hagfish]

I have the species and always try to keep the pseudobulbs plump. It does not appear to have a dormant season. It is also tolerant of very hard water, as long as there is no lime accumulation. It seems to prefer high light for the best blooming. The leaves begin to mottle a pattern of maroon streaks. This has been indirect light however, not direct sun. The worst pest this plant acquires is helmet scale. In a large collection this scale is almost impossible to eradicate. The scale targets the bloom spikes. Fortunately the ends can be cut back several inches and a new growth will emerge. I have found a very dilute solution of nicotine sulfate and Windex glass cleaner is very effective against helmet scale. This pesticide is very toxic and hard to acquire, but ordinary cigarette butts can be soaked in Windex and make a good pesticide spray.

[Ed b]

I have one that just got it's 4'th spike this year ,one of the old spikes didn't bloom last year but is this year. Have had 6 blooms so far this year.Now if only my alba form will get it's first spike.(young plant)and two new bulbs this year'