Tolumnia Genting Orange

[Bud]

Originally Posted by TreeBear

Thanks you guys,

I appreciate the feedback greatly. My Tolumnia is doing much better now. Unfortunately I didn't get to treat it with Physan20 because I don't have any, nor do I know where to get it. Can this be bought at a local hydroponics supplier? or is this strictly an order online thing? Anyways, I did treat it with a solution of diluted Listerine and then a mixture of Hydrogen peroxide and the mold went right away after a few alternating applications and I haven't seen it since I've been letting it dry quite a bit. I removed it from the little pot and I mounted it on a small cork bark piece. It is doing a lot better I can tell already. It hasn't been long enough for it to put out new roots but I can see the nodes at which they will soon push out from and the sides also indicate future new growth, so that is good. Also, I have something great and unexpected to share with you! Prior to this slight wet rotting I had tried my technique at hand pollination. To my great surprise, yesterday, I noticed that the flower stem, the one I tried the technique on, had taken to fertilization and has started to produce a swollen stem, where a seed pod will eventually form! I'm so happy and surprised to see that this orchid will not only survive but also produce seed! Pretty Awesome little wonders. I would show a picture update on that but I haven't had the chance yet, soon though. Now I just have to get a technique down for eventually germinating the seeds/micropropagation. Anyone have ideas, experience, and or insights to share on that?

Very good! Show us pictures of your newly mounted plant.
You can search threads about flasking seed pods. There is also a topic on deflasking and compots.

[MattWoelfsen]

This is very nice and as usual beautiful photography! I saw your post and was reminded of it when I saw the same plant being sold at the Three Rivers Orchid Show, November 2-3 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. That vendor had only two available, they were both in bloom. I have been reading up on these Tolumnia. I have noticed that there are all kinds of Tolumnia: Genting, varieta, etc. do you or any one else know the nomenclature of these plants? As an example, "Genting" is this a variety found native to Puerto Rico?

[TreeBear]

Yeah, that is a great question and I too have wondered where mine had originated (or at least its "parents" rather). It seems that most of the varieties kept by common enthusiasts, the ones more readily available today, are hybridized and cultivar plants. As far as I have researched and read in literature, it seems Tolumnias have quite the range of a geographical distribution (but places around or near the equator) and this makes it all-the-more hard for one to decypher, where exactly their hybrid has originated from. Locations within the literature note: The Caribbean islands and surrounding areas, the Bahamas, Cuba, Florida, and Puerto Rico. With this vast geographical range, it can prove difficult to trace back the genealogies, phylogenetics, etc. I was thinking though, it seems to me that, based off what I've read, Tolumnia variegata (an endemic orchid to the Carribeans), plus a few others, are likely candidate for primary species that has been used in breeding, crossing, and hybridizing with other Tolumnias from other locations--and so on and so fourth. Both the floral and growth characteristics seem to be suitable and suggest this to me. Thoughts anyone?

[Bud]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

This is very nice and as usual beautiful photography! I saw your post and was reminded of it when I saw the same plant being sold at the Three Rivers Orchid Show, November 2-3 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. That vendor had only two available, they were both in bloom. I have been reading up on these Tolumnia. I have noticed that there are all kinds of Tolumnia: Genting, varieta, etc. do you or any one else know the nomenclature of these plants? As an example, "Genting" is this a variety found native to Puerto Rico?

Thank You for that question.
species:
Tolumnia bahamensis=endemic to Bahamas
Tolumnia borinquensis=endemic to Puerto Rico
Tolumnia caymanensis=endemic to Cayman Islands
Tolumnia guianensis=endemic to Guyana
Tolumnia haitiensis=endemic to Haiti

These are the hybrids you meant:
*Tolumnia Jairak are hybrids from Thailand who produce flasks and mass produce their colorful orchids.
‘Genting’ are hybrids from Singapore.


---------- Post added at 03:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:55 AM ----------

Originally Posted by TreeBear

Yeah, that is a great question and I too have wondered where mine had originated (or at least its "parents" rather). It seems that most of the varieties kept by common enthusiasts, the ones more readily available today, are hybridized and cultivar plants. As far as I have researched and read in literature, it seems Tolumnias have quite the range of a geographical distribution (but places around or near the equator) and this makes it all-the-more hard for one to decypher, where exactly their hybrid has originated from. Locations within the literature note: The Caribbean islands and surrounding areas, the Bahamas, Cuba, Florida, and Puerto Rico. With this vast geographical range, it can prove difficult to trace back the genealogies, phylogenetics, etc. I was thinking though, it seems to me that, based off what I've read, Tolumnia variegata (an endemic orchid to the Carribeans), plus a few others, are likely candidate for primary species that has been used in breeding, crossing, and hybridizing with other Tolumnias from other locations--and so on and so fourth. Both the floral and growth characteristics seem to be suitable and suggest this to me. Thoughts anyone?

Thank You for your interest.
I hate to recommend the RHS site because for some infos you have to go to their pay site: but they are the only place that register and name orchids....you might find the people who registered most Tolumnia orchid hybrids and discover the various names....when they were hybridized and place of origin.

[MattWoelfsen]

Not only are you an amazing orchid grower, Bud, you are also a fount of much knowledge!!! LOL. Thank you very much for your information. This helps a lot. When I got my Tolumnia, I was confused by the vendor when she told me they imported the plant from Taiwan. When I started doing more research on the plant, information I found indicated the plant is endemic to the Caribbean. The RHS website provides a PDF file for registered plants over a calendar quarter, so I'll start looking there.

With regard to Tolumnia Genting Orange, which is what I have, all the Tolumnia Genting plants with this designation, for example, Hausermann's has a T. Genting Volcano, I now know that this is a hybrid from Singapore.

Thanks again Bud.

[Bud]

These are information I got from reading some of the threads of other members and I just pay attention....you too will accumulate a wealth of knowledge through the years that you are here.

[TreeBear]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to give you an update on my Tolumnia. Its doing much better now and seems to be very happy with it being mounted on the cork bark piece. Here is a photo of how the mount turned out. I used a small amount of Sphagnum and then some light terrarium Moss with it, attached with Stealth Spider Wire. Let me know what you think. Also, check out this awesome Seed pod my plant is now producing!

[Bud]

that is a very neat mount....your plant is having new growths....that pod is a nice surprise....

[TreeBear]

Thanks Guys!!

I appreciate that greatly! Yeah, as I said, she took to the mount quite well and although I did trim some of the dead and dried up roots (because I'm sure they would have promoted future rot) I was very careful with them and also the placement and use of substrate. The plant now gets adequate conditions that it seems to enjoy and I keep it hung up where it can receive great lighting (near my T5 fixtures). There it also gets the dryer air to make sure the plant can dry out after watering. No rot apparent anymore, so I'm so happy I addressed this. New roots are beginning to poke out. Its surprising to me how well/ how much these guys love to be dried out between watering. Its quite awesome. Anyways, thanks so much guys for your input and help with it.

Now I just need to figure out a great technique for how I'm going to germinate/flask the seed pod once its ready!

[Bud]

You can do an OB search on flasking and compot in some of the thread of the senior members. There is also a certain member who volunteers to flask your pod for free, but that was quite some time ago and I don't know if the offer still stands.