Psychopsis Mendenhall - Orchid Board

Aki_James · #1 04-16-2018, 01:28 AM

I thought I’d share a few photos as this just opened its newest bud.

I’m very happy with how much the form of the flowers have progressed over the years. At first the petals sepals and lip would always be contorted at weird angles and the flower always looked as if it had been squished.

I love how broad the sepals of this plant are compared to many Mendenhalls I have seen.

There is a pic with my hand just to show how huge this flower is sepal to sepal (I have very large hands)

estación seca · #2 04-16-2018, 01:42 AM

Really nice!

MPLS_paph · #3 04-18-2018, 12:03 AM

That's awesome! I got one of these plants a few months ago and it's beginning a spike. I know it'll be a while for the blooms, and your photos re-excited me.

Aki_James · #4 04-18-2018, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPLS_paph

That's awesome! I got one of these plants a few months ago and it's beginning a spike. I know it'll be a while for the blooms, and your photos re-excited me.

The spikes seems to take forever when they develop, but once they start setting buds it’s crazy how fast they form one after another. You’ll love it! Always something in bloom with these guys around.

marcmaubert · #5 04-18-2018, 01:28 AM

Wow! Mine is about to bloom for the first time since I bought it, I really can't wait! Yours looks just beautiful!

WaterWitchin · #6 04-18-2018, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcmaubert

Wow! Mine is about to bloom for the first time since I bought it, I really can't wait! Yours looks just beautiful!

I would really appreciate seeing a picture of the whole plant, and spike with upcoming flowers. I just recently received my first, it's putting out new growth, and it would be great to see how it will progress.

Leafmite · #7 04-18-2018, 07:09 PM

Beautiful. I have a very young seedling so it will be many years before I enjoy my own blooms. Thank you for letting me enjoy yours in the meantime.

camille1585 · #8 04-19-2018, 07:27 AM

Nice looking Psychopsis.

I've had a Psychopsis for 7-8 years now, and I love that these can bloom sequential for many years off the same spike. Last year 2 of the spikes finally started drying up, but to my surprise, only the first segment after the bud bearing part dried, and a side spike appeared at the node under it. I thought it was a freak occurrence, until the second drying spike did that as well. And off they goes for another round of sequential blooming...

The lesson here is to NEVER cut a Psychopsis spike until it is completely dried up!

MPLS_paph · #9 04-22-2018, 04:00 PM

Here's the spike forming on mine (or a new leaf, but the roundness and pointiness makes me assume it's a spike). It looks like two leads grew last time (I've only had the plant since January) and the other is a few weeks behind this one in sending up either a spike or a new leaf. It'd be exciting to get two spikes going so quickly!

Aki_James · #10 04-27-2018, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPLS_paph

Here's the spike forming on mine (or a new leaf, but the roundness and pointiness makes me assume it's a spike). It looks like two leads grew last time (I've only had the plant since January) and the other is a few weeks behind this one in sending up either a spike or a new leaf. It'd be exciting to get two spikes going so quickly!

Congrats

I’d say that’s a spike! The new leads tend to be very wide at the base more conical in shape. You may be lucky and have 2 spikes which means your plant could be in flower pretty much non stop for eternity haha. As soon as one flower drops from the one spike the bud on the other pops open for me pretty much indefinitely! I think this plant has not been in flower for more than a couple days for the past few years.