Collection question with a difference - what would you not buy?

[RosieC]

I find it really interesting to see what people like and don't like.

Unlike Camille I love the Maudiae type paphs, unlike many people I love the tiny ones, I find them facinating... anyway that makes me feel better about saying what I don't like...

I don't like Catasetum, Gongora, Stanhopea types. The flowers in general just don't appeal to me. I'm not a fan of most Draculars either. In all of these there are the odd exceptions where people have shown great photos of something in these areas, but I still don't think they are for me.

I've not really found any yet that I really think I can't grow. I'm sure I will as I try more things. I'm uncomfortable about Onc alliance stuff, but I still buy them and some of them are actually doing not too badly.

[Paul]

Big standard floofy Catts or floofy catts in general do not appeal to me at all. There are very few paphs or phrags I would want to bother with -- most of them bore me which is just as well as most phrags get way too big. Miltoniopsis are beautiful but I can't provide for their needs or the other cool growers. Oncs and I have issues. Big plants in general are out -- I just don't have the space.

[Keith Briscoe]

Like many others, I simply can't stand those big, garish, frou-frou frilly Catts -- they are just way too showy for my taste. Also, blooming length and reliability are important: when I devote that much care to orchids, I want a return -- for this reason, Phals offer a great return on investment. I'm a sucker for the Oncidium intergenetics and have had pretty good success reblooming those. Not very interested in the tiny species...

[FairyInTheFlowers]

What an interesting thread. I dislike all but few paphs, and the ones I do like look like phrags. The only phrags I like are the bessea typed ones, which means that the paphs that I like will have to look like a bessea. I despise rosioglossums, their flowers look really leggy! I dislike all but few dendrobiums, and I think the reason why is because I am a nomenclature 'splitter,' and any genus with 1,000 plus species needs to be divided! The plainer, white, and lavender standard phals are boring, I like to waxy novelties (Polychilos), and mini-phals (Parishianae). I also dislike super small flowers. Big floofy catts and the heavily influenced Rych. digbyana hybrids give me the shivers!

[shadytrake]

I have become a bit of a snob too. I always ask now if they are seed grown or mericloned. I prefer the seed grown orchids with the exception of the occasional Better Gro baggie purchase (sometimes I just have to save one).

I am not a fan of Phals per se, but I love to decorate my desk with them because the flowers are long lasting. I rarely enter them in shows because I know mine will never be good enough. Now though, I am only focusing on seed grown species Phals IF I add any to my collection.

I am not a fan of the stinky orchids. I will NEVER own a Psychopsis (sp?). They look like a cockroach to me and I just can't bear to look at it.

I am steering away from the larger orchids due to space so if it doesn't make me go all drool over it, then I won't buy it (even the Dendrobiums which are my favorites).

I will NOT buy any cool/cold growers as it is a total waste of money for me and I won't buy any more Cyms either as they are just too difficult with our summers.

I won't buy any orchid now that I can't look up on my iPhone. If I can't find a decent photo of the bloom or the parentage bloom or unless I have an idea what the bloom will look like based on the seller's information, I won't even consider it.

Yes I am a snob, but I have learned that if I start with quality orchids to begin with, I am much happier with the blooms.

EDITED to add I also won't buy any large vandaceous types as I really can't stand bumping into the roots in the walkway and they need too much misting in the summer.

I also am not a fan of fuchsia or purply colored orchids as they are everywhere. A few have sneaked into my collection but if I get tired of the color, I'll trade them away.

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[bdublyou]

Anything really big and rangey is a turnoff for me(read: vandas, cymbidiums, cattleya, cane dendrobiums, and reed stem epi's). Big flamboyant flowers are not my style either. I will not buy anything with a purple/lavender flower. I am not a huge fan of phalaenopsis, especially the big, showy whites and purples-ick! I cannot grow cool growers here, so I won't even try. I also try to stick with types that can withstand high temperature variation. Ugly foliage will send me running too, namely large, thick, unrefined psuedobulbs etc. I am starting to dislike Maxillaria sp. as I can't seem to get the culture right. And the plueros haven't grabbed me yet either.

I like mini's, but then again I have a small growing area. Interesting or weird flowers, fragrant flowers, yellow-orange and muted color palettes attract me. I like neos in all their deformed varieties. I make exceptions for some little phals--every now and again a really cute one grabs me. I like paphs, but more species than hybrids, and not the brachys, again, a little too flamboyant for me. Really, if the plant/flower looks really weird, bug-ish, or like an alien invader--I'm gonna like it (provided it's not too big-that is!)

[fishmommy]

I dislike alll white flowers
I have one that someone gave me to 'save' but I'd like to get rid of it as soon as possible to make room for more color!

[Connie Star]

I don't care for muted, understated colors. It's an orchid! It should be gorgeous no matter how small. I don't like plants that have a disproportionately sized flower- either too big or too small for the plant. If they're too big they look like they are going to topple over. If too small, it's as if the flower is hiding. And I don't like mounted plants- I can't keep them moist/humid enough.

[Amanda L]

Miltoniopsis look too much like pansies for my taste.

Masdevalias would more than likely die if they ever got into this house. I love the look of most of them and would love to have a few, but I'm so scared I would kill them.
I probably won't buy anymore Dendrobiums. They don't seem to like me. I have some that are doing okay. But, they are just surviving. So unless I find one that totally wows me, I won't buy those anymore.

[abigaillevans]

I will never be able to grow Masdevalias or any other cool-growing orchid -- I live in Florida and all of my plants are outside in the heat.

I also won't buy any orchids I'd have to grow inside on a windowsill. My cat, Freyja, has a penchant for eating plants and I don't want to deal with her eating my orchids. We live in an apartment so I haven't figured out how to hang orchids in windows without drilling holes, although I do have some ideas. Until I either figure out how to utilize my window space, if it can't grow on my patio I won't buy it.

I'm also not super into really frilly catts, although I did end up with four of them after visiting a friend a while back