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

[tcrane]

I'm also loving this thread - there are as many types of orchid people are there are plants.

I personally avoid Catts, and have put a stop to collecting new Cymbidums - mostly due to space but also because our backyard just don't have the right conditions for them to thrive.

More and more I'm moving to small, mounted plants. Micro mini's - perfect. I've managed to bloom several of my small Masdevallia's which is extremely rewarding, I love Neo's and miniature dens, and have been collecting the more affordable (and mini) angraecoids. Personally, I love white flowers. ; ) And blue. Less into pinks.

I keep two fishtanks in my apartment for the mini's, which allows me to keep a larger collection indoors.

I've got a few larger Onc's in my office that I got from an OS raffle, my plan is to bloom them once and give them away to whoever compliments the flowers first.

Vanda's do not do well here. It's just too cold and not enough light. I have one small one I've bloomed under lights, but I'd love to pass mine over to someone with a warm, bright greenhouse - It's a little painful to watch them sort of limp along but not do so well.

-Tristan C

[Vanda lover]

I avoid anything that will only bloom once a year for only a few weeks. I have killed several catts. but some of the hybrid , I have found much easier to grow and bloom more often. I would love dendrobium cuthbersonii, but it's picky. I don't like the ones that need a rest, I've had no luck with them.
I have a phrag that seems fairly tough, but I got it as a seeding and have been waiting at least 6 years for bloom. It will be exciting when it does!
I have found my Vanda easiest of all to grow, but I really believe that they become hardier with age. I've been struggling with my baby ones, but they look pretty good.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I'm not a huge fan of Stelis. There are a few species I do adore, but most of them are just not that interesting to me. Many species of Stelis have such similar looking flower morphologies that it gives the illusion of "once you've seen one, you've seen them all".

I'm kinda choosy about Platystele as well. Can't really go into this one too much, because I just don't know what makes me choose certain species over another. I mean, most of the species have flowers that look a bit similar to each other, but I'll get certain species over others, just not quite sure why yet.

I tend to be picky with Lepanthes spp. Again, the problem with most of them is that many of the species are too similar looking to each other (especially the ones that are tiny flowered with sepals that are arranged in a triangular fashion, and bloom close to the leaf). It's not that I won't get any of these, I just have to be a bit more selective.

Then there's the thing where Lepanthes are such high maintenance plants. It makes keeping up somewhat difficult. I tend to not want having too many of these.

Although I have owned Restrepias in the past and will still consider getting a few species of these, they're not my favorite group of Pleurothallids.

I'm growing to dislike the genus Restrepiosis (it may change later down the line, but for now, they're really getting under my skin). They're a pain to get going. Surprisingly they are some of the slowest growing miniature Pleurothallids I've ever had!

I tend to not gravitate too much towards the large Cattleyas, Laelias, and Schomburgkias because of space, not because I don't like them.

I don't have space for Grammatophyllum spp. as well. I like the flowers, but if I get something as large as some of these get, they'd better be plants I can't part with. With most species that have the ability to grow relatively fast for a giant sized plant, spread wide, and get pretty tall; I just can't do it. I don't feel like using a fork lift to move such a behemoth (not that I don't have a fork lift, btw).

I'm not a huge fan of certain Paphs, because I just don't like the way some of the flowers look on some of them. I will make exceptions for liking those in the sections Parvisepalum and Brachypetalum. What makes this group difficult to collect are the prices. The other difficulty is that some of them grow too slow. Plus, I've not had long term success with these just yet.

I do like Phrags, but I can't afford to collect them. Many of them are too expensive. Even at $50 a pop, it hurts a lot when they die.

Same goes for Mexipedium - too expensive.

I'm selective about my Oncs. I don't have a problem growing them, I just tend to see too many that have similarly shaped flowers that are yellow and brown. Some can get fairly large, so if I'm gettin' one, I gotta love 'em a lot.

For some reason, I'm just not crazy about Mediocalcar decoratum. All the other species of Mediocalcar seem to have more appealing looking flowers than Mediocalcar decoratum.

For me, I tend not to collect Mediocalcar spp. anymore, because in my climate, they must be grown in a humid terrarium setting or they die. What makes this difficult is that they're ramblers.

Lastly, I don't care what anyone says on this one...I am NEVER getting what I consider the freak of man-made intergeneric hybrids - Coryhopea. They are absolutely repulsive to me.

I may have others that I feel strongly about, but these are all I can think of for now.

[Lorraine]

I can't grow Cymbidiums, it's just too hot here and after killing off several paphs have given up on them. Maybe they just don't like the conditions I grow my phals, onc, catts, vandas in. I really don't want to kill these guys even if they are a freebie. I have 2 phaphs hanging on right now. I think they will be re-homed soon.

[Amanda L]

Originally Posted by jrodpad

I guess I'm still figuring out what I can and cannot grow. The layout of the windows in my house (with a conspicuous lack of any real southern exposure) mean that any real high-light orchids are out; this means you stupid, sexy vandas.

I know that my masdie says terrible things about me when I'm not around. I have such strong feelings for it... but alas, they are all unrequited. It would rather slowly wither away than bloom for me. I don't think I'd get another one until I've figured this one out... they really are amazing though.

I was unfriended on facebook by my Neo. We were best buds until I asked it to bloom. Leaves? Yes. Flowers? No.

I have to stick up for the micro minis - I have a few bulbos that I have to squint at and I love 'em. I've gotten one to bloom - crazy, tiny orange and white flowers... so cool. Don't knock 'em!

- J

Jrodpad, that gave me a much needed giggle for the day.

[Amanda L]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention frilly froo froo catts. Unless, it's a spectacular color.

I also don't care for the purples, whites and some pinks. I think I'm done for now.

[xristie9]

There are some species which I really dislike, like Restrepia, I would really never want one... and never bought one... Actually I do not have a special reason why, I just can´t stand looking at them.

I dislike every pink and violet flower, it goes with me disliking the color - nothing more, so I really do not have any orchids with these colors.

And along time I came to dislike hybrid paphs, you see too many hybrids in every window so it has no meaning for me growing them. I do have some, but sometimes I wish they should die... really mean I know...

And I also dislike some orchid growers as well... especially those who envy you – if you like some species, or grow something in your own way (not by the definition it should be grown) it is not bad, until it does not die.

After years of growing I fell passionately in love with Encyclias and Prosthecheas so I focus on them...
I like Masdevallias as well. And wild orchid from my area

[Vanda lover]

With me it's white that I don't like. After living in an area with too much snow for most of my life and putting up with white floors which never look clean, white is not my favourite. But I still admit that white orchids can be beautiful. I did have coelogyne that I liked. It is hard for me to actually dislike any orchid.

[Leafmite]

If it isn't fragrant, takes up quite a bit of space, and blooms once a year, I really don't want it...especially if it is expensive and the blooms are short-lived. Add to that 'fussy' and I'd never want it in my collection.

[kavanaru]

easy... mosnter complex Phal hybrids... ugly as hell (IMO)... many of the very complex large frilly Cattleya hybrids (nice to see, but that's it... with some exception, of course!)..
and I should say, cold loving plants, as I cannot grow them... but I keep buying and killing some of them from time to time