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

[The Mutant]

Catts are something that's never going to enter my collection - they're not for me. Their colours can be gorgeous but all the frilly, frolly, fruffle are not my cup of tea.

[kavanaru]

Originally Posted by The Mutant

Catts are something that's never going to enter my collection - they're not for me. Their colours can be gorgeous but all the frilly, frolly, fruffle are not my cup of tea.

ever seen Cattleya violacea or any other bifoliate species? they are not "frilly frolly fruffle"... But I understand what you mean... those frilly hybrids (with very few exceptions - for some very particular reasons) are not really for me... most unifoliate species are not either, but I do keep a group (mainly venezuelan Cattleyas) for a very particular reason as well (I grew up in Venezuela, and my mother was here when I had just built the green house, and wished to see some "real orchids" in there)

well, that's how I got venezuelan Cattleyas now... for most people, Cattleyas are the real orchids.. and coming a wish from my 72 years old mom... who can resist that

[Vanda lover]

I love the catts but they don't bloom enough for me

[The Mutant]

Oh, forgot. I will never get an orchid from the Maxillaria Alliance or the Pleurothallis Alliance. These together with Cattleyas are my biggest no-noes I think.

The good part about us all not liking the same genera, is that there will always be plenty to go around.

So far the only genera I've felt that I really want are Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilum (the Paph bug has bitten real hard), and, maybe, some day in the future, a Cymbidium or two. I think many others can be pretty or cute, but I still don't feel like having them. Oh, and one Dendrobium species; Dendrobium atroviolaceum - this one I WILL have.

Originally Posted by kavanaru

ever seen Cattleya violacea or any other bifoliate species? they are not "frilly frolly fruffle"... But I understand what you mean... those frilly hybrids (with very few exceptions - for some very particular reasons) are not really for me... most unifoliate species are not either, but I do keep a group (mainly venezuelan Cattleyas) for a very particular reason as well (I grew up in Venezuela, and my mother was here when I had just built the green house, and wished to see some "real orchids" in there)

well, that's how I got venezuelan Cattleyas now... for most people, Cattleyas are the real orchids.. and coming a wish from my 72 years old mom... who can resist that

I checked it right now and all I can say is that they are more appealing than the hybrids, but still a no-go. But I really do understand that you can't resist a wish from your mother, I mean, who could?

[nenella]

Well I don't wan't to say I would neverBuy.... as one never knows ... But at the moment and ever since I became interested in orchids I have always had a some what revulsion at thinking of having a stinky Bulbo in my collection (I grow in the house & have always done so...) One day when I either posess a green house or 2 I won't say I would not eventually have a bash at even a stinky! ...if conditions permitted...

[Leafmite]

Mutant, there is a max that is rather special-- Maxillaria tenuifolia. It is really cute, smells great, and really much better in life than in pictures. I ended up taking a ton of pictures of my first bloom. : )

[isurus79]

NOIDs. I can't stand them!! I have to admit I'm a serious species snob. The very idea of buying some complex hybrid with no parentage is just not my cup of tea.

Also, I can't grow Latouria Dendrobiums for some reason. I have killed every single member of this section in the same mind boggling way. The older growths turn yellow/brown and the new growths get smaller and smaller until the whole plant eventually dies. To this day, I have no idea why!!

[lusenok]

I like hybrids more than species orchids. The idea is that hybrids, especially from popular genera, went through several rounds of artificial selection and they can be (inadvertently) optimized for indoor growing. "Hybrid vigor" if it's real will also help me to grow plants successfully.
As for genera, I don't have right conditions for vandas, for one. Cymbidiums are too darn big for my house. I'm not sure I can keep terrestrials properly watered; also, they are expensive.

The rest is pure aesthetics. I wouldn't buy Masdevallia or Dracula because their flowers remind me of something carnivorous (that big mouth in sand from Star Wars?) I steer clear from deciduous dendrobiums because the "sticks" alone are just too sad. I never liked phalaenopsis flowers with large spots because they look like blotted blood.
(Wow, never thought that orchids can elicit so many gloomy feelings!)

I couldn't decide whether Encyclia cochleata is beautiful or ugly. After a month of wrestling with myself I finally went to Lowe's to purchase its look-alike. Guess what? They ran out of plants!

[Wynn Dee13]

First off I don't like anything stinky smelly. I wouldn't buy a NOID but I do have one because I got it as a gift. It's not that I wouldn't grow them I just wouldn't spend my money on one. I prefer species. They just are so neat because they are what mother nature made. I do like mini catts though. Especially primary hybrids and Sophronitis hybrids. I wouldn't buy a standard cymbidium, they are just too big. I do have a few though that I got as a gift. If I had a greenhouse then maybe. I can't grow vandas since I can't provide enough light, heat, and humidity in the winter. Don't like Dendrochilums. All the ones I have smelled stunk and they just don't appeal to me. I'm not really into pleurothallids except some masdevailia species. Not a fan of maxillarias. I don't like to buy mericlones. I do have one or two though. I prefer seed grown plants. And not a big fan of miltoniopsis. Bulbophyllums don't really apeal to me either but I might be buying one if it ends up being the spring project plant. But you never know. In the 11 years I have been growing orchids, I have changed my tastes quite a few times. I'm sure it won't be the last either. All in all I love orchids!

[NatalieS]

Complex hybrids are becoming less and less appealing to me. I think I'm starting to become a species snob!

Looks-wise, catts are too 'poofy' and frilly. Barring one or two exceptions, I don't think I could ever see myself getting a stanhopea either. For some reason they make me think of squid, or cuttlefish. Not that I think cuttlefish and squid aren't beautiful, I just like to see them in the sea and not hanging from a plant!

Care-wise, I would stay away from most vandas as I can't give most of them the light that they need.

I think there will always be exceptions though - that's what keeps orchid growing so interesting!