New York Botanical Gardens Orchid Show 2013

[Tindomul]

Originally Posted by stefpix

Nice photos, but was it just mostly hybrid phals and intergeneric oncidiums? no curated sections of diverse geographic zones or environments?

That is my major complaint about the orchid show at the botanical garden. They always concentrate of the hybrids and have very few specimens of species.
This years theme was supposed to be the Carribbean but they just showed orchids that people grow in the Carribbean, but not exclusively there.

I wish they would do a species show with emphasis on biogeography.

[stefpix]

All those hybrid Phals, Oncidiums, Phaps, Cymbidiums do not really seem to grow in the Caribbean... I was in Caribbean Mexico I saw lots of Myrmecophilas, Rhyncolaelias, Brassavola, rat tail Oncidiums and so on. I really think a Botanical Garden should educate people about geography.... They could still have sections with colorful blooms, but I see too many Phals or Oncidium intergenerics like those on the shelves of Trader Joe's...

[NYCorchidman]

Those with the exception of oncidiums are all from Asia originally, aren't they? how funny!

Well, I think the NY Botanical Garden orchid show is getting worse and worse each year.
I think the first time I attended in 2009 or 2010, there were lots more orchids. There were tropical section with tons of colorful cattleyas and glass enclosed spots here and there with mini paphs and other unusual looking orchids.
Last year, they had lots of complex paphs, coelgyne and other interesting stuff.

This year, I think the whole one or two sections are left out of the show.

Yes, lots of intergenerics, but I have to admit they were of much much higher quality than the ones sold at TJs.

Overall, I enjoyed it though. I like colorful flower display anyhow.

[Cattleya17]

I just left the show. I loved it!!!!!! I saw tons of oncidiums as you said and phals. There were quite a few Cymbidiums and epidendrums as well. I went to the shop and they were high priced compared to my favorite orchid Nursuries I normally buy from.

In the shop I found vandas, masdevallias, phals, maxillaria tenuifolia, zygopetalum, stellis, catts, paphs. Only the small phals were under 30. I found only one plant I wanted and it was 50. It was paph delanati var alba!!!! It is so stunning in person!! I wanted it so bad but only had 40 dollars. I took about 200 pics while I was there. I was in heaven! It was my first time to an orchid show and to the gardens! So I indulged!

[NYCorchidman]

50 for white variation of delenatii isn't too bad though, istn't?

I find it ridiculous when typical (and not so great quality flower) maudiae alba or crappy complex paph is sold for 50 or higher. lol

So did you get that plant or not??

I plan to visit again on tuesday.
I mainly go to see if there's something interesting to buy. Last time I got one little cute dendrobium antelope hybrid. It was that one brutal snowy friday.
I don't know if it was the cold or what, but within one week, all but one leaf turned yellow and dropped.
All the flowers are perfectly fine though. how strange.
I am keeping it regardless and hoping for its recovery.
It happens a lot with antelope hybrids I buy.

I'm excited what I will find on tuesday.

[Cattleya17]

I did not get it I only had 40$ I was sooooo tempted to put it on credit but I resisted there were about three plants and one of them was in double bloom. I also saw an cattleya intermedia var alba as well. Oh and a dendrobium anomosmum or Nestor something.

The most ridiculous thing I saw was the 38 dollar tolumnias in 2in pots if that size.

[NYCorchidman]

The white delenatii was multigrowth and double bloom? I think the price isn't bad at all then.
I found some websites where delenatii alba was offered and there were not cheap (and not in bloom).

Yeah, I thought that was ridiculous too. I get my tolumnia from a local farmer's marker or flower district for under 20 each. in bloom by the way!

I know they get plants from local nurseries and they need to make profit off them somehow, but certain things are just not right.

I understand that they get a new batch of different sizes (depending on how much shelve room they have each time) about three times a week while the orchid show lasts. So it's really up to how lucky I get each time I visit.

I try to be there on the day when a new batch of orchids arrive so I am the first to choose from whatever they might have.

[Cattleya17]

Yeah it was a gem! The flower was stunning! Crystalline in appearance and so delicate, and it was pleasantly fragrant! I hope you get it! Looking back, even though I was enamored by all that I saw, I am disappointed that there weren't any species specimens! The only amazing one I saw, there was one path I did not go down, was a Angraecum sesquipedale. It was multi spiked and breathtaking. For such an acclaimed place I figured I would have seen more you know?! Overall I had the time of my life there! I'm most certainly becoming a member and visiting regularly!!!