New Arrivals

[Salixx]

I have or am getting in three plants today (giddy with excitement). Unfortunately, I have a feeling two of them will arrive while I am at a Dr.'s appointment, but, it's in the 50's today and the two coming should be able to handle that just fine.

However, the first has come in and I wanted to share it will you all since I am excited!

Bulbophyllum maxillare


While I was clearing away dead roots, I found this. Not sure if it's a spike or new growth... I'm happy either way. I just hope the stress from shipping and coming into my novice care doesn't stop whatever it is. It's the little pink thing between the pbulbs, in case you don't know right away what I'm talking about.


I'll post the others when they come in =D


... my Boyfriend has put me on lock-down (per my request)... before I spend any more money on orchids...

[DeaC]

Anytime we must visit the doc, I believe such rewards are in order! Must say I haven't seen this growth before on any of mine but it looks to be a root. Sometimes it's hard to tell if spikes or pbulbs are coming,which would be at the base of a mature pbulb.They make us wait...a cruel joke!

[Salixx]

Originally Posted by DeaC

Must say I haven't seen this growth before on any of mine but it looks to be a root. Sometimes it's hard to tell if spikes or pbulbs are coming,which would be at the base of a mature pbulb.They make us wait...a cruel joke!

That makes sense, given its location. Time will tell!

Here's the other two that came in:

Stanhopea nigroviolacea 'Batman'


This guy is going to need to be repotted soon into something more appropriate... at least if I ever want to see flowers. I'm really excited to try my hand at this guy. I think it will go in my bedroom, hanging in the window. It gets a good amount of morning sun all year round (2+ hours) and it otherwise bright. It gets a bit colder than the rest of the house during the winter months... there's no heat ducts and we have to shut the door to keep the cat out. I can also maintain much better humidity levels in there with the one ultrasonic humidifier I do have... fingers crossed I can make this bugger happy!

Then we have Oeceoclades maculata


I really like the foliage on these guys and the cute little flower... though I must confess, I mostly got it because it was cheaper, listed as easy and I needed to add a little something to justify the shipping cost of the Stanhopea.

[estación seca]

I DIDN'T MEAN IT! I CHANGED MY MIND! I CAN DO THAT!

[No-Pro-mwa]

Nice plants. Good luck with them.

[Optimist]

I am a bit curious about the Oeceoclades maculata. I think I like anything with the mottled leaves. I love the size of that Bulbophyllum. And that stanhopea, I haven't gotten into them yet, but one day. I do that too, add plants to make the shipping cost less, or seem to cost less!

[estación seca]

Oeceoclades are naturalizing in Florida. Some are becoming invasive. This one is found throughout the tropics, but may originally be from Madagascar or Africa, and spread by humans. It lives in leaf litter under trees. It's a small plant that is quite easy to grow in any loose, fast-draining medium. Succulentists grow it in pumice. It doesn't have a dormant season.

[Salixx]

Originally Posted by Optimist

I am a bit curious about the Oeceoclades maculata. I think I like anything with the mottled leaves. I love the size of that Bulbophyllum. And that stanhopea, I haven't gotten into them yet, but one day. I do that too, add plants to make the shipping cost less, or seem to cost less!

That's what drew me to the Oeceoclades as well. I loved the way the leaves looked... reminded me of a Paph I had a long time ago. The leaves are thicker though and more rubbery (at least I think). As estación pointed out, they have become invasive and/or naturalized to a couple of places. If I lived some place that it might have the chance to escape and live, I wouldn't get it. I potted mine in about a 50/50 mix of Black Gold orchid mix, which is more akin to potting soil, and Miracle Grow coarse Orchid Mix... mostly for the bark. I try to sift out the little fertilizer pellets in my fingers since I only get that for the bark in it. I did a more soil-heavy mix because it was listed as terrestrial.


I love the Bulbo too, and it's quickly become my favorite. It's amazing the size difference between this and my lasiochilium. I got this one from a seller on ebay, and I must say it was really nice to see a picture of the exact plant I was bidding on and I got it at a good price (~$20 shipped). I learned from my lasiochilium and mounted this one differently. I got a large suet feeder from walmart (something like 8X9'') filled it will sphag and used a gallon ziplock type bag to create a "catch" for excess water and a liner in the back to protect my wall. Seems so far to be working much better than the cork mount as far as moisture retention. I hope it works out... the more I read about this guy, the more I like it and want to see blooms


The Stan is now it a much larger container. I had an old fruit basket laying around that seemed perfect for the mean time for it. I lined it with sphag and the rest is a mix of about 1/4 bark 3/4 sphag. I've read so much contradictory information about how people care for these that I figured I just had to try something and see how it goes. One of the leaves is yellowing... hopefully just shipping stress.

[Salixx]

In case anyone was interested about what those little pink growths were, they are indeed flower spikes!

The two originally on the plant shriveled up and died, but recently, another grew and my plant bloomed. It's the first of the plants that I've acquired since my obsession with orchids renewed this spring to bloom while under my care. What a great confidence booster!



Unfortunately, the bloom only lasted about 3 days. I am not sure if this is normal for this species or not. It was very interesting though. The bloom closed at night and opened in the morning. There was also a piece of the flower that appeared to be on a hinge and swung back and forth in the breeze, independent of the rest of the plant. There is a new spike forming, as well as two new pbulbs!

[Subrosa]

Congratulations on your first bloom!