Haraella retrocalla first bloom

[Leafmite]

This likes humidity. My first one grew in a jar with a lid for many years and I actually lost it when I tried to grow it under lights (low humidity) outside of the jar (I read that ALL orchids needed good airflow and I thought it would do even better outside of the jar). Now one grows in a jar with a lid (lava rock and eggshells on bottom with a moss layer on top) and the other is mounted and has been moved around (hung on various plants, set in a plastic container with water on the bottom, hung on the Vanilla's pole...it seems to be fine as long as it is watered well and has humidity).

[camille1585]

I know that our ex moderator/admin RosieC successfully grew hers on a mount in a closed jar as well, similar to how Leafmite does it.

I had 2 potted and 1 mounted. Plant #1 was potted, and died because I was still a newbie grower who had no idea what I was doing. Plant #2 bought shortly after was mounted and hanging on my shelves, but it couldn't cope with the low humidity and I never managed to get it to recover. Fast forward to 2 years ago when I decided to try it again, potted. It was potted in tightly packed sphag and actually did really well! I lost it this summer to some fast spreading infection...

[Roberta]

Mine is mounted. Now, my conditions are very different - I grow it outside, in a shady spot on my patio, gets daily (or more) watering. So it does get air movement...how much it actually requires? Don't know. Clearly it is also quite cold-tolerant. (Tolerates cold, doesn't require it) I'd suspect that it would be an excellent terrarium plant.

[katsucats]

Mine is blooming right now as well, although it was in spike when I got it, so it was not my expertise

I would say mine smells like the lemon dishwasher fluid, or more precisely, like the dishwashing sponge after washing some dishes with the lemon dishwasher fluid. It's heavily reminiscent of citronella (e.g. mosquito repellant, lemon balm, etc.). Maybe I should pick up a few more of these to get that freshly squeezed lemon one.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by katsucats

Maybe I should pick up a few more of these to get that freshly squeezed lemon one.

Remember too, that fragrance is really subjective. The exact same plant may smell different to me than to you... So along with variation of plants, there's the variation of perception. But since this one is little and takes up hardly any space, no reason to not have several of them!

[Mr.Fakename]

Originally Posted by Roberta

But since this one is little and takes up hardly any space, no reason to not have several of them!

This sums up why orchid people need a partner who can say "no" for them.

[Roberta]

Or maybe better not to... I do know people who would sneak their new purchases into the house/yard when said partner was at work or watching TV or otherwise not paying attention. No way to live a life!

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Or maybe better not to... I do know people who would sneak their new purchases into the house/yard when said partner was at work or watching TV or otherwise not paying attention. No way to live a life!

Living with someone who thinks I have too many plants as it is, I have attained ninja level in the art of sneaking new purchases into the house... Unfortunately my partner is working from home due to covid, which makes many sneak tactics difficult to implement!

[MJG]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Living with someone who thinks I have too many plants as it is, I have attained ninja level in the art of sneaking new purchases into the house... Unfortunately my partner is working from home due to covid, which makes many sneak tactics difficult to implement!

My ninja skills have been foiled by the empty boxes my shopping generates. We live in a small village and boxes can't go in the garbage. They are stacked in our garage and we periodically take them to the local dump. My husband keeps tabs on the stack. He has a keen sense of how many boxes come through the house, and what was in them.

I don't think he really objects to the new orchids, but he gives me a relentlessly hard time about the new ones. Lots of teasing and needling. I haven't broken under it yet though.

[MJG]

I have been diligently sniffing this orchid flower day and night. Zero scent until today.

I just sniffed it (mid-afternoon) and it has a very light lemon smell. And it's a true lemon smell -- no cleaning products.

This little orchid makes me very happy.