Stanhopea oculata

[piping plover]

Like a chandelier. *Stanhopea oculata. Anticipation building for this to open soon. I kept it outdoors with night temperatures in the low 40s F. It’s indoors in the sunroom now.

[Roberta]

Eagerly awaiting blooming! These can tease you for a week or more, but does look like it's getting close.

[piping plover]

Thanks Roberta. My third year experiencing this. My first year I was living in between 2 places an hour apart and didn’t know what to expect as to when and how it would bloom. As it was getting close, I remember loading the plant into my car every 4 days or so driving around with it back and forth between houses so I would not miss my first experience with it blooming. As you can imagine, these are awkward plants to transport when in spike. Yes, one of my many Plant Nut moments!

Anyhow, the times it has bloomed I could tell even before I opened the sunroom doors. That splendid fragrance just somehow wafts under and around and through the closed glass doors!

Originally Posted by Roberta

Eagerly awaiting blooming! These can tease you for a week or more, but does look like it's getting close.

[My Green Pets]

That is going to be a showstopper!! Enjoy!! Is it true the buds actually pop open quickly?

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by My Green Pets

That is going to be a showstopper!! Enjoy!! Is it true the buds actually pop open quickly?

The buds pop amazingly... that burst of perfume, you just have to be there. This is going to be an amazing show. When they're ready, one minute you see buds, turn your back or go get a cup of coffee, and they are open.

(Only slight hijack here...I managed to capture a Stan. wardii in the act, set up my camcorder on a tripod when it was clear that it was getting close, within 15 minutes I got this, that's real time, no editing once it started to open.
If you have trouble viewing the YouTube video in OB, use the "quote" function to see the HTML and just copy the link.)
http://youtu.be/jPwP5v1cRs8

[piping plover]

Thank you Willam! One of the spikes opened this morning. Absolutely wonderful fragrance. I’m hoping the 2nd or 3rd spikes delay a bit so i can bring to my orchid’s society mtgs in a few weeks in RI and Cape Cod, MA.

Originally Posted by My Green Pets

That is going to be a showstopper!! Enjoy!! Is it true the buds actually pop open quickly?

[piping plover]

What an amazing video capture of the wardii, Roberta. Thank you for posting. Curious if you find the wardii to like cooler growing temperatures like the oculata. The oculata seems to appreciate our cooler summers in RI and my sunroom can get down to 49 F in January.

I’m posting a few pics of the first spike in bloom. Apologies in advance for all the plant commotion going on around the blooms. The sunroom is packed this time of year. Wish I could isolate the blooms and present them with that striking black background that you photograph your blooms with, Roberta. So professionally done.

Such a joy experiencing these blooms alongside the other tropicals in the sunroom. On this blustery, cold, dark November evening, I’m feeling transported to nearby the equator

Originally Posted by Roberta

The buds pop amazingly... that burst of perfume, you just have to be there. This is going to be an amazing show. When they're ready, one minute you see buds, turn your back or go get a cup of coffee, and they are open.

(Only slight hijack here...I managed to capture a Stan. wardii in the act, set up my camcorder on a tripod when it was clear that it was getting close, within 15 minutes I got this, that's real time, no editing once it started to open.
If you have trouble viewing the YouTube video in OB, use the "quote" function to see the HTML and just copy the link.)
http://youtu.be/jPwP5v1cRs8

[Roberta]

A gorgeous display! And with your multiple spikes, you get the show extended!

Yes, Stan wardii grows for me under the same conditions as oculata. (Even more robust...) Both live outside all year around at my house, along with tigrina and a couple others - frost free (I'm spoiled) , but nights down to 40 deg F or even a bit lower occasionally in fall/winter.

For my black-background pix, the plants get moved for the photos. I tacked a piece of black velour to the wall, more of the black velour on the table top that makes my little "studio" for the "beauty shots". Stanhopeas are too hard to move in most cases (though I make the effort for a few, hanging them on a tripod) Otherwise, background is whatever it is in-situ Being outside, early in the morning can yield some fairly dark backgrounds. Otherwise, it is what it is.

[piping plover]

Thank you for the mention of those species. I’ve seen them on ecuagenera’s website. Now I know that they can grow in a similar temperature range as my oculata.

Originally Posted by Roberta

A gorgeous display! And with your multiple spikes, you get the show extended!

Yes, Stan wardii grows for me under the same conditions as oculata. (Even more robust...) Both live outside all year around at my house, along with tigrina and a couple others - frost free (I'm spoiled) , but nights down to 40 deg F or even a bit lower occasionally in fall/winter.

For my black-background pix, the plants get moved for the photos. I tacked a piece of black velour to the wall, more of the black velour on the table top that makes my little "studio" for the "beauty shots". Stanhopeas are too hard to move in most cases (though I make the effort for a few, hanging them on a tripod) Otherwise, background is whatever it is in-situ Being outside, early in the morning can yield some fairly dark backgrounds. Otherwise, it is what it is.

[piping plover]

All 3 spikes blooming today. Fragrance otherworldly ! The first photo is view looking up to basket from below.