Caring for Neostylis Lou Sneary 'Blue Bird'
 

So I just bought this today and would like some info from you wonderful people.

Medium? Inside or outside? Fertilizer? Watering? Potted up or hanging up? :)

where's the pic. I grow mine like all the other vandas, well one is in a pot but its ventilated, and the other one is in a basket, there is some type of Epiweb in there too as medium.. I water them the same and keep them in the same area. Lots of sun except noon sun. Basically under trees or in pool area. Im sure you'll get a lot of answers from other very dedicated Neo growers. Tll then I hope this helps.

Yep, high light, water, just like the vandas. Mine is in a basket with a little charcoal. I think I have a pic in my gallery. Enjoy, a nice little fellow to have.

I just bought this same orchid. Smells wonderful!!!
But I wonder just how different the care of this one is going to be from the rest of my collection. 3 Phals, a Dendro and a Brassavola.
I repotted the small Bluebird into a very vented pot.
The collection sits near the Eastern facing window in my bathroom.
I don't own any other vandas or vanda like chids, so I'm not really sure about this one.

I have mine in a plastic orchid pot - potted in charcoal, pumice, and perlite, sitting in a south window and it seems very happy :)
I water when it's dry which is every 2-3 days right now - I am sure with longer days and warmer weather it will need more frequent watering

Thanks Rabbit! So they want that much sun? How about humidity?

Yes, the vandaeous family are heat and water lovers. With the heat and water comes humidity. Likes to stay 60% or better. A little heavier feeders than other orchids as they don't usually grow with medium. That's not to say you can't grow them that way but usually in a slatted basket. Good luck.

So this is it. How's it look? I wonder about these spots on te leaves. Normal?

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...s/IMG_5676.jpg

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...s/IMG_5685.jpg

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...s/IMG_5691.jpg

Well mine had a tiny spike on it when I got it - had the plant in a west window for a couple months and the spike didn't budge - I thought it was dead
Then I moved the plant into the south window and immediately that spike starting growing! lol
I put some sphag on top of the media and keep that moist - hoping that ups the humidity around the plant - don't know if it does much or not - but my plant looks happy

I do believe the spots are normal - mine has them and has gotten more being in the south window so I think it is from receiving lots of light

yours is a beauty - very nice color!
I hope mine is as nice :D

That helps Rabbit, thanks! Now I have to figure out how to get into the South window in my room. Will wifey let me? Hmmmm... LOL

Chas, It sure is a beauty. I love it, I love anything blue, and that sure has a beautiful shade of blue tinge.

Marilyn

That's why I couldn't pass it up Marilyn! That and the smell.

Thanks! :)

An update on my 'Bluebird'. So the flowers are still hanging in there. One fell off, but the rest are still there, though starting to fade. The tiny little face in the middle of the flower (my wife calls it a little fairy's face, she's right!) is now mostly very dark.

So once all the flowers have finished up should I clip the spike or just leave it? Will it flower again from that spike next year or send up a new spike if I'm so lucky?

And once the flowers are gone, what should I expect to see in the growth department?

Sorry, but I'm kinda new to these Neos and I just don't want to whack it! ;)

I see nobody every answered your questions here. I was curious as well as to your growth questions. I saw some today for sale and almost pulled the trigger. I thought I better do a little research first to make sure I could provide the right conditions. How is it doing?

Hi Chris and ChasWG- Once all flowers have faded cut off spike as close as possible. It will NOT re-flower from same spike but will hopefully send up another in the next flowering season. Good luck with you and your Neos.

DON

I purchased one in bloom Dec 2008. After flowers fell (about a month) it was potted into a clear pot with regular
AussieGold. It dutifully rebloomed Dec 2009.
It sits about 8 inches away from an eastern exposed window. I water twice a week and fertilize with one of those waterings. It seems happy.
Nick

Purchased a Neostylis on the clearance rack.
 

Hello,
I purchased a Neostylis Lou Sneary "Bluebird" recently on the clearance bench at my local botanical garden. This is my first one of these. People seem to grow them with success many different ways!

Bakingbluesfan, has your plant bloomed yet?

Hi Matt,
It was put on the Clearance rack because it had finished blooming (this is what they usually do).there were four of them. I picked this one because it had another spike! Should be blooming again soon!

The spots are common both in Neofinetia and Vanda and Rhynchostylis. These plants love bright light and can be potted or mounted. They also lie a slight winter rest with a bit lower temps probably because of the Neofinetia in it.
I grow these hybrids mounted and potted and both do fine. When grow mounted, be prepared for the many long roots they trow out each season, much longer than the height of the actual plant.

These are lovely hybrids and many have a faint to intense fragrance.

Good luck with your wondeful purchase.