"Monster" Neofinetia falcata in bloom
 

My apologies to any that have a more monstrous Neo - I've just always called this one "monster" ;)

In a 4" pot. Leaf span of fans, tip to tip, is 7-8". The entire plant is nearly a foot across. Blooms are about 1 1/4" vertically, spurs are nearly 3". This has 13 fans, tho three of them only started last year.

7 spikes, 35 blooms. Slightly disappointing in that it had 10 spikes, around 50 blooms last year - but I'm not complaining very much ;)

There's a subtle pink hue on the spurs.

Potted in a plastic pot, small fir bark mix.

I realize the light colored wall does not make the best back-drop for white blooms, but my camera died, and my phone doesn't do well in the lower light indoors :p

Last pic is with a more typically sized Neo for size comparison.

Thanks for looking :)

I don't think you'll get too many challenges to your choice of name; that's a substantial and well-grown Neo by any measure. :bowing

What variety is this? I'm thinking Amami Island maybe by the size of the plant and blooms.

Amazing plant you have there! The scent must be strong too. Awesome growing!

Hello white rabbit. I think your plant is beautiful! As others have said, your house must be filled with lovely fragrance. I like your photography, putting the plant in front of an off white wall made the blossoms pop--so white and pure!

It is lovely!

How long have you had this one?

Very impressive!

Beautiful!

That IS a monster. Look at all those flowers. Congrats on blooming it so well.

Surely your monster neo should be ゴジラ ?

Full Text in Japanese:
ゴジラ
English Translation:
godzilla

:rofl:

I'm impressed Jayfar san, when did you learn to read Japanese?:bowing

and pronounced gojira.

Very beautiful-LOVE it
Are you growing this Neo in bark?

Never Mind
Should have read the Post better :blushing:

I just use google to find a translator (or I could have used google translate). :)

Very impressive plant, congrats!

Growing nicely, Sonya. This must be the one you got for a really good deal and rode home on the bicycle with.

Spectacular! I am impressed you have a large specimen and you managed to maintain it in a cluster after all these years and never broke it down to smaller pieces. Good growing!

Aw - thanks :)

I agree that this one would be Amami Island - I by luck discovered this plant at a retail nursery, amongst the usual Onc intergenerics, noid Phals and Dens ... and only tagged as "Neofinetia falcata"

---------- Post added at 06:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:35 PM ----------

Thank you! Fragrance is not super strong - I can smell it a bit when I am nearby the plant - I'm sort of happy it isn't much stronger, because, while a nice fragrance, it seems incredibly 'heady', and would probably give me a headache if it permeated the room ;p

---------- Post added at 06:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:37 PM ----------

Thank you very much! :blushing:

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Thank you, Ted :)

I've had this three years - it was already quite big when I got it - 10 fans; 7 of pretty good size, 3 small, fairly recently new ones.

---------- Post added at 06:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:40 PM ----------

thanks :)

---------- Post added at 06:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:41 PM ----------

thanks, Ryan :)

---------- Post added at 06:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:41 PM ----------

Thanks :blushing:

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:rofl: Excellent! I love it!

I will need to copy that to save; I don't want to forget!

---------- Post added at 06:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:45 PM ----------

Thanks! I love it!

---------- Post added at 06:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:46 PM ----------

Thank you!

hehe - it happens - I do the same, and am embarrassed to admit how often I do :p

It was potted in bark mix (small fir bark chips, perlite, small lava rock) when I got it, and was extremely happy that way, so I figured it might be best to replicate that. I was not on friendly terms with sphag at the time (have since learned how to grow in it). And, in bark, it can go longer between repottings :)

---------- Post added at 06:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:49 PM ----------

thank you! :blushing:

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Thanks Tracy!

Hehe - yes! This is that one! :biggrin: I'm surprised that you remember. I still can't believe the price I got this for! Nor just the fact that the retail nursery had it to begin with! Honestly, the fact that I found this there, keeps me going in there every now and again, just to see if they have anything surprising!

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Thanks Bud :)

I've only had this one 3 years - it was already fairly big when I got it. I have been adamant, however, that it is NOT getting divided (anytime soon, at least). I love it's size, and even being a huge Neo, it's not a huge space hog, or hard to manage.

So beautiful :bowing

I must admit I simply googled "gojira" to find it. I considered linking the Kanji to the appropriate wikipedia page (en) but then decided it would be more fun as an exercise for the reader :)

Wow, that's impressive. I'm not such a Neo fan but that one is just stunning.

Great growing, Sonya, and a wonderful plant.

VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!wow

Thanks, Rosie :)

It was more impressive last year with more spikes and blooms, but I'm still quite happy with it;)

I've come to like the species very much, mostly due to their hardiness and variety :)

Thank you Ron :) I feel the plant deserves most of the credit - it's pretty non-demanding and presents me with many blooms every year, with little effort from myself ;)

Thanks :blushing:

Sonya,

Very impressive plant! :1stplace:

I have a smaller neo in spike for the first time (for me). It's planted in medium to coarse bark and has tons of aerial roots. Since we share pretty much the same climate, I was curious what your watering regime looks like. Do you mist roots in between waterings? If so, do you take special care not to mist the spikes/buds/flowers?

Thanks

Wow Sonya, nicely grown!

Aww, thank you! :blushing:

I do occasionally spritz aerial roots in-between waterings. I try to limit it, so as to not keep the media too wet (this one is in a 4" plastic pot, and slower drying than my smaller neos) So, maybe once or twice a week in-between regular watering.

With the spritzing of the aerial roots, this one goes about 4-5 days in-between watering in summer; a week or longer in winter - but smaller pots would likely require more frequent watering. I also have the heat set low in winter, so drying is slower than in a warmer (and dryer, from the forced air heat) home :p

This has fewer aerial roots now than previously - I potted it into the 4" pot from 3" later last year, and I tucked as many aerial roots as I could into the bigger pot - but of course, it has started more since then ;) I love crazy Neo roots! :D

I do try to avoid wetting larger buds as well as blooms. Unavoidable to get some water on them with all the growth of this plant But I do aim the spray at the intended roots, rather than 'mist' the plant overall. With the warm, dry daytimes in summer, the bit of water on buds or blooms hasn't damaged them.

I can't wait to see pix of your blooms! :)

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Thanks :blushing:

I keep coming back to this thread for the pics of this awesome specimen
Thx :D

Aww - thanks :blushing:

photos from last year (10 spikes)
 

Last year, this had 10 spikes, around 50 blooms ...

Amazing, Sonja!!! What a find!

:) thanks!