oddity orchids
 

Hi there, I just want to pick your brains about some odd or unique types of orchids. I find myself aimlessly researching what interests me at the moment, currently I'm hooked on miniatures but while digging into types of minis I found some mention of "oddities". What are some of the most unique orchids you have seen or owned, with photos if possible. I am a newbie and own a collection of phals and a few others (catts, dendrobium,) so I vicariously live through other people sharing their knowledge and fabulous collections! :bowing

I suppose everyone's definition of oddity is a little different, so you're going to have to give us some more parameters to get better information!

But, in the spirit of oddities, I present Dendrobium senile. It's a strange one! (Don't have one, probably won't get one, but it sure is funky!)

Oh no, it's so fuzzy and cute! Now I want one! But I just bought a Den. cucumerinum, so I need to let my wallet rest.

oddity orchids
 

O a weird one is the coryanthes acranthes, it's pretty easy to grow it seems. It loves to be watered :) it's also called the bucket orchid and it smells fantastic to me http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10...d2d08d9271.jpg

I've really been getting into Neofinetias! there is a lot of variation between types

I'd elect one of my favourite genera - Porroglossum. They look like tiny psychedelic space invaders and they all have a secret trick up their sleeves (I'll let you discover that for yourself :D)

Diplocaulobium. Flowers for less than 1 day. Dresslerella. Has interesting brown tubular flower. Pleurothallis pectinata with hanging toilet plunger leaves and inflorescences inside.


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The species in the genus Ophrys (and some other genera) that use pseudocopulation as their means of pollination. Essentially the flower looks like a female insect, and it tricks males into pollinating the flowers by trying to mate with the flower.

anything at all! just anything out of the ordinary, could be rare, extremely large or small plant, funky shape or color.. not picky :)

Well, at the show I got this at, the vendor had a lot of others like this one, so it's not exactly unique, but I got one of these Bulbophyllum hybrids because they were so weird (and cheap).

http://i.imgur.com/W6C9rxS.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0HEbzxT.jpg

oddity orchids
 

So many bulbos are weird and wonderful for their wacky shapes or their rotten meat smells. They're so varied and (in my experience) easy to care for.

And of course, don't forget the fascinating Dracula 'monkey' orchids. Cyann on this forum grows these very successfully. Unfortunately, i can't grow them without special equipment. T_T Some day, when I have a whole lot of time and money laying around, I will try my hand at them!


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A bit of namedropping:
More or less anything from the Bulbophyllum, Catasetum, Coryanthes, Stanhopea and Pleurothallis families.

To mention a few specific species:
Bulbophyllum:

• binnendijkii
• lemniscatoides
• medusa

Pleurothallis gargantua, Lepanthes calodictyon, Restrepia and Psychopsis are worth having a look at.

Then again, as stated by theloyalplum, it depends on your definition of weird, and how blasé you are about a few common but rather complex flowers like Paphiopedilum and Cattleyas.

I have one and let me just say...it's not an easy one to grow. At least it isn't for me. Mine is growing...not great...but it's hanging in there. I've struggled w/this one more than any other den I can remember. I'm thinking it'll be a miracle if I ever see a bloom.

The cuc is waaaaaaaaaaaaay easier than senile. Well, it was for me - I gave it away last fall.

I have a few "unusual" orchids now. It is really funny, but they are doing better than the more "well known" orchids I have. I am still killing oncidiums left and right, but grosourdia appendiculata and haraella oderata? No way. I just got my first pleurothallis. It is kind of oddly shaped like mini bamboo. I am not sure what to do with it.

Sounds like you need to go to the hospital right away if you have that.

Depends on the collection. Lately, the Cattleyas are starting to look like the odd ones in my collection. :|

Yes, it does seem to depend on what you think is ordinary and what is odd. To get an idea what is out there, you should look at J&L Orchids and Andy's Orchids.

I think my favorite 'odd' orchid is the Mormolyca ringens. The flower just amuses me for some unfathomable reason. Even better, it has a nice, sweet fragrance.

I am also a "novice," though I think I have gotten the culture of phals and some ordinary orchids down to an art. I am branching into terrarium miniatures, bulbophylums, and paphs. I think the bulbophylums have the oddest looks. Medusae, Elizabeth Anne Buckleberry, Cirropodiums all are interesting to me!

Bromhedia,Chelonistele,Sievekingia. Other than the first one,second grows like Coelogyne only smaller and last one grows like Stanhopea only smaller. Brom. has mini flowers lasting ~1 day but interesting leaves.

I'll have to add all of the leafless orchids to this list. Chiloschista and Microcoelia are definitely worth checking out. Any of the stanhopeas and coryanthes could qualify and are easy to grow, though i seem to be struggling with the latter.

I think psychopsis are beautifully weird. And the ghost orchid is totally odd - Leafless? Really?