Need recommendation for miniature bulbo
 

The best thing I like about orhid shows is no shipping charges. I've never owned a bulbo before but a member of OB has gotten me hooked. Can anyone recommend some miniature bulbo that meet the following:

Doesn't stink
Fat and round/oval psuedobulbs (they aware super cute)
Short and succulent leaves.
Not fussy about the environment.

Right now I'm thinking ambrosia although it doesn't have fat psuedobulbs.

Thanks!

Not really fat pseudobulbs, but Bulbophyllum pardolatum is a tough little weed, definitely not fussy.

Look at Andy's Orchids web site. I bought one from him that is adorable. I am not at home today but will look up the name when I am. I think the species name began with an a. I was told it had yellow flowers, but don't know about the smell. The bulbs are about a quarter inch tall. It's mounted and growing like crazy

Also have a small one from Andy from about 4 yrs ago on same plaque-Bulbo.(cirrhopetalum)sulfureum. Easy to grow(don't you just hate it when people say that!).Small,round pbulbs,yellow flowers with many "fingers",zero fragrance,leaves about 2" long.

Bulb ambrosia gets pretty rambly before it's big enough to bloom. When I got rid of mine it had overgrown and was encompassing a 10" net basket and it still wasn't blooming all that well yet. Plus, the growths are good 1" apart and it rambled...not a compact or neat grower at all.

I would recommend any of the following. They don't ramble so easy to contain in a pot or on a small mount and they bloom easily on small plants.

• tingarbarinium
• plummatum (will be big but bloom very well on small plants)
• miniatum
• triste
• frostii
• lasiochilum
• laxiflorum - some can be a tad rambly but not bad and they bloom beautifully on small-ish plant.
• odoratissium
• othonis
• sikkimense
• cupreum

I'm sure there are some others...just can't think of them right now.

Of those that I'm growing and/or have grown in the past these typically bloom very well on small plants and/or never get overly large anyway. They are/were all fairly easy growers and none of them smelled bad. Some might be a little "off" if you stuck your nose in them but you couldn't smell them unless you got super close...even then not much smell. A few smelled nice. I don't remember which...just remember some did.

FWIW - many bulbos require a good deal more light than most people talk about. I grew/grow most in cattleya level light.

Here is the name of the one I got from Andy's Orchids is
Bulbophyllum alagense (small form), but it's RHS name is Bulbophyllum mucronatum. It is on Andy's website under alagense.

Wow, where did you get yours from because it looks like most of them are not on Andy's list

---------- Post added at 04:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:28 PM ----------

Carrie,

Bulbo alagense looks a lot like Taiwanese. Do they take over the mount or pot? They look so tiny.

Some of the places where I've purchased bulbos (and other plants!) over the years...

Andy's has already been mentioned.

Catalog-Bulbophyllum-Alliance

J&L Orchids ~ Catalog Product List

Tropical Orchid Farm Catalog

I've also bought some from Windswept in Time Orchids up around Cleveland. He doesn't have a website but if you google him you can find a number and call Edgar and Kim. Edgar and Kim have quite a lot of unusual or not often seen things so the bulbos will easily find travel companions. ;)

I'm sure there are more...but like w/the names of the bulbos...I can't think of them right now.

Jackie, It is mounted and quite lush. The pbulbs are pretty close together and quite small which makes it cover the mount almost completely (more so in time, of course). it also hangs from the end of the mount a bit. I haven't bloomed it yet, but it is supposed to be a "continual" bloomer. Based on the entries above, I put it into a bit more light which might do the trick. I haven't had it long - since April.