Here's a visual update of a mounted Neofinetia falcata 'Shutennou' with a series of buds as they appear today. One of them is days, if not hours, away from opening.
I bought this well-established falcata back in December and am fortunate that it has chosen to reward me with a spike like this so soon. I see 7 buds in there, 4 of which are actively separating and extending their spurs. The others will be following suit in a few days.
Two things are unusual about this plant:
First, I bought it already mounted to a locally obtained moon snail shell - with a small tuft of sphagnum packed around its base. There are 3 small holes drilled into the shell so yes, it does drain. I was initially reluctant to buy a plant where the root system was so tightly packed and lodged into a place where I couldn't really gauge its health. But, it has been putting out new aerial roots and adding leaves to each of its 3 fans so I figure it must be happy.
Second, despite the tag which is clearly marked 'Shutennou', I have some doubt as to whether this is accurate. For one thing, the leaves are much thicker and have much more of a twisted, distorted look to them than the typical Neofinetia falcata var. 'Shutennou', and the growth pattern is less like a shaggy tuft and more like a classically monopodial vanda. Then there's the profuse ruby/purple pigmentation which is seen (perhaps not in the photos here) splashed over the leaves and all along the spine. Lastly, I am noticing that the spurs are short, pink, and curly-cued. Other Shutennou buds I have seen have much longer, gracefully curved spurs that do not curl back anywhere near this much.
I am wondering if this Neo has been hybridized with something else - Ascofinetia or Vanda maybe? What does everyone else think?
Mounted Neo 'shutennou' buds
Linear Mode
