Rhynchostylis retusa x coelestis flowered after 3 years!

[Fairorchids]

Originally Posted by flexdc

Hey Fairorchids
When this orhcid was purchased about 7 years ago, it was in full bloom and it bloomed on and off in those years. Surely it is mature no?

It is blooming size, but not mature. I have several giganteas, which I bought about 10 years ago. They are now large enough, that they are starting to grow keikis from the base.

All my photos are close-ups of flowers, so I can't show you one of my own plants for reference. However, I took a photo of a Krull-Smith plant at the 2008 WOC in Miami. That is a plant approaching mature status (notice, it has no keikis yet).

The plant is growing for you, but based on Rhy gigantea requirements (= drying out between waterings), I am guessing that the SH treatment might be holding it back from reaching it's potential.

2nd clue: I just got 10 seedlings in from Carmela. They grow all their Cattleyas in plastic pots in a bark mix, but their Rhy gigantea seedlings are in pure sphagnum & small clay pot (= drying out faster).

[Tindomul]

Wow awesome flowers. I'm glad you didn't chuck it.

[flexdc]

Hey Fairchild can you explain the dry out reference?
My plant is doing actually better in S.H than before, cause I can't do daily watering

[Picotee]

Glad it's doing well. It's a beauty. Love these!

[Fairorchids]

Rhy gigantea has large fleshy leaves and very thick roots, so in terms of watering it should be treated as a succulent (=Cattleya). A mature plant should have leaves 12-14" long, and 3-4" wide; yes, that is 2'+ overall width.

I can't do daily watering either. I rent space in a greenhouse, where we water twice a week April to November, and once a week during the winter. I have also rigged a sprinkler with an electronic timer, so we can maintain high humidity.

My large giganteas are in 8" hexagonal Vanda baskets with a mix of 50% sphagnum & 50% medium bark. I am testing some in all bark; some did well and one is doing poorly. My smaller giganteas are in 6" hexagonal baskets with 75/25 mix.

This allows me to drench them on Saturdays, and they slowly dry out during the week. With this treatment, they are doing very well.

[RosieC]

Really pretty!