Drymoanthus minutus in spike and bloom

[unhappykat]

Hello All,

I purchased this species as a flask about 2 years ago from the Troy Meyers Conservatory. The seedlings ranged from 1/2 - 1 1/4 inch when they were taken out of the baggies and were all mounted onto little cork nuggets and set in a shady wall of the greenhouse. I water and feed these year round and they are given the same light needed to grow Phalaenopsis violacea and Aerangis hyaloides (wall buddies). My temps hover around 64F minimum during the winter and max out around 95 during the summer highs (I try to keep it under 90 but it does jump up during the hottest days).

This last winter I noticed that several of the larger plants, 5 in total, were growing little green nubs along the stems and I have been watching them develop for the last 6 months with painfully slow progress. In that last 3 weeks the first couple of buds started to pop open and I was able to take a picture of the largest plant a few days ago.

The leaf span is just under 3 inches, measuring from the longest points, and the blooms are less than a 1/4 inch. Not sure if this species is a sequential bloomer or simultaneous but I will be watching for more flowers to open and update this post if it fills in. There are 24+ spikes present on this plant and more seem to be emerging along the lowest and upper most leaf axils still.

Has anyone had experience with this little species or its relatives? Would like to know how you grow it and see some pictures of it in your collection.

-Edwin

[AussieVanda]

Yay! Not only is it an Aussie but it's one of my local orchid species. Normally it is a rainforest species and very hard to spot due to its size. It likes branches and commonly found near waterways.

[wintergirl]

Really cool plant with all those spikes. So healthy too, sorry I don't have one.