Ansellia africana first bloom

[stefpix]

I got it from Nia's orchids on ebay in January 2010, it finally bloomed for the first time. it can withstand draught, water, full sun. It does not grow superfast but it keeps growing, never a dead pseudobulb. seems one of the strongest orchids. I keep in on a southern window diring the cold monts and outside in full sun part of the day when it is warm. I originally potted in a broken coconut husk, now i just fill the holes with some bark, lava rock and scraps.

Subtotal: $7.24
Shipping and handling via US Postal Service Priority Mail: $8.50
Total: $15.74

[GardenTheater]

Wow, it's doing great. Very cool blooms!

[Lagoon]

Seems like a great buy, lovely cool flowers. I really like the look of the plant too, Nice!

[ASP]

It looks great!
I hope mine flower sometime soon, they just seem to like producing tons of keikis and new growths. Winter is coming so I will cut right back in the water.

[stefpix]

Mine has not produced any keikis. it has 4 new growths coming out now so i will not cut down on water or fertilizer. I think it may have had less water in the summer as it was hanging far out on my fire escape so probably got less water. ASP, how tall is yours? when I bought it it said on the ebay page that it was not blooming size yet and that Ansellias have to get large before they bloom.

[Gage]

Wow what a great deal, and beautiful blooms! Is that a seagrape in that last picture? You can grow that in regular soil, preferably sandy soil. They are very tough trees.

[stefpix]

Gage, that is a Coccoloba uvifera I started from seed. I defoliated that one to get smaller leaves. I have a larger one. They are not fast growing but I love the leaves. I saw some in Mexico growing as ground cover on sand or shrubs and as large trees 100 yards back with beautiful bark and a stout trunk. Anyway I remember no on e placed a bid on that Ansellia. the Sea grape is growing in eg soil with some compost and perlite. but some pine bark on top to keep moisture. On the roof (5 floors up) it is hotter, windier and drier. plants can dry fast

[ASP]

I suppose the canes are about 7 or 8 inches tall- the var. alba is much squatter but apparently they tend to be more compact. I've only had them about six months and seem to have put all their energy into keikis rather than getting taller ! How tall would you say yours is?
They are in a south window so get lots of sun. I would have put them out in the summer but the slugs are everywhere and ravenous this year.
I used to see them growing wild and in gardens as I grew up in east africa, they get huge and break branches!

[stefpix]

flower bearing cane is about 18 / 19" tall just measured. do you have any photos of those in Africa? were those in full sun?

I saw Myrmecophylas (formerly Schomburgkias) in Mexico and they were growing under the canopy of Red Mangroves and yet had tall spikes. SO probably they can bloom with less sun as stated. I wonder if the same is true for ansellia.
Coffee grounds/ coffee solution is a repellent / killer for slugs/snails. you could probably mix some coffee grounds on your plants soil/ mix to keep slugs away

[ASP]

I don't have any photos but I am hoping to get some as i am going to visit family in a few months.
They definitely grow and flower under deep shade as I've seen them in large fig trees along rivers. The canopy is very dense and it is much cooler. But then less than a mile away they grow in full sun in very arid, dry conditions. I suppose being in the northern hemisphere the preoccupation we seem to have with light is obsessive !
I grow Myrmecophila too, next to the Ansellia and we are about to move to a smaller house!!
Ive heard that they don't like coffee, I shall have to experiment.