How many of you grow multiple of the same plant?
 

I was just wondering, b/c I was considering of getting another Vanda Coerulea from a different vendor. I wonder how many of you on this forum grow the same plant but with more than 1 b/c the color, form, growing style ect. was different. Why do you chose to get more than one of the same plant. Does anyone with not a lot of growing space do this?

It is rare for me to have more than one of the same plant ... simply lack the space to do so. The exceptions are:

• When I've made divisions and am growing them up a bit/getting them established before selling or trading them off.
• So I could experiment with different growing conditions in which case the extra serves as "backup" in case I lose the "guinea pig".
• The plant is a micro mini that I decide to grow in a couple different locations in my planted terraria.

I am growing 2 seedlings of Vanda coerulea right now from the same vendor. I plan on giving one as a gift though. I have seen pictures of ones with longer flower petals than others but both Vanda coerulea. I could see having one of each if you have the room.

I grow multiples of some orchids. Sometimes, I grow them because they are different clones or siblings that look different and sometimes I grow two from different vendors because I am trying for a fragrant clone. Then there are the orchids that I buy multiples just because I really love them and I just want more than one. :)
I am also one of those people with very limited space. I think my next (and last) orchid is going to have to be in a one inch pot. :|

I have two Lc. Mari's songs that I won on eBay within the same auction.
My original thought on that was "oooo two for the price of one"
What the seller often does is sell/auction two together if they're younger, but sell one plant per auction if they're within a year of blooming, at least for the compact orchids.. Not quite sure on the bigger ones.

Now that I have them, I figure I might place them in different areas.. or as a newbie, at least be able to keep one if the other goes downhill...

If I can, I keep a keiki or a division of my favorites.

As long as space is available, you never know when some disaster might strike one of them and I like to have a back up.

I also like to experiment with different growing methods.

Maureen

I do occasionally to try plants in different locations. I have a thread somewhere around here on some Leptotes bicolor I did it with. I'll dig it up later.

Absolutely! If there is a species or hybrid I love, I may want several forms of it. If there is a specific clone that I am fond of, I do like to have at least 2 plants, one for backup. Someone generously sent me several large divisions of a clone that I had wanted for years. I put a few in baskets and a few I mounted, I gave some away and kept 2 for myself.

I really don't like having duplicates, mostly because it just doesn't appeal to me having two too similar plants.

I can see and appreciate the logic behind having backups of your favourite clones/species, it's just not for me.


BUT (there's always a but), of course I have exceptions:

5 Phalaenopsis equestris (2 'blue lip', 'apari', 'apari pink', and aurea).

4 Paphiopedilum appletonianum (appletonianum, cerveranum, "robinsonii", and hainanense. These all have rahter different foliage, although their flowers are very similar).

4 Paphiopedilum rothschildianum (all four from different vendors, and none blooming size. The funny part; I don't even know if I can flower them!).

Then I have some unplanned doublets, where I bought one, and then later on, received the same species as a freebie. In one case, Paph schoseri, that's great since I've almost killed the one I bought originally. The other case, Paph venustum var. alba, is also okay, since I love venustum.

This past summer I snapped off all my dendrobium kingianum keikis and reported them. I will prob continue to do this because the D. Kingianum is my fav orchid and I feel I can never have enough. Also hoping to have a speciman size plant one day