Why so few Coryanthes?
 

For a long time Coryanthes has been high on my list of things to try, but I have yet to actually see one irl. I've never seen one available online either (with any European dealer, that is).
It's spectacular in and out of bloom, smells good, and so on.
Why is it so rare in the trade?
Export restrictions, incredibly difficult culture?

I guess that the trouble is that Coryanthes do not survive in our greenhouses over a longer time.
We have had an expert grower in the Botanical Garden of Heidelberg. He grew them successfully. A scientist analyzed the fragrance and described new species.
Years ago seedlings were also raised and sold by Kenntner in Steinheim, Germany. Many were exported overseas.
By chance I discussed the demands for Coryanthes 2 weeks ago with an experienced grower, who before disputed this topic with the retired grower in Heidelberg.
I am not convinced that you have to water Coryanthes every other week with diluted formic acid. But they are epiphytes of ant gardens par excellance and thus need a fresh well aerated medium. And the grower emphasized the demand of temperatures above 20°C in the pot year round for growing well, which sounds convincing to me.

Thanks for the info!
I'd better wait until I get a greenhouse then...

Today I got the info that Coryanthes profit from a high dosage of Kalium.

I have been fascinated by this genus (as well as Gengora, Cycnoches, Stanhopea, etc.) for a long time. If my very limited orchid budget wasn't so focused right now on FL natives and leafless, I would definitely give one a try, for the challenge of it. A quick search of eBay turned up eight different species of Coryanthes currently for sale, so they are out there.

I just got one yesterday for $5 at my fav orchid place. No I don't know much about them, but I hear it's possible to grow inside. It was only $5 so I had to give it a try. The tag says : coryanthes acranthes x sib
https://flic.kr/p/rT7EVR
https://flic.kr/p/sPJ4Qo.

I got a macrantha at Redland. Water here is very hard/alkaline when rains aren't doing the watering, and RO isn't an option. So I've tried putting some oak leaves around the top, and am encouraging ants around. I gave it a horse turd too (ants should like that if nothing else). Can't tell much after only a week, but it looks like an already initiated new growth is progressing a little.

I just got my coryanthes and I had repotted it bc my environment is very dry. I put some small lava rocks on the bottom half of the pot and pure sphagnum moss on the upper half. It had what I guessed to be a small growth but now I don't think it is. It's growing downward and it's not plumping up. I propped it on a lava rock so it's not buried in the moss ( I am afraid it may rot? ) I think it's a spike?! I cannot take credit for this spike but I am still so excited :D