House Orchids 2013

[Graham Catlow]

A couple in flower at the moment.

Vasco. 'Thai Sky'
Vanda 'Siam Ink' (dark)

[Graham Catlow]

At the start of this thread I listed a number of orchids I had available to interested parties. One was a Dendrobium kingianum hybrid. It had never flowered and was rather large for the windowsill.
I don't know if the threat of disposing of it has brought it into flower or the fact that I put it outside after the frosts had gone in the Spring and didn't bring it back in until the first frosts arrived a few weeks ago, (the latter obviously).
Unfortunately my wife and daughter think the scent is too overpowering and is rather disgusting. The solution was to take it to my office at work and enjoy it there.

Dendrobium kingianum hybrid.

[Maggi Young]

At the start of this thread I listed a number of orchids I had available to interested parties. One was a Dendrobium kingianum hybrid. It had never flowered and was rather large for the windowsill.
I don't know if the threat of disposing of it has brought it into flower or the fact that I put it outside after the frosts had gone in the Spring and didn't bring it back in until the first frosts arrived a few weeks ago, (the latter obviously).
Unfortunately my wife and daughter think the scent is too overpowering and is rather disgusting. The solution was to take it to my office at work and enjoy it there.

Dendrobium kingianum hybrid.

Crikey! That's impressive.
I love the scent - sadly mine has gone to the great compost heap in the sky- or it would have if I got around to removing its corpse from the side of the kitchen window.....

[Graham Catlow]

Hi Maggi,
I have a small pot of offsets I will let you have in the Spring when we meet at one of the shows.

Graham

[Maggi Young]

That's kind Graham - but is it wise? Ian says I have serial killer tendencies these days toward my houseplants......

[Roma]

Got round to taking some pictures today.  Encyclia vitellina has been flowering for a while.  I have had it since 1986 and it has never increased.  It produces one new pseudobulb and one flower spike every year as it gradually moves across the pot.
I don't have a name for the dark red one.
The hybrid Masdevallia produces a few flowers annually but only one or two at a time.  I bought 2 for 50p each a few years ago.  They had finished flowering but were still healthy looking plants.
   

[meanie]

 or the fact that I put it outside after the frosts had gone in the Spring and didn't bring it back in until the first frosts arrived a few weeks ago, (the latter obviously).


Dendrobium kingianum hybrid.

That's the trick. A cool spell coupled to the shorter daylight hours of autumn followed by a move indoors simulates the spring conditions that they respond to (stating the obvious I know!).
It's a very resilient species. I boxed my large one off to post, but the recipient never came back to me with an address. It sat in the shed for three months before I opened it up to find a mass of keikis.

Here's my Phal "Yu Pin Pearl" which has bloomed for the best part of two years on one spike. This is the new spike that it has also thrown up..............................

[monocotman]

This year Phragmipedium 'La Hougette' is making quite a show.
Three spikes that flower sequentially over several months but never have more than two flowers out at a time.
Usually it is only one.
This a wet growing plant that sits in water year round rather like sarracenias.
Regards,
David

[GordonT]

Got round to taking some pictures today.  Encyclia vitellina has been flowering for a while.  I have had it since 1986 and it has never increased.  It produces one new pseudobulb and one flower spike every year as it gradually moves across the pot.
I don't have a name for the dark red one.
The hybrid Masdevallia produces a few flowers annually but only one or two at a time.  I bought 2 for 50p each a few years ago.  They had finished flowering but were still healthy looking plants.
   

Hi Roma, I may have the name for your dark red plant: I think it is Colmanara Wildcat 'Red Cat'. I have another cultivar of Colmanara Wildcat that is soon to bloom. I'll see about adding a photo once it opens.

[Roma]

Thanks, Gordon.  I don't remember if it came with a name but if it did, Colmanara does not ring a bell.  It may have been that amazing species/hybrid which comes in many forms .....Mixed orchids