House orchids

[Maren]

David,
that kovachii hybrid is a beauty. Well done. How many years did it take you from flask to flower?

[monocotman]

Maren,

Sorry - I missed your post.
It took about 3 years from a seedling bought from Ratcliffes.
This is its third growth although it tried to flower on its second.
I bit the bullet and cut off the spike then as the plant was not very strong.
Glad I did!
The flower incidentally is way better than the two from the same cross shown by the EYOF and awarded AM's by the RHS!
David

[Maren]

David,
of course it is! Who would doubt it.

[johnstephen29]

Paphiopedilum cultivar in flower, usually last till Christmas.

[ashley]

Can anyone suggest commercial sources of Thunia spp. (or hybrids) in Europe? 
Alternatively, if you grow them and could spare a keiki or length of dormant cane then please PM me.

[SteveC2]

I bought Thunia marshalliana and alba from Burnham's a few years back but they are not listing them now.  Might be worth an email though.   Wubben is listing alba and Gattonensis.

I thought that I would add some photos for those not familiar with Thunias but guess what I haven't taken many.  Here's a few though, wonderful, if short-lived flowers.

[ashley]

Thanks for those pointers Steve.  I had checked Burnham but forgot Wubben.

[monocotman]

Hi,

This the current set of orchids flowering indoors.
They are mainly grown on windowsills with some spending the summer
Outdoors or with the tomatoes in the cold greenhouse.
It is surprising what can be grown with a bit of time and effort.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/39664958@N03/vp2W9c

The tall red ones in the middle back are slipper orchids of the genus Phragmipedium.
They have done especially well this year.

Regards,

David

[ThomasB]

I bought a young plant of Chysis xSedenii almost 5 years ago, each year's pseudobulbs were larger than the former ones. This year there are 2 flowers - beautiful and quite worth the wait; I really like them. 

[john hodgson]

Spreading my wings a little from the hardy-ish pleiones I love, I've tried something rather smaller. In fact the blooms of Brasiliorchis schunkeanum are only about 8mm wide and are - to my mind - marvels in miniature. They appear black, but only when brightly lit do they show their true deep burgundy colour. Not eye-catchers on the show bench, but I like them!

[fermi de Sousa]

..... They appear black, but only when brightly lit do they show their true deep burgundy colour. Not eye-catchers on the show bench, but I like them!

They have a certain appeal, John!
People who like black flowers would love them,
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

Spreading my wings a little from the hardy-ish pleiones I love, I've tried something rather smaller. In fact the blooms of Brasiliorchis schunkeanum are only about 8mm wide and are - to my mind - marvels in miniature. They appear black, but only when brightly lit do they show their true deep burgundy colour. Not eye-catchers on the show bench, but I like them!

Little crackers - and  another plant I know nothing about, like  Thomas B's Chysis xSedenii   

[TC]

I bought a Cymbidium at a knock down price of £3.00 from Soleburn nursery last year.  It was in flower and after flowering I kept it outdoors until November, then in a cold greenhouse and finally indoors in January.  It looked healthy and I had just about given up on flowering when it suddenly started producing 4 flower spikes.  The result can be seen from the pictures.  I will have to split it up after flowering as it is becoming more suitable as a conservatory plant instead of sitting like a shrub on the sideboard.  Cultivation seems to be no more that keeping it moist and an occasional feed followed by benign neglect.   MY KIND OF PLANT !

[Roma]

Encyclia cochleata is still flowering.  Only three flowers just now.  The maximum number open at one time has been six.  It will stop flowering soon and a flowering stem will shoot up from the new pseudobulb which grew this year.
I bought this one in Homebase some time ago £7 reduced from £14.  The care label in the pot says Odontoglossum -don't think so.  The label stuck on the pot says 'Cambria mix in Ceramic'.  It's always good when an impulse buy survives and even better when it reflowers.  So bright and cheerful at this time of year.

[Erwinia]

The red looks like Oncidopsis/Burrageara Nelly Isler. That colour certainly is lightening up a dull novembre morning.