House Orchids 2022

[GordonT]

Happy New Year, everyone! We wish you a bountiful year ahead, full of botanical delights.

This recently acquired seedling of Cycnoches warscewiczii (isn't that a mouthful? "Sick-no-keys var-se-veitch-ee-eye") started off our year, with a sole male flower, filling the sun room with a scent like Pineapple, Vanilla and Guava). It isn't hard to see why members of this genus are known as the "Swan Orchids"



With any luck, 2022 will see this plant grow large with food, and produce a chain of blooms in autumn (don't know if we'll be able to handle the fragrance of multiple blooms!). Until then, we are happy to enjoy its first effort.

[Nik]

That is so elegant looking, Gordon!

Here is my intermediate orange Cymbidium today. It is underperforming this winter. Only 3 spikes with 14 buds total. A bit disappointing.. it produced several spikes during the summer outside and those always fail to develop properly. I imagine most energy went into those.
I have very hard time capturing the velvety nature of the lip with my phone.

[GordonT]

Nik, I like the colour of your Cymbidium. Sadly, Cymbidiums are not commonly available here anymore. There was a time when you could count on seeing a plant or two for sale at certain supermarkets, or big box hardware stores, but those days are long gone.

You might want to try adding some epsom salts into your watering for the plants. Apparently Cymbidiums and Phalaenopsis can benefit from the added magnesium, resulting in higher bud counts on flower spikes.

[Nik]

You might want to try adding some epsom salts into your watering for the plants. Apparently Cymbidiums and Phalaenopsis can benefit from the added magnesium, resulting in higher bud counts on flower spikes.

Gordon, I think you must be right. This year I did not use any magnesium sulfate (in contrast to previous years). Interestingly, only my intermediate Cymbidiums appear to be affected by it. My standard ones are doing great… for whatever reason. Here is an example with one of the spikes of my standard yellow hybrid. It is almost 1 m long and has 18 buds which are about to start opening. I will also post a picture when they fully open.

[cristoff]

Wow, great blooms everyone. Great start to the year.

I have here a first time blooming of Phragmipedium Acker's Lovely. You can see the heavy influence of schlimii in this cross.
A good candidate for anyone looking to try growing Phrags as the plants are quite small and don't take up a lot of room.

[Nik]

Almost there. On a very cold winter day, they are like a spot of sunshine inside the room.

[GordonT]

Nik, I envy your cymbidiums. When we first returned to Nova Scotia, we could find them seasonally at a few local sources (supermarket 15 minutes away, and a big box hardware store about two hours drive from home). Neither source carries them anymore, and specialized mail order nurseries rarely have them in stock due to their size. It is nice to see your plants blooming in the dead of winter!

[Nik]

Same here, Gordon. All of my cymbidiums were purchased from grocery stores many years ago. I have not seen them anywhere in the recent past. I love that they bloom this time of year. January and February is the peak for our conditions. And they last about 3 months if not cut (about a month and a half when cut) to cheer us up during the coldest time of the winter.

[Nik]

Finally fully opened. One more spike with 17 buds about to start opening on this one.

[Nik]

My giant green one is also beginning to put on a good show.

[Nik]

I accidentally broke one spike near the top. Salvaged as a cut flower without stem on the dining table.

[Nik]

This one is almost in full display now. Individual flowers are more than 10 cm wide.

[Nik]

Not the best winter in orchid blooming indoors, but not bad either…

[Maggi Young]

Not the best winter in orchid blooming indoors, but not bad either…

  Not bad at all!!

[ashley]

Fine plants Nik, beautifully grown