Re: Orchids summer\autumn 2008

[WimB]

Thanks everybody,

Maggi is going to send me one ordered with Thompson and Morgan.
A very big thank you to Maggi. 

[Craig]

Another favourite of mine ! (so much favouritism of late!)
Pterostylis coccina. If anybody knows how these lil fellas decide whether to flower or make a leaf rosette, I'd love to know.

Best Wishes,

Craig

[Paul Cumbleton]

I also grow the Pecteilis radiata that Craig illustrated and think it is a most beautiful thing the way that it resembles a bird in flight. I grow it in with the Pleiones and treat it exactly the same as them. It has the advantage that if happy, the tubers multiply fairly quickly to build a good potful. This year I had around 25 flowering stems. Watch out for aphids which seem to love this plant and can quickly ruin it! A couple of pictures are shown below.

Another Habenaria that has flowered for me for the first time this year is Habenaria davidii. Green flowered orchids are not to everyones taste but I love this one, especially with the lacerated lip making such a feature. Treatment seems to be the same again - treat it like a Pleione.

[Maggi Young]

Super photos, Paul....what a treat. Thanks for the cultivation advice too.

[Craig]

Oh Paul !  I've gone the same colour as the H.davidii flowers! What great character these flowers have. Fabulous photos too.
I thought I was growing this species this year but ended up with Habenaria balfouriana (pic. in previous post).Do you mind telling us where you got it ? It's just gone to the top of my must have list.

Thanks for the cultural advice too. I've been growing Pecteilis radiata in alternate layers of Kanuma and sphagnum sitting in a resevoir of about 1cm of water. Its really interesting to hear they can be grown like Pleiones. I have Habenaria medusa just starting to flower, growing in a Pleione type mix but indoors. Will post some photos soon.

Wim, I'm very pleased to see you'll be getting your Egrets. Maggie, if you have any problem with Thompson and Morgen let me know.

Best Wishes,

Craig

[Maggi Young]

Craig, thanks...I'm not expecting the delivery until November, from what they say on the website.
I don't, as a rule, hold with birds in captivity, but these Egrets are an exception!!

[Slug Killer]

Can anyone identify this Habenaria please?

[Gerhard Raschun]

One of my favourites flowering : Pecteilis radiata. The Japanese call it  Sagi-so, which translates as Egret grass !

 is it hardy, Craig?

I have grown this P. radiata about 10 years outside here in the south of Austria in 6b.But outside the plants disappear slowly.The reason is, that plants start growing very late in the year, bloom in October and get in rest with the first froozen temperatures in the same month.So the growing season is too short to grow big tubers....

I suggest to grow this species indoor while the winter season.

[Craig]

David, it looks like Habenaria malleifera. You might be interested to have a look at this link:

http://www.ukorchidforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=5121

Here's another Habenaria flowering at the moment, H.medusa a south east Asian species, far from hardy but easily grown on a windowsill the last two years and tooo beautiful not to post here. Flowers are about 7.5cm across

[Maggi Young]

Craig, your pic of H. medusa is stunning! Never seen it before.... LOVE IT!

[Slug Killer]

Hi Craig, thanks for the ident. I also have H.medusa but not anywhere near flowering. Fantastic picture.

Thanks

David

[Paul T]

Just caught up with the last bit of this topic (since I last posted)...... Oh My Goodness.  What stunners.  I hope they make it to Australia one of these decades.  Beautiful! 

[Eric Locke]

 Habenaria Carnea
Another nice terrestial orchid from S E Asia that requires indoor culture .
This one has very decorative leaves with long-lasting flowers at this time of year.
Carnea goes dormant in early winter and emerges again in spring.
I grow these in a similar mix to Pleione.

Eric

[Maggi Young]

Eric, this is a stunner! Where do you garden ?

[Eric Locke]

Hello Maggi

Glad you like Carnea.
It is certainly a favourite of mine and is not difficult either.
My home is in the beautifull Buckinghamshire Chilterns.

Eric