Orchids Winter 2009

[Slug Killer]

Hi Joakim

Nice to see the Orchis in the wild. I've got a few coming through and should bloom this year for the first time in the garden.

Tried to get a close up today of Cyp debile so that I can see what I'm doing when pollinating and learnt a clever trick for getting very close (by accident). The image below was actually out of focus in the view finder but I set the aperture to F32 and it came out well. The main problem was the amount of movement which meant shutting all windows, louvre and doors of the greenhouse and using the camera on timer. Took about 5 shots to get this one.

[Michael]

Very impressive Corybas, Craig!
Well done, i have a friend that grows them too, and she told me they are delicate... I wishthey could clump faster!

And that cyp is really amazing Dave, never could imagine one cyp that size. Wondering what "prey" it captures to pollination

[Craig]

Great photo Dave. Now you can clearly see your first target for the toothpick at least, & there are four of them so you're spoilt for choice! Locating the stigma might require surgery but be brave. I had a go at pollinating the Corybas earlier today - a tricky & brutal affair involving a hand lens complete decapitation. Hopefully it will all be worth it.

Michael - that Coelogyne is quite a specimen,  the smell must be fabulous. How long have you been growing it & do you keep it completely dry over the winter or not ?

[Michael]

Hi Craig. Well the smell is very delicate and light, some people say that there are a few cristata clones that smel bad, but mine is very very far from that!

I also find this clone odd asthe flower spikes start on October and only open on middle of March, 2 weeks later than most other cristatas that i see around.

I have been groing this one around 12 years (i still remember the day i brought it home!) and it does not require any special attention. On winter i water it once a week, and if it rains, it gets even more water. It never roted for me and is one of the easiest to maintain. You just need to be carefull with new growths and emerging flowerspikes that are extremely brittle. When in flower, make sure you never spray the flowers or let them get wet, or the next day they will become spotted!

This plant also dislikes the heat, i tried to grow it on the warm greenhouse, and it barely flowered in there. So i put it outside again, and it does ok!

[Oron Peri]

More Ophrys in bloom at the moment:

O. iricolor, O. bornmuelleri, O. apifera, O. fuciflora.

[Anthony Darby]

Wonderful to see. 

[Tony Willis]

Oron

absolutely super,thank you

[Michael]

Very nice Ophrys section!
Rob, do i spot a Sarracenia, next to your O. morissii? 


I got some more miniatures blooming at the moment:
Phalaenopsis lobbii

[Michael]

And one of the tiniest orchids i grow, wich is unfortunately very difficult to photograph... Pleurothallis schiedei.

[galahad]

Nothing to do with alpines but my Stanhopea tigrina in flower at the moment.  Moved inside for the winter.  Strongly scented spicy rose (unortunately)

[Craig]

Cracking stuff one & all
Can't find the words to tell you how much I love your Stanhopea, Galahad. Bugs from outer space Enjoy them while they last. What kind of watering regime do you give this one?

[galahad]

It stays outside from spring to about nowish.  Poor thing only gets water once week in the weekends (occasionally more if it has been super dry).  I was hoping S. impressa would flower this year as well but maybe next year.

[Tony Willis]

I mentioned some time ago I had a few ophrys self seeding in the greenhouse.The first has flowered. A poor picture but best I could do.It is growing in a cyclamen graecum pot

[Maggi Young]

Orchids do seem to really love to find a friend to set up home with     This must be a great answer to those who agonise about the difficulties of growing orchids from seed..... get them growing well enough to set seed and let nature take its course!   At least it can be easier to get the two plants out into their own pots again when the "cuckoo" is a little larger than it is to get self-sown  Dactylorhiza seedlings out of path cracks or congested troughs.  I haven't any Ophrys, or I'd be hoping for this happy seed accident myself!!

[Anthony Darby]

What species is it Tony? I can't see the face of the flower as it seems to be looking skywards?