Phragmipedium Hanne Popow X pearcei

This is a cross from Zepherus Orchids in Ontario. The light lilac coloration and general flower form is from the species P. pearcei and the reds in the pouch from Hanne Popow. Phrag. Hanne Popow (for those that don't already follow such things) is a cross between P. besseae x schlimii. The parentage means this cross has a love of water and can be grown in a "standard" Paph/Phrag mix. Mine sits in a saucer with water present at all times (the mix is wet, but coarse enough to allow some air into it.)

Phrags in general do not like a salts build up in the mix so I flush regularly with "pure" water (from our reverse osmosis unit.) I also fertilize once or twice a week with a fertilizer mix at 125ppm nitrogen mixed in pure water. If fertilizer build up occurs, it results in browning of the leaf tips.

This is the first blooming on this plant since I got it at a seedling.

Phalenopsis chibae

Phalenopsis chibae is a native from Vietnam. This one is mounted and grown in a south window away from direct sunlight. Once the inflorescence gets ready to bloom, I move the plant into the tank where it gets very high humidity (up to 95%+) and strong artificial light for 12 hours. It gets misted every 4 hours. Once the blossoms drop, I move it back to the windowsill. Without the high humidity, the advanced buds will merely drop without opening

The blossoms are approx. 1-1.2 cm across and the inflorescence has as many as 20-30 flowers.

Paph. gratrixianum X barbigerum 'Mini'

This little slipper orchid was purchased from Zephyrus Orchids in Ontario, Canada several years ago and grows in a 7cm (under 3") clear, slotted pot in Paph. mix. It has quite a large colony of fans and typically blooms a couple times each year. It would be a fine choice for windowsill growers with limited space and good light. It doesn't like full sun (I moved this into sun for the photo) or wet feet. Each watering is with MSU mix fertilizer for pure water mixed to 125ppm Nitrogen.

Tolumnia Tequila Sunrise

Tolumnias are actually equitant oncidiums and closely related to the normal oncidiums (or "Dancing Ladies") one would be more familiar with. They are native to the Caribbean Islands and grow attached to tiny limbs in the tops of hardwood trees. All of my Tolumnias grow in tiny thumb pots with chunk charcoal and are watered daily with a fertilizer solution that includes 125ppm Nitrogen. They also receive very bright light, in excess of 3,000 FCs and full sun when it shines.

The blossoms in the photo are lit from behind with full sunlight and the lighting on the right-hand blossom is supplemented with a small, hand-held LED light to fill in the shadows on the lower petals.

Dendrobium anosmum 2011

Dendrobium anosmum this year is early by about 1 month. Not sure why except the weather. The brown tips on the petals are from cold damage (the buds were close to a cold window) not typical when it blooms a bit later. The photos below are from a previous year.

February-March 2011

The relatively cool winter (with low temps around the orchids) and the brighter-than-normal sun, have resulted in some really great blossoms this spring. There are lots more in spike and I'll be adding images as they finally bloom.

 Phalenopsis Sogo Grape

 Tolumnia "Outstanding Beauty" (This is an unregistered hybrid).

Masd. Highland Monarch. This plant came from Ivan Komoda in Hawaii. It is relatively warm-tolerant (for a Masdevallia.)

Dendrobium moniliforme Tennyokan

Dendrobium moniliforme Tennyokan or "Heavenly Maiden" is a small Dendrobium from Japan. The D. moniliforme is the Japanese Stone Orchid and prefers rather strong light (2500-3500 foot-candles) and upwards of 60% humidity. Mine are grown under t5 florescent tubes at 85% humidity. I grow in fine bark in translucent slotted plastic pots. This cultivar has cream to lime-green leaves and pinkish blossoms. The blossoms are formed at the top of older, leafless canes. The plant stays under 4" tall.

Broughtonia cubensis

Broughtonia cubensis is a Cuban native cattleya-like sympodial epiphyte with lightly fragrant small blossoms. This is a second blooming for my plant. It grows in direct sun which is supplemented with a 65 watt compact florescent bulb for those dim days. I water/fertilize it daily.

Aerangis fastuosa

Aerangis fastuosa is a small epiphytic orchid from Madagascar. It is found in nature growing at relatively high elevations (3000 feet above sea-level or more) thus grows as an intermediate in home collections. I grow mine at high humidity with frequent automatic mistings and relatively low light (750-1000 foot candles). I tried higher light, but the leaves turned maroon color. You can see some of the residual coloring in the images above.

Amesiella monticola

This is a cool to warm growing species from the Philippines, growing at the edges of forests. It has a monopodial habit, with linear leathery leaves. It blooms in late winter and typically has up to 5 blossoms, nocturnally fragrant. I am growing this moist (at 90+ percent humidity) and fertilize/water daily with a solution of 125ppm nitrogen fertilizer in RO water. It is being grown at between 1000 and 1500 foot-candles florescent light for 12 hours winter and 15 hours summer.

Dendrobium moniliforme Mangetsu

This little Dendrobium is growing in a 2" pot with fine bark mix. The moniliforme Dendrobiums are just starting out of winter rest, thus the bloom. It grows under 12-13 hours of bright light close to the t5 fluorescents (approx 2000 foot-candles) and 90% humidity.

Aerangis punctata

Aerangis punctata is one of the Angraecoides originating from Madagascar. This recently described epiphytic orchid (1986) is found in the center of the island at about 4600 feet (1400m). It wants strong, diffused light (1200-2000 ft-candles), strong air movement at all times and rather high humidity. Best grown in a humidity-controlled environment.

Blooming Masdevallia

Masd. veitchiana 'Prince de Galle' x Masd. princeps



Masd. Maui Prince (Masd. tonduzil x Masd. princeps)

These are not in the tank, but up in my south window box. While these have nothing to do with growing and blooming orchids in the tank, I think they are beautiful, none-the-less. These are considered "warm-tolerant" Masd. (Masdevallia are in the Pleurothallis association and generally require cool temperatures for growth.) The Masd. I grow are mostly tolerant of temps up to the low 80s (F).

New Angraecoides

Just added 3 new Angraecoides to my collection. New in the tank are Aerangis fastuosa (well, not new - a replacement to one that crapped out!) and Aerangis punctata. Not in the tank (i.e. in my south window grow area) is Angraecum magdalenae. None of the three were purchased in spike. I will have to apply my gardening/growing skills to make this happen. But then, that's what this hobby is all about.

Bulbophyllum psychoon

As promised, here is the Bulbo in bloom. It originates in Laos where it grows in dim light on trees and at rather high moisture levels (misty.) I duplicate these conditions in the tank with 800, or so, foot-candles light, constant breeze and daily feeding.

Neofinetia falcata Onamisecai

Well, it has finally bloomed after 3 growing seasons in the tank. Let me remind you of the conditions: 1800+ foot-candles for 12-14 hours each day, 90+ percent humidity, misting every 4 hours, water/fertilizer daily, constant breeze and temperatures that range from lows in the 60s (F) in winter to highs in the 80s (F) in summer. There is no winter rest. All of these conditions are contrary to the recommended culture. The blossoms are nocturnally fragrant.

What's Happening in The Tank

In bloom right now:

Dendrobium aberrans has a single spike with 5 blossoms. Bulbophyllum psychoon is covered with spikes of smelly flowers - best display ever! Pleurothallis tribuloides has a moderate display of tiny red blossoms. Gastrochilus somai has a huge display with 3 spikes of blossoms opening progressively. All of the Haraella oderata (4 plants) have spikes.

New to me is a first time spike on the Neofinetia falcata Onamisecai. What's special is that Neos are supposed to have a cool to cold dry winter rest and supposedly they like to be set in pots of sphagnum. This one is mounted on a piece of driftwood, gets wetted or soaked, daily. It gets no winter rest, and at best, it gets 10 degrees of cooling (down to 70s from the summertime 80s). The spike is originating from the base of the most mature crown and appears to be setting 5-10 blossoms. There will be pictures posted here when the big event occurs. I'll also include the Bulbo display as well. Stay tuned...

Bulbophyllum psychoon in blossom

Bulbos typically have stinky flowers. This one is no exception, although not the worst I have smelled. It grows at very high humidity (in excess of 90%) under constant air movement and dim lighting (below 700 foot-candles.) It's home range is Vietnam.

Tank Update, March 2009

Yes, it's been a while since I updated this blog, so here is the latest status report on the orchids in the tank:





Dendrobium aberrans. This little fellow is found growing in the jungles of Papua New Guinea. It naturally grows in moss and enjoys rather high humidity. Mine is directly under the lights in the tank where it gets 1800+ foot-candles and 90+ percent humidity. It stays moist, but not dripping wet. The blossoms last for a very long time (a few months.) There is no fragrance.

Geting ready to bloom are:

Aerangis citrata
Aerangis fastuosa
Angraecum didieri
and
Haraella oderata

Tuberolabium kotoense in flower 11/18/08

Tuberolabium (used to be classified as Saccolabium) kotoense grows in trees on the Island of Taiwan. It is very difficult to bloom in captivity because of it's extreme cultural requirements. It needs to be very humid (almost constantly) yet the hanging roots need to dry off soon after watering. It needs to be warm and not too bright (say 1800 foot-candles light). It really needs a constant breeze, like a small fan blowing directly on it 24/7. These conditions cannot be met anywhere except on Taiwan :) or in a large wardian case, such as the one I described near the start of this blog. The flower spikes can take over 4 months to develop. Once the flower buds start to swell, however, it is less than a week till the lower ones (the first to develop) emerge. These spikes took approx 4 days from first buds to the state you see in these photos.

Culture for this plant in my tank: 90-95% humidity year round and 24 hours per day. Misting for 5 seconds every 4 hours. Temperatures range from summer range of low 70s at night to 80s during day and in winter (now) low 60s at night to high 70s day temps. In addition the plant is soaked in a solution of fertilizer water mixed to 125ppm nitrogen by volume every-other-day. This is year round (no winter rest). It is mounted on a slab or Port-Orford Cedar and it occasionally is sprayed for algae and gnats.

Tuberolabium kotoense is slightly fragrant - not the "heady - sweet fragrance of, say Cischweinfia sheehanae - but a mild fragrance difficult to describe. Not sure if nocturnally, it is stronger. Some of my plants are, but I'm not normally a night person to check on them.