Orchids

Russellaqua · Jan 24, 2011

Just thought I'd share a few pics of my orchids. I don't have many, and they're all quite easy varieties to care for. The ones I have are similar in care to african violets. These are the blooms the plants came with. I just started with them a few months ago so they haven't had time to re-bloom yet.

Phalaenopsis Sogo Gotris 'Flora Ark'- a miniature variety

Phalaenopsis Flora 'Gigi'- another miniature

Beallara Pacific Treasures 'Everything Nice'

Paphiopedilum (Paph. Onyx x Paph. Hsinying Citron)

Wy Renegade · Jan 24, 2011

Very nice, I love the Paphs myself - especially the ones with the more red/maroon look, rather than the all green. Just an FYI, the Paphs like to be wetter than the Phalaenopsis, especially when they are blooming.

gflat65 · Jan 24, 2011

I'm a Paph fan, too. I don't have even one at the moment, but would like to find one again. I had a few different types (some mottled, some not). I used to have around 60 orchids, but lost a lot of them when I moved (they were left at one of my wife's family members house and didn't get watered while sitting out in the heat of the sun...). Only about 20-30 now, but love them just the same. They can be addicting. Five years or so ago, Lowe's would discount all Orchids after they lost their blooms to $2-3. Now they just mark them in half, but I used to pick out the ones I wanted while in bloom, then wait for the blooms to fall off and negotiate a deal;). I've started buying some of the mini orchids lately (tiny Oncidiums, etc.).

Russellaqua · Jan 24, 2011

I'm a big fan of minis and absolutely love Paphs. I also have an Ascocenda that isn't pictured here because it has yet to bloom. It's one of those orchids in a bag from Lowe's that was discounted down to 10 cents. Just needed a little water. There's one NOID Phal in my collection that was a gift from my mother-in-law too, so I have 6 orchids currently. I really only want 1 more orchid, a Neofinetia falcata. Not any of the hybridized ones, just a pure species of the wind orchid. Here's a full shot of my Paph:

bulkhead · Jan 25, 2011

Orchids were my passion before my reef tank. Now they are pretty neglected... <guilt ridden>

SaraB · Jan 25, 2011

bulkhead said:
Orchids were my passion before my reef tank. Now they are pretty neglected... <guilt ridden>

LOL, same here!!! I used to have about 50 and I'm down to about 5 myself from neglect!

bulkhead · Jan 25, 2011

SaraB said:
LOL, same here!!! I used to have about 50 and I'm down to about 5 myself from neglect!

I had about 250 and I'm down to about 50 and the count is dropping quickly w/ the cold weather in FL (+ my laziness) :/

Russellaqua · Jan 25, 2011

Mine all live indoors. I've contemplated bringing them outside when the weather is right, but I also have an african violet collection and don't want to potentially introduce any pests. Treating the 6 orchids wouldn't be too bad, but treating 25 or so violets could be really miserable so I think the orchids will stay indoors this summer.

Wy Renegade · Jan 25, 2011

HHHHHmmmmm . . . up to over 80 at this point, and the tank is the one that suffers from neglect :(

gflat65 · Jan 25, 2011

Everything around my house gets neglected... I would like to enter my hat in the ring of king procrastinator.

Since moving to Montgomery, I've found a spot outside that gets a small amount of morning sun, then is shaded all day. Works great, unless you go months without rain in 100 weather. Watering once a day wasn't quite enough. They stay out until we hit a low of 40.