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Samurai orchid (Neofinetia falcata)

On Sun, 6 Apr 1997, MR JAMES P FLETCHER wrote:

> I want to thank everyone for their advice and information on the orchid
> I purchased.  I feel a lot more comfortable with the potting medium and
> its fertliizer requirements.  I saw a really cool orchid called a
> Samauri Orchid ( something like Neof.........I wrote it down somewhere).
>  My next purchase may have to be one of those if they are good in the
> house.  Sam shared a website with me so I can research such things.
> 
> Regards, Tammy


Dear Tammy,
	Don't be shy about just coming out and asking about a plant or
about asking about two in the same posting (I can't help you with your
plumeria question; I watered a few large ones for 2.5 years in a school
greenhouse and got to enjoy the flowers, but I never propagated them). 
That's one of the best things about these discussion groups; they can be a
way to ask questions about plants new-to-us.
	
	When I read the common name Samuri Orchid, I didn't recognized it,
but when you spelled part of the Latin name, I did.  It has to be
Neofinetia falcata.  I didn't realize that they had a common name, but
that on makes sense.
	This miniature orchid (fits the usual definition of having the
plant and flower together being less than six inches (15 cm) tall; this
one qualifies except that huge old specimen plants may mound up to over 6"
in height) is from Japan.  It was treasured by Japenese royalty, and by
Samuri warriors.  The sweet fragrance of the plant supposedly gave the
warriors courage to go out into battle and do whatever sort of slicing and
dicing that they did, and they even had little holders built into their
armor, to carry the plant.  Common people were forbidden to own the plant.
	
	It is also an example of a "monotypic genus", meaning that it is
the only sp. in the genus.  There is a variagated form, which is a little
more expensive than the regular one.  The regular one has nice, dark green
leaves, and they form clumps which eventually fill the pot which they are
in.  The flowers are beautiful, with spurs behind them, like alot of the
white African orchid have.  Neofinetia falcata will bloom 2-3 times/year,
_I am told_, and is also _good for beginners_.  I underline these in mock
sarcasm, because mine has not bloomed in the year that I have had it.  

	I have moved it three times in a year, though; home, to a friend's
greenhouse when I was apartment searching, and then to my current
apartment.  Sometimes orchids must acclimate to new conditions for a year
or so before they will bloom, according to at least one author I read, who
was speaking specifically of bringing greenhouse-grown plants home.  May
be true for some orchids.    I also need to look in my orchid books at the
info. on it again, to check to see if it prefers intermediate or cool
conditions.  

	This sp. has been crossed with a lot of other vandaceous orchids
(ones related to the genus Vanda) and I have one of those which just
bloomed for me for the first time.  The flowers have been on the plant for
nearly two months now, and the plant is about to send up two more spikes. 
This plant is a (very) "complex hybrid", as shown by the name on the
label, which reads "Ascofinetia Peaches x Vanda cristata".  This can be
further broken down base on the fact that Ascofinetia Peaches is a cross
of Neofinetia falcata x Ascocentrum curvifolium.  (Just found that in a
back issue of the AOS Bulletin this week).

	I grow it under lights,
and it will also grow and bloom in bright windowsill light, I have read.  
Mine came potted in medium grade bark, in a clay pot, but I think that it
might be better grown in fine bark, since it is such a small plant.  I
need to repot mine, too, and hope that might stimulate it to bloom.  I
paid between $15 and $20 for mine, for a mature, blooming plant.

	I highly recommend this plant for anyone, especially beginners,
based on what I know.
	Hope that this helps.

Cordially,

Keith Dabney
San Francsico
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