This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: Tropical Plants

On Sun, 24 Aug 1997, Bonnie Szarek wrote:

> Most plants generally do well for me, but I've never had any luck
> getting orchids ro rebloom.
> 
> Bonnie

Greetings Bonnie Szarek,
	Welcome to the list! (You are new to this listserv, aren't you?).

	What are some of the orchids which you have tried, and/or are
currently trying to rebloom?  I  hope to compile a list of good beginner
orchids one of these days, from lists which I have been saving and
compiling in my reading about orchids.  I will try to compile a list soon, of
the orchids which I am growing partly because they were recommnended as
good ones for beginners, both "rank" and "relative".   

	Some one who has grown houseplants from seed to flowering as you
have will eventually (sooner than later, I hope and feel sure) have some
orchids rebloom.  

	One thing I like to do in my orchid-growing is to try and collect
plants which are as close to being in the miniature orchid category as
possible.  This  way, I can put more in a given growing space (under
lights and/or in windowsills, in my case).  The more I have, the less
disappointed I am when one was does not perform in an optiamal manner, and
I am more likely to have at least a couple come into bloom at a given
time.  

	Another tact which I have taken it to buy only blooming size
plants, rather than small plants which require waiting for up to a year
and more for the plant to reach maturity.  I have gotten so that I would
rather spend $15-20 on a BS plant, instead of spending the same amount of
money for 2-3 small plants.  You mentioned trying to re-bloom plants,
though, so I know that at least some of your orchids are BS.   

	Right now, I have Oncidium flexuosum in bloom.  Some people list
it as a good orchid for beginners.  It tolerates a wide temperature range.
I recently read of this plant in an article by a guy writing about orchids
which he can grow year 'round outdoors, somewhere in coastal  California. 
There was a photo of the author's plant, and the caption mentioned that
the plant was blissfully unaware that it had tolerated temperatures as low
as something like 34 F (just over 0 C).  

	I first saw the plant in the book Orchids of Brazil. The authors
liked the sp. so much that they had a photo both in one of the introductory
chapters, and in the listing of species.  The plant in one of the photos
had a half to 3/4s grown plant dangling in the air, and the text
mentioned that the plant liked to have its roots dangling in the air.  

	The flowers of this sp. are typical yellow oncidium flowers, on
the smallish size, with about 10-15 on the raceme (inflorescence).  

	Have you tried the reed-stemmed epidendrums?  They grows indoors
or outdoors here, although most people grow them outdoors.  They are a
good choice, although definately not a miniature.  Many people also
recommend hybrid slipper orchids (genus Paphiopedilum) as good beginner
plants.  

	I just bloomed Brassavola cucullata for my first time.  Had only
seen the flower in illustrations, and once at the Show and Tell portion of
an orchid meeting.  My plant had just one flower this first time blooming
for me, but that flower lasted over 2 weeks.  The most famous sp. in the
genus is the "Lady of the Night" orchid, B. nodosa.  It is fragrant at
night, usually has numerous flowers, can bloom more than once/year, and it
on some people's list of easy orchids to bloom.  

	Well, that's all for now.  Let us know more about what you are
growing, and about what orchids you have, and how you are gowing them.
	
Cordially,

Keith Dabney
San Fransisco
Follow-Ups: References:
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index