Ursula, I can cartainly sympathize with you reguarding the scale. I have been having the same issue.
Jim, Out of the 9 plants I put on my list at Andy's I've crossed off 2, put question marks next to 3, and checks , on three. One of the question marks is Lycast skinneri rubra. He had a bunch of them, all marked Not For Sale, so of course I want one. I just don't know if I could keep it cool enough in summer. # 9 is a hybrid,which he had probably special ordered for a customer, since he doesn't sell hybrids. Sigh...

Speaking of Andy's, I fell in love with Ursula's Habenaria medusa and ordered it from Andy's last year. It arrived looking tiny and half dead. It was expensive as well. I called right away and was told it was the end of their season and it would come back in the spring. Well, dead is dead and I can assure you it is never coming back. I'm very disappointed and hope they make it right. This is my first experience with them and it may be my last.

Jim

I'm sorry to hear that! I have only lost 2 plants from him over the years I've been dealing with him, and think, in both cases, it was my fault. I do have a couple that have never bloomed for me though. Most of his plants are pretty small, but no worse than some of the others I've bought on line. I do believe in dealing with local vendors as much as possible though, because your zone 9b is alot different than a Ca. zone 9b, and my zone 10 would put me down in the keys somewhere in a swamp, whereas I'm in a "Mediteranian" climate rather than tropical. Can you say DRY?

Jim, I wouldn't throw out the pot/corm just yet. They do look shriveled and kinda "deadish" when dormant. I noticed a tiny green tip on mine this week, but it was as dead as a doornail all Winter. If it does not come back, tell Andy. They are very good and will not let you down.

And yes, that Lycaste was pretty....

Here is the plant I had to clean up today, since it had scale under a leaf. Looks ok now and I took it downstairs to get a bit of the beautiful scent this evening. Very nice!
This is Blc Hawaian Green Valley x Rhyncholaelia digbyana 'Laura'. 2 blooms of decent size on one growth!

and backlit


and the tiny Aerangis fastuosa

Those are all just lovely, Carol. Aerangis of some sort is on my list for sure, as is a Neofinetia. (not likely to find either in Apopka, but ya never know)

On the Lycastes, Jim d'you think the fact that there aren't hardly any around here means it's one of those "challenges" that drive us? Like me and the durned little Paphs . .. I can't resist them, but I know they're probably going to be toast by the end of summer . ..

I'm hoping my kids will come through with a Habenaria medusa for me for Mother's Day. We saw several beauties at the little orchid show we went to in Salt Lake last May, but they were all sold, sadly. I'm going to try and find one while I'm there this trip, as they were priced much lower than what Andy's was selling them for.

An update on one of my favorite bloomers, Howeara Lava Burst 'Puanani' is going strong, and one spray of flowers has a lot more yellow than the others. There are 4 small plants in the bowl together which may account for the color variation, but I didn't notice it last year.

Carol, I think you mean Ursula or I am really confused.

Jim

I'm sure she meant Ursula, since I haven't posted any pictures. We all have those "senior moments" now and then.

Ursula, both are beautiful!

Thanks, and no harm done!

Elaine, the Howeara sure is a good performer!

Ursula, the Aerangis fastuosa is just gorgeous. I have tried the Habenaria medusa twice now and failed both times. Maybe third time is a charm. And that Lava Burst, Elaine, seems real happy

Yup, sorry an attack of 'sometimers' hits me now and then. Ursula, I am with you on the scale battle. My plants that have it are getting the "cold shoulder" right now, i.e. I'm leaving them unprotected when the temps go down into the 40's. Hoping that might discourage the little beasties. This may be my last chance at that strategy, as one more cold front is upon us this week. Have not lost anyone yet, but my Chia Lin that was so badly infested last fall has lost several big pb's. It has a new one coming, though, which is encouraging.

The Howeara is a terrific bloomer, twice a year it seems to put up these nice long-lasting sprays of small flowers. It was one of my orphans from the local orchid grower who had to quit. I bought nearly 50 orchids from them, and wish I'd bought more! Out of all those I've only lost one and it was nearly on it's last legs when I brought it home. But it was a Boll. Midnight Blue 'Cardinal's Roost' so I had to give it a try! Seeing Jim's beautiful flowers, that is another one on my list to look for.

I've been at the Extension Service all day and it has been very busy. I feel like a one arm paper hanger.

Jim

I could imagine...

We've had some heat and sun for the past week, and that seems to have got things moving. Of course we're looking at another cold front this week....

a couple of cyms. are finally open


Onc.splindidium Pot. Camerons magnatism division Den. Yellow Song Canary
Maxilaria curtipus Den. Roy Takunaga
And my poor scale infested Phaiocalanthe kriptonite 'Ursula' only gave me one short spike this year

Finally sunny here in Starkville, MS, but boy, is it cold. Temp. 38 F, wind 15-25 out of the north, and the wind-chill is 30 F at 5:30 PM. It is supposed to get down to 28 F tonight, with a wind-chill around 20 F. It is actually snowing at this moment 70 miles north of me. I keep moving plants in and out every few days and that is getting old! I have to get my 20 yr old Fiddleleaf Ficus back in and I use a hand-cart to move her around. Ken

We're with you on the weather, Ken. Supposed to be cold here the next few nights with possible frost away from the coast. It's late March!*!??

Carol, you're rockin' the nice warm color palette there. Love them all! (gorgeous Clivia!) Good to see you got flowers on your Phaiocalanthe - I got that one for Xmas from my kids and it has not done a thing but sulk. Maybe I'll check it for scale!
Couple of noid Phals from the refugee department, and Iwanagara Apple Blossom looking a lot like apple blossoms as it fades out. Poor flowers were beat up somewhat yesterday by heavy rain.

Elaine, I think I'll try to find room on the porch for that Phiocalanthe this year. Last year it did lots better with less light but more cold. This year I had it in the shack. Maybe the Tankervilla would be happier there too. Still working on that learning curve.

Outstanding Carol. I especially like Pot. Camerons and Maxilaria curtipus. With the nice weekend we had it was move all the plants on the North side of the house and clean up. Amazing what you can find growing in the dark in the back. I have a number of succulents that somehow a seed/spore/leaf found its way behind the orchids along with a few tropicals sending out roots along the ground and planting two more of itself. It's all clean now and rearranged so between spring cleaning and the losses this winter I have room for more 'chids. Isn't that next show in April Carol?

Ursula, I need your help! I loading up the truck for tomorrows orchid club meeting and need the parentage for Dendrobium Burana 'Green Star'. I just managed to cram that huge Den nobile hybrid into the pasenger's seat and the Cattleya maxima is in the back seat along with 'Green Star' and Epi stamfordianum. That's all I am taking this trip. Temps went south today and I had to close the OC windows. I remember when I was in the same situation as Ken is now. Temps will bottom out tomorrow night around 40 degrees. That's very cold for here.

Carol, wonderful show. I really like the Max. and Den. Roy Takunaga.

Jim

Yes, Ted. The show is in April.