BBQNBLUES said: I can just imagine that Paph. primulinum var flavum (' Canary ' x ' California Gold ' ) going WHEEEE as it twirls it's 'arms'

Oh Yes, what a perfect description.

Thanx all. Well whomever sent me the Gay Rabbit, it is still doing well. I guess my collection is a bit eclectic. Seems I will go to a show with a single plant in mind and come home with half a dozen others. When attracted to a plant, I just check the culture specs to be sure it will like living outside in my conditions. And thanx for the tip, Bill

Sounds like my typical show adventure!
I go knowing what vendors are there and I have a general idea of what I want to look for.
And then I get a bright shiny object flashed in front of my eyes. Oh wow, I need that!! Oh I need that one too! And before I know it, what I went to the show for did not come home with me BUT these 4 other plants did!! Happens all the time.

🍹🍹🍹RUM PUNCH🍹🍹🍹
Love your Tropical Aurora 'SVO' x Pot. Burana Angel , Ted!
It looks like it's been registered and is now Rth. Exotic Angel.
It's been pretty quiet here lately, but there's a couple of new things to share.


Bc. Theresa Ricci


Vanda Jay Mullen


B. Jimmie Cricket

Lindsey, really like that Jay Mullen. What is Bc. Theresa Ricci planted in? Is that a terra cotta piece?

Gigi, thank you for the
Ted, Theresa Ricci is mounted on a terra cotta bowl ( of sorts) We have some talented potters here in Florida and there is usually one at every open house or show. This one is from Joanna Shaw and was reasonably priced at $35.

Back from Pennsy with faster internet here -
I like this "Terracotta Orchid holder" very much! Great for many Orchids to grow right onto it! Nice!

I love it. Now to find it out here

Ted5310 said: I love it. Now to find it out here

Ted; Joanna has a website. She's so meticulous _Each one of her pieces are Perfection ! I own 2 https://www.instagram.com/joan...
https://www.instagram.com/orch...

Wow, her work is exquisite.

I just looked - her work is wonderful!!
So Instagram now forces you to add a birthdate if you just want to look? Really!!

I'm still debating when I'm going to get my orchid. To be honest, I'm a little scared of getting one. I don't want to kill it, but I still want to try!!

Abigail, can you place an Orchid in Summer outside, perhaps under a tree?
I started out with a Fall -flowering Cattleya, placed it outside over the Summer into a protected spot, watered and fertilized along with everything else. I brought it inside around the middle of September. It would add good growth over the Summer. By the end of October it bloomed!
The key here is Fall- flowering!! I am glad we have monthly threads to see what bloomed then!
How is that?

Abigail, here is what I think you have to understand about orchids.
There is an expression that "all poodles are dogs, but not all dogs are poodles!"

We can change that to "all orchids can be houseplants but not all houseplants are orchids!"
I know that I take a lot of poetic license there with that statement but that is really the main point.

Then understand what it means for a plant to be an epiphyte. I'll let you research this one for yourself.
But I can honestly say that we are here to help you every step of the way.
I was gung Ho!!! About orchids back in 1974. It is a journey that I loved to have been on. Wonderful plants, wonderful people I have met, wonderful friends I continue to make!! I don't regret a single moment!!
What if I had never made that first step, how much less fun I would have had!! That is what I really never had to imagine since I took that step, take it now!!!!

Thank you both!! I appreciate the advice so much

Bill, I will ensure I get one!

Ursula, how do you suggest I set my orchid up under a tree?? Would the tree have to be totally shady? How would I set up my orchid in general?

Abigail, placing the Orchid under a tree on a bench/table or perhaps hanging it into the tree. I don't want the Orchid to be burned by noon time sun right at the start. Getting morning or afternoon sun will be fine, especially in the beginning of the season I am a bit careful not to burn them. By midsummer most Cattleya can take it here in NJ. Of course, if you have critters like Deer or Squirrels, protection from those would be a good thing too!

Any dappled shade tree will do. Something like a maple or an oak. It will tolerate dense shade like from a Copper Beech but will flower best in dappled shade. That is shady with "little blobs of sunlight" here and there.
You could set it on a small garden table or hang it from a double wire plant hanger. Hang it half way between the trunk and the outer most branch tip.
As the orchid is outside growing, you can watch the color of its leaves which will let you know if the light is correct.

Abigail, we all started out somewhere, and believe me! We've all killed a number of orchids along the way. Finding out about growing conditions in your own climate is a process of trial and error.

My orchid journey started out 12 years ago when my daughter unwisely sent me two orchids for my birthday. She sent them from California (first mistake) and they were Phalaenopsis (second mistake) and they both immediately dropped all their buds and flowers from the trauma of travel and the change in climate. Most orchids do well here in Florida (I've found out since) but Phalaenopsis struggle. High temperatures and very bright sun here mean you really must grow them indoors during the summer but I don't have any plants inside my house so that's not what I did. It took 3 years for them to completely peter out for me, but they are long gone.

Your climate will probably be almost opposite to mine, so Phals might do very well for you. They're the most common orchids you see in the grocery stores and at the box stores, too. So they're readily available. I've had luck finding nice orchids for good prices at Trader Joe's.

You'll have to watch the night temperatures if you grow it outside during the summer, because as soon as it starts being chilly at night you'll need to bring it indoors. 50deg. is my tolerance level for protecting my tender orchids at night. Luckily, down here it's fairly rare for our night temperatures to dip below 50. But for you, I'd imagine it will happen in August or early September there. Cattleya and Dendrobiums can tolerate colder temperatures than Phals or Vanda.

Humidity is another thing orchids like, so if you have very dry weather, spraying with the hose occasionally will make them happy. Hanging under a tree, the tree will humidify the surrounding air fairly well, too so I'd say go with a hanging basket under a tree, within reach of your hose.

Thank you all! I will follow your directions and keep my fingers crossed that it will work out.

Download the Phalaenopsis culture sheet from the American Orchid Society!!

Between it, and all of us, this will begin to make sense to you. Honest.