And fairly impossible to grow and bloom for most growers!

Schunkeana? Really? I have no idea. I can't recall ever trying to grow it before. I knew of it and assumed it was easy to grow like variabilis. You learn every day I imagine.

I managed to keep it alive for a season...

Now here is an easier one for me, growing new canes every year and blooming repeatedly from old canes. Lots of sun and flood daily!
Epidendrum Saranac Lake

Ursula I had the Maxie in a terrarium but moved it out to the greenhouse, mounted it and hung it on a totem. It seems to like it. It blooms a lot, but unlike tenufolia, I can' t really detect any scent. I like it, but the blooms tend to like to 'hide' lol. There's a lot of foliage for them to hide in.

I love all the unusual Epidendrums. There are a bunch at both Ecuagenera and Andy's but they are listed as cool growers so I am afraid to try them.

I have had Maxillaria schunkeana on my wishlist for a long time. Mostly not available . And on the few times they are...pricey!

This is the other side. I bought this at Ecuagenera a couple years ago. It was only in the $20's.

Gina, that looks terrific!

I would think my growing conditions are intermediate to warm - minimum 60 degr F indoors, ramping up to 70 degr F and warmer on sunny days. NJ Summers outside go into the Nineties F.

Mine are intermediate to extra hot LOL. I'm not sure if its the heat itself, or just the duration. Once we hit the 90's, its an everyday thing, usually it will be 90 by noon and last until 7-8 pm sometimes, day after day after day. Things that might take some 90's, don't thrive in that. I really stopped trying things that I know probably won't make it here. Its a waste of my time and $$, no matter how pretty they are (Dracula,Masdevallia and Dendrobium cuthbertsonii come immediately to mind)

I get it completely.
When I moved from zone 7 to Florida zone 10a, I wanted to try purple coneflowers. Directions said up to parts of zone 9. I figured, what the hey, I would try some via mail order. ( they were not available locally)
They looked like I had put them into a skillet to sauté them, a little garlic, olive oil, they were toast in no time at all! 😭

Nick, I sure love that description!😄

Gina, funny you should mention Den cuthbertonii! So pretty in bloom! I tried a couple of times, struck out every time.

Ecuagenera used to have a bunch of them. I think they finally figured out they don't like Florida heat

Got 2 Oncidium twinkle "White Gold Dust" a few days ago, one in bloom!

Just a pretty little Oncidium Tommy.
Congratulations! 🎉🍾🎊

Very nice, Tommy. Very nice.

Cute picture too! Looks like a little girl with her arms stretched out?

It does look like a little girl wearing a jabot!

I went to the Lansing Show on Saturday and I have a report. It was like the vultures had descended upon a Water Buffalo corpse out on the Serengeti!!! Holy Mackerel. I was listening to a judging team ( with BigBill on it) when at 11:40, lunch arrived! But that is another story.
Anyway, when I went out of the door, the sales area was 4 people deep and they were clamoring for orchids. It was nuts!!!!!
When I left at 1:45 after judging, all that was left were the bones! Incredible. I have seen life after 'cabin fever' but this was much worse then last year!!! My goodness.

What did I come home with??? Nothing nada zippo!

That is how the International Aroid Society meeting have gotten. Attendance in years past (pre-Covid) was almost nil. Now its thousands of people. Its so bad that the society really isn't, in MY opinion, living true. It used to be all about more rare and unusual plants. Now vendors will hawk anything. Its like a circus

Oh Gina, circus. Now that is the word I should have used. It certainly was that!

Is Bigbill reading this forum?


Though of 'em when I saw all these slippers.