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May 12, 2014 2:14 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lore Lisa
Central New York State (Zone 4b)
I have had this mounted orchid for about 7 years and it has never bloomed. It might have come from Andy's Orchids but the tag was lost during a move. It is hanging in a southeast facing window and hasn't really done anything in all this time. I don't think it's fake...does it look familiar to anyone?

Thank you for your help.
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Lore Lisa

"We have met the enemy and he is us."
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May 12, 2014 2:41 PM CST
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
Hi Lorli, welcome to ATP and the Orchids forum. Welcome!

I don't know its name, but my best guess is a Dendrobium. (There are hundreds, if not thousands of types of Dendrobium.) I do know we'd have a much easier time identifying it for you if/when it blooms. The flowers are much more distinctive than the leaves. So first maybe we can help you with that.

It looks nice and healthy, and that's a really pretty mounting it's on. I'd try moving it gradually either closer to the window, or to another window with more light. You may need to mist/water it more often if it gets some direct morning sun. I wouldn't let the sun shine on it when it's hot in the afternoon, it might burn the leaves. I have a few that look similar, and mine get some morning sunlight here in Florida!

Are you giving it some fertilizer? If not, a weak soluble fertilizer for orchids mixed into a spray bottle with warm water should help it to get inspired to bloom. By 'weak' I mean you mix the fert at about 1/4 the strength that the package recommends. Then spray the leaves and roots with that at least once a week. You should also dunk it in warm, clear water about once a week to rinse off any residual salts.

Everyone worries about overwatering orchids, but it's pretty hard to overwater an orchid that's on a mount like that. Others more knowledgeable than me will surely reply as well, and have more great suggestions plus some guesses at its ID.
Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Last edited by dyzzypyxxy May 12, 2014 9:01 PM Icon for preview
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May 12, 2014 2:58 PM CST
Name: Roberta
Cherokee Village, Ark (Zone 7a)
Irises Orchids Region: Tennessee
Welcome Lorli, looks like a schomburgkia. If so, then a lot of light, almost to leaves become more yellowish in color, they grow on fence post in nature. I've had several different species when living on the Texas Gulf Coast, they are tough and I remember ants lived in them. The bloom spike was often in Aug and several feet long. I can't remember if these are now included in Cattleya?
Tell us a little about yourself and growing zone, and more specific help is only usually a day or less away with the help of many on this forum!
Bert
Last edited by 901Bertwood May 13, 2014 11:28 AM Icon for preview
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May 12, 2014 4:12 PM CST
Name: Carol
Santa Ana, ca
Sunset zone 22, USDA zone 10 A.
Bookworm Charter ATP Member Region: California Hummingbirder Orchids Plant Identifier
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Welcome! I would agree that it's in the Cattleya aliance, but which one I don't know. I also agree that it needs more light.
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May 12, 2014 5:34 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Ursula
Fair Lawn NJ, zone 7a
Orchids Plumerias Cactus and Succulents Region: New Jersey Region: Pennsylvania Native Plants and Wildflowers
Greenhouse Ponds Keeper of Koi Forum moderator Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Adeniums
My first guess was also Schomburgkia.
I would take a look at Andy's website and check if anything under Schomburgkia or Myrmecophila tickles your memory? That branch your plant is mounted on does look a bit like something Andy might use.
Last edited by Ursula May 12, 2014 5:49 PM Icon for preview
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May 12, 2014 7:00 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lore Lisa
Central New York State (Zone 4b)
Thank You! Wow, that was so quick! Thank you very much for the help and for the warm welcome!

I'm really a beginner with orchids. I grow them in the house, on windowsills, a table in the window and hanging from curtain rods. I live in upstate NY but I'm lucky enough to have south and south/east facing windows. I'm growing warmth tolerant Cyms and a couple of Brassavolas in the south windows. I will try moving the plant in the picture to the south facing window and hope for the best. I'll try feeding it too. What fertilizer would be best?

The plants all go outside in the summer and a lot of them started blooming after they had been outside, but not this one!

I always loved that mount and like the shape of the plant. I like plants that look pretty or interesting even when they are not in bloom, as that seems to be a lot of the time! I have lots of other questions, but will save them for another post.

Lore Lisa
Lore Lisa

"We have met the enemy and he is us."
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May 12, 2014 7:18 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Ursula
Fair Lawn NJ, zone 7a
Orchids Plumerias Cactus and Succulents Region: New Jersey Region: Pennsylvania Native Plants and Wildflowers
Greenhouse Ponds Keeper of Koi Forum moderator Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Adeniums
I would bet this one will bloom after a Summer outside - but after slowly getting it used to more light. I would eventually move it into a bright light situation where it gets full sun a couple of hours daily, which was suggested here. Any good fertilizer will do, 20 20 20 is just fine to put on good growth for now.
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Jun 8, 2014 9:36 AM CST
Name: Melissa
Memphis, TN (Zone 8a)
Bee Lover Enjoys or suffers hot summers Permaculture Orchids Hummingbirder Hostas
Greenhouse Dog Lover Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: Tennessee
Hi Lorli,

It is definitely a Dendrobium and from the Callista section.

That could be Dendrobium farmeri and it has had a lot of water and not enough light. Andy's specializes in species, so normally purchases from him are species rather than hybrids, which makes identifying a bit easier.

If not farmeri (p-bulbs look a bit short), then most likely Den chrysotoxum. Both are from the section Callista so they require the same care.

All of these require a harsh winter rest in order to encourage blooming. They do NOT like to be re-potted and will sulk for sometimes years after.

They have white flowers with a yellow throat/white lip that last only about 1 week. Mine gets daily watering on a mount starting only when new growth appears in the spring (this year that was April). We stopped watering it in November and only gave it the occasional mist every 2 weeks. It is hanging on the uppermost part of the greenhouse It gets as much sun as the 30% shade cloth will give it during the summer (not direct). We keep the greenhouse no lower than 50 in the winter.

It is too late this year to get blooms on yours, but being in NY maybe not. It needs a lot more of an open light area (morning sun for several hours indirect) and on that mount maybe water every other day. If it decides to put out spikes, you will see them look like my pictures. You definitely need to abuse it in the winter though otherwise it will not bloom. Just think, dry, dry, dry...spritz during winter.

Those p-bulbs store a lot of water so that it can feed the plant. You can see in my photos of farmeri that the p-bulbs are much thinner because they draw from that source in the winter. If yours is chrysotoxum it will still shrink up quite a bit during the winter.

Den chrysotoxum is yellow with either a yellow throat or a dark mahogany throat (var. suavissimum). I don't have chrysotoxum in my collection yet, but I have all of the others in Callista and they all require the same care to get them to bloom.

Here is a link to chrysotoxum showing the p-bulbs.

https://www.google.com/search?...




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Jun 8, 2014 10:21 AM CST
Name: Melissa
Memphis, TN (Zone 8a)
Bee Lover Enjoys or suffers hot summers Permaculture Orchids Hummingbirder Hostas
Greenhouse Dog Lover Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: Tennessee
FYI, Schomburgkia bloom from the center of the p-bulb (in between the leaves). You can see the old bloom nodes on yours are on the side. Also, the Schoms/Myrcs have a hollow p-bulb with a hole at the bottom where the ants live.

If you don't want it, just send it to me...hahaha! Drooling It is lovely and is a nice sized plant. I LOVE Dendrobiums. They are my favorites!
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Jun 8, 2014 11:45 AM CST
Name: Jim Hawk
Odessa, Florida (Zone 9b)
Birds Master Gardener: Florida Hibiscus Greenhouse Charter ATP Member Garden Photography
Bromeliad Region: Florida Orchids Roses Tropicals Region: United States of America
Sorry, I'm betting on Schomburgkia. My Schomburgkia (Myrmecophila) tibicinis looks just like it. I took a picture just now to compare. The p-bulbs are much larger than Den. farmeri, which I also have. Lorli had said the plant had not bloomed for at least the last seven years so those may not be old bloom nodes. More sun and fertilizer is the key to blooming it. If I win, she sends the plant to me. Rolling on the floor laughing

Jim
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"Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it." -- Steven Leacock
Last edited by hawkarica Jun 8, 2014 3:30 PM Icon for preview
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Jun 8, 2014 3:35 PM CST
Name: Roberta
Cherokee Village, Ark (Zone 7a)
Irises Orchids Region: Tennessee
Hello Melissa, Welcome to ATPs orchid forum! And nice to have neighbors to talk too, I am on N Parkway. I no longer have my GH but am now a porch sitter and window grower for the past year. Retired now so downsized, but still have my favorites with me. And trying something new all the time, after growing 35 years I am still excited by the hunt for just that special orchid and I have lots of time to do it.
There are many very experience growers here and I appreciate and look forward to this interaction, something very special about this forum that the others fall short on is that we are civil and want and give respect likewise.
Tell us about yourself and where you grow your orchids?
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Jun 8, 2014 4:28 PM CST
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
I am betting on the horse, "Myrmecophila". I have the grandiflora, and though the pseudobulbs are shorter than yours, they do tend to grow from a central axis, unlike the Dendrobium.

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drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
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Jun 8, 2014 4:34 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Ursula
Fair Lawn NJ, zone 7a
Orchids Plumerias Cactus and Succulents Region: New Jersey Region: Pennsylvania Native Plants and Wildflowers
Greenhouse Ponds Keeper of Koi Forum moderator Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Adeniums
I really hope Lore Lisa blooms that interesting plant soon!! Hilarious!
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Jun 8, 2014 7:10 PM CST
Name: Melissa
Memphis, TN (Zone 8a)
Bee Lover Enjoys or suffers hot summers Permaculture Orchids Hummingbirder Hostas
Greenhouse Dog Lover Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: Tennessee
Hi Jim,

The easy way to tell without blooming it is to rip off one of the p-bulbs and cut it in half. If hollow, Schom or Myrc. If not, Dendrobium.

My gut reaction when I first saw it was lindleyi but the p-bulbs on lindleyi are much smaller. So then I thought jenkinsii, which it could be (same Den section, closely related). But I know it is Dendrobium. nodding

The Schoms and Myrcs only bloom at the apex in the center of the bifoliate leaves. If you look really close at the top of the p-bulb, you can see the old bloom nodes on the side.

So my money is on Dendrobium. (I'll post a photo of a dissected Myrc as I have 4 of the species in my collection).
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Jun 8, 2014 7:17 PM CST
Name: Melissa
Memphis, TN (Zone 8a)
Bee Lover Enjoys or suffers hot summers Permaculture Orchids Hummingbirder Hostas
Greenhouse Dog Lover Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: Tennessee
Hi Roberta,

I lived on N Parkway as a babe! I live by the UofM area now.

I grow in a shade house/greenhouse, but we are building a real greenhouse right now.

My husband is in charge of the orchids at the Memphis Botanic Gardens and we are both members of the Memphis Orchid Society. I am currently thinking about entering the AOS judging program (after I finish my MBA). I have been growing and showing orchids for 6 years, but my husband has had a green thumb for decades.

My first love are Dendrobium species, but we currently have over 400 orchids in our collection.

I just found this site yesterday and it is very interesting!
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Jun 8, 2014 7:32 PM CST
Name: Jim Hawk
Odessa, Florida (Zone 9b)
Birds Master Gardener: Florida Hibiscus Greenhouse Charter ATP Member Garden Photography
Bromeliad Region: Florida Orchids Roses Tropicals Region: United States of America
Hi, Milissa. I'm sure we would all love to see pictures of your greenhouse construction. See the thread "Our Growing Area".

As for Lori's orchid, we'll just have to wait until it blooms.

Welcome to our little group. I'm sure you will make a wonderful addition.

Jim
"Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it." -- Steven Leacock
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Jun 8, 2014 7:34 PM CST
Name: Melissa
Memphis, TN (Zone 8a)
Bee Lover Enjoys or suffers hot summers Permaculture Orchids Hummingbirder Hostas
Greenhouse Dog Lover Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: Tennessee
Here are some pictures of lindleyi in bloom now (really late this year). You can see the similarity in the p-bulb, but the bloom spike originates lower so that is why I initially discarded that one. However, it could be the natural hybrid of lindleyi and jenkinsii. They are commonly mistaken and there is no way to tell until blooming because of the flower pattern on the spike.

So bloom that sucker so we can see it! nodding
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Jun 10, 2014 7:42 AM CST
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
I got this mounted Phal/Dtps. in trade from a lady last summer and she said she either lost the label or it never had one. She thought she had gotten it from CH Orchids. Does anyone have any idea what it might be? The maximum leaf is about 3x6" and the flowers are around 2" in diameter.

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drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
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Jun 13, 2014 10:47 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lore Lisa
Central New York State (Zone 4b)
When I look at the photos of Melissa's Dendrobiums, my plant looks just like them. But then when I saw Ken's and Jim's Myrmecophilas, I thought that it looked like them as well! I sure hope it blooms so I will finally know...I don't want to cut off a pseudobulb be ause it isn't a very big plant.

It will go outside with the rest of my orchids in the next weeks or so. It have been going outside for the summer for the past 5 years but no blooms. Maybe I need to move it?
Lore Lisa

"We have met the enemy and he is us."
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Jun 14, 2014 7:02 AM CST
Moderator
Name: Ursula
Fair Lawn NJ, zone 7a
Orchids Plumerias Cactus and Succulents Region: New Jersey Region: Pennsylvania Native Plants and Wildflowers
Greenhouse Ponds Keeper of Koi Forum moderator Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Adeniums
Here in Northern NJ This plant would get full sun from me, after it is acclimatized to high light conditions, and you are further North from me. So, bright sunshine for a few hours daily should do it, coupled with fertilizer through the Summer.
Btw, I would think it can go out now/today?!

Sorry, Ken, no clue from me. Smiling

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