Ooolala! That Cym Amazing certainly is! Beautiful, and such an appropriate name!

I'd love to hear more about the Pterodactyl! I just love the smell of clove and cinnamon!

Tara, I picked up a good size plant last Summer/ in 2013 at the Silva Orchid Fest/the vendor was Little Brook Orchids. And this thing started to bloom somewhere in Winter like crazy with lots and lots of spikes and although it is now slowing down, I still see the occasional long spike.
This Orchid is substantial, but it is happy in dappled shade. It is now outside over the Summer and gets watered daily.

Here is the plant last February in the greenhouse, I had it for a couple of days in bright light, but moved it soon after back down into more shade.


As I said, the scent is awesome, I love it.

C. harrisoniana 'Volcano Queen' and a mislabeled C. walkeriana 'Marjulie' HCC/AOS. I need to find the original tag and find out what happened on the label.

Correction on the white one: C. Marjorie Hausermann. Don't know how I mixed up the tags.

I just love all of the oranges and reds y'all have!! If I can get my Phrags to bloom, I'll have some too.

Ohh, I love those two pics! Just gorgeous, Melissa!

Melissa, Beautiful!

Thanks!

I'm having a wonderful time here in Peru. This place is booming with modernization and new construction. My old apartment is still intact but after 25 years away, everything else is new. Absolutely great food, music and friends.

Ursula, I love the Gongora and the plant looks super happy.

Very nice pics, Melissa.

Jim

Such lovely colors on the C. Marjorie Hausermann, Melissa. I have another version of a 'Volcano Queen' too but it's not in bloom right now. Wonder if they were bred in Hawaii?

A Gongora has been on my 'wish list' for quite a while, but they seem to be hard to come by down here. I may have to resort to buying one from further away, I guess.

Good to hear from you, Jim. We look forward to seeing some pictures when you get back. What's growing there now?

Hi Elaine,

I have seedlings from the cross between 'Volcano Queen' and 'Streeter's Choice.' Hoping that the blooms will be even better, but I have to get them to blooming size! They are 2 years out of flask now and still pretty itty bitty.

Yep, growing orchids from 'itty bitty' sure makes you appreciate the time and effort that goes into a blooming size plant. I 'adopted' a bunch of little ones 3 years ago from a grower along the road from me who was selling his business. I must have bought 20 plants that were in 2in. pots, and at least half of them have not yet bloomed.

Great to hear from you, Jim!! Glad you are having a good time!

I hope to live another 31 years, but I don't really buy too many NBS Orchids any longer. First of all, I want to make sure I didn't buy a non-blooming dud and I really like to see the blooms when I pick out a plant, and I don't feel like waiting years to see anything happening.
Well, maybe a year or two away from blooming, but not seven.

I'm getting to that point now, too Ursula. At least now I am confident enough that I won't murder most orchids, it doesn't seem like such an extravagant risk to buy an expensive plant.

The first big bloomer I splurged on was a Blc. Chia Lin 'New City' in spike that bloomed nicely, then promptly got a severe case of scale plus black rot at the same time. It nearly died on me, but is finally rebounding now and looks healthy. But I'll be surprised to see another flower before next year. That will be a 4 year wait for it to rehabilitate.

Orchids do teach us patience, don't they.

I'm being attacked by 3 in long grasshoppers. They ate my new leaves on the bulbo's and were on my flowers, so I cut all the old ones and brought in those new and in bud! Makes a nice little bowl of joy.

BTW. Ted in California, where are you, hope you are fine? Anyone know?

Are those the black ones, Bert? We used to get some huge black ones when I lived on the Gulf coast but I have seen any of those here in Starkville.

Bert,

To get rid of the 'hoppers', use a pesticide with imidacloprid. It is a systemic and will keep the grasshoppers out. Bayer is a good one.

Is that dowiana? I have 3 seedlings that survived from flask and I am so hoping to get them to blooming size.

Mm, I don't know Melissa. Using a systemic on grasshoppers? They actually have to eat part of the plant to ingest the insecticide, and a 3in. hopper can take a big bite. We have big, colorful ones here called 'lubbers'. Luckily my orchids are inside the screened pool cage.

I'd have to say screening or fine netting of some sort is the only thing that's going to keep those big fellows away from your orchids, Bert. You can buy an inexpensive mosquito net (meant to go over a bed) online, here's one on Amazon for under $10 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KKB2OS/

What a shame you had to pick all your flowers! They sure are pretty though. Let us know how they last as cut flowers?

I love the bouquet, Roberta!
Critters eating your blooms, not so much.

dyzzypyxxy said:I'm getting to that point now, too Ursula. At least now I am confident enough that I won't murder most orchids, it doesn't seem like such an extravagant risk to buy an expensive plant.

The first big bloomer I splurged on was a Blc. Chia Lin 'New City' in spike that bloomed nicely, then promptly got a severe case of scale plus black rot at the same time. It nearly died on me, but is finally rebounding now and looks healthy. But I'll be surprised to see another flower before next year. That will be a 4 year wait for it to rehabilitate.

I think every orchid lover goes through this. My most expensive plant died of course. It was $350. I won't ever splurge like that again unless I KNOW that I have the perfect conditions. Then if it dies, it is my fault and not my growing conditions. They say that the more orchids you kill, the more you learn. I should be an EXPERT by now!