These two have been with me since more than 15 years and blooms reasonably well with my ordinary care. The lighter shade flower has large leaves and the brighter one is not as big as the other variety. I had the 'alba', but it died. Spathoglottis plicata.



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Oh my, Dinu, such beauties! More than 15 years! I'd say that's really good growing!

Now I know why I can't seem to grow these. I need to live in India! Congratulations on fine looking plants and beautiful flowers, Dinu.

Nice flower, Dinu. Spathoglottis orchids do well in Florida too.

Jim

Oh good. That's not so far a move for me!

I scored a nice big pot of the 'alba' at my local home improvement store last week. So happy!


Just noticed when I went out to take these pictures, one stem of this plant is making seed pods! Have yours ever self-sown, Dinu?

Elaine, how would you germinate those seeds?

So beautiful! I wish I could just grow them outside here!!

No idea, Ken. Never seen any seed pods on any of my other Spaths before.

To be honest with you, I probably won't do anything with them. If they self-sow and germinate in the pot, well that's wonderful. But when the gallon size pot in bloom was $7 it's just not worth it for me to grow them from seed.

Seed pods do form, but I do not think they are viable at all. If that was the case, I would have noticed a volunteer plant or two somewhere nearby, but nothing ever since they came to me [via a local friend]. Recently, I have noticed tiny volunteers from another orchid I have - Epidendrum radicans - glad I recalled the name so easily - in a nearby pot. I thought they were weeds but the leaves were tough! That's when I left them there. Have to confirm further. But this is rare too. The spathoglottis slowly multiply their bulbs [is that the right name?]. Last season, I tried to change pots and added some charcoal and coco fibre and less of soil. But it did not do that well. It pains my eye when I see someone growing in pots on balconies which some hired gardener takes care...... blooming in profusion!! Wonder if they put some inorganic manure, which I do not do. There is another variety I have whose leaves are very similar to the spatho, but the flowers are shaped differently. I was not able to identify that. I'll see if I can dig up that photo. I think it blooms in December/January.

Florida and Mysore [since this month it has been officially renamed as 'Mysuru'] have very similar vegetation.

Yes, we sure do, Dinu. And good to know that the seed pods probably won't come to anything.

One addition I've been trying for a lot of my potted plants is a handful or two of alfalfa pellets (horse food). They are high in nitrogen, and also add some wonderful composted fiber to the pots. So far I haven't found any plant that doesn't like it.

Thanks for the hints Elaine. We do not get alfalfa pellets here but I'll try some kitchen compost next repotting - may be in Feb next. I get vermicompost here which I use for my plant beds. I think I will have to accommodate them in slightly larger pots than what I have now. I have been using old pots which are full and that could be a reason too. How often they are to be repotted? I have randomly done it once in may be 2-3 years.

You have been holding out on us, Elaine. Alfalfa pellets, huh? I think I can get something like that at our Co-Op. I wonder how that would work with other plants (orchids)? How about in the vegetable garden? I will have to see what the pellets look like and how they do when wet. Interesting. I feel another "experiment" coming on.

Got that hint off the Daylilies forum, Ken. I got a 50lb. bag at the feed store for $15 and have only used half of it since August. Make sure you get straight alfalfa without any additives, though.

Got it, Elaine. Thanks.

I used alfalfa tea on my roses and beardless irises for years. (You make bins of water with a few scoops of alfalfa pellets and epsom salt and let it ferment-stinky but the plants adore this brew.)

I've been doing that for my plants already in pots, mixing up the pellets with water and letting them brew in an old watering can without a strainer nozzle. But must remember to add the epsom salts to that. Thanks Kathy.

We also amended the raised beds at the school garden with alfalfa pellets this fall, and our tomatoes and potato plants are the best we've had.

OK, I am convinced Kathy and Elaine. I have to find those pellets and start another experiment.

I was able to dig up a few pictures.
Seedpod that had opened.
The only picture I had managed to take of the 'alba' - some years ago - plant no more.
Another variety of Spathoglottis I am unable to identify. This is the one I mentioned above.



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