Y'all are fast convincing me that I won't divide my last Queen, at least not this year.

Oh, let me show you this plant before she was first divided, now three years ago. If she is a "nice" plant now, she was really something back in the summer of 2013.

Thanks all, and to think they are pretty much all NoID's too! No worrying about tags.

Ken, that plant is spectacular.

Elaine, I think you have the best TJ's in the whole chain.

They are great, here, and I rarely see a display with all Phals. But I've seen some really interesting orchids at the TJ's in Salt Lake City when I'm shopping with my daughter there, too.

Guess you just have to get lucky, or get friendly with the produce manager, maybe? They are usually great folks and open to suggestions.

Ken...was that one of mine?
Elaine, I may have to look at your Trader Joes ..mine was pretty pathetic when I was there a few weeks ago!

I love the blooms everyone is posting.

Still no scent on my cinnamon Stick. We'll see as time goes.

I hope everyone has a great Saturday!

Glad I was able to latch on to the next to last Copper Queen, Ken

I am starting to feel regrets, Ted. Just a twinge, here and there. Nothing to keep me up at night though.

Lindsey, I think that was one of the (three?) I purchased from you.

I love that copper queen. Elaine, I can't believe your trader joe's has such a variety. Maybe I need to go in there more often and check. Everytime I go, they only have phals. Happy Sunday everybody!

Elaine, you are holding out on me. Can you divide your Copper Queen(s)? I really would like to establish a number of them.

I only have the one, Ken. And it's much too small to divide as of yet. (you know I DON'T divide my babies unless absolutely necessary anyway)

It suffered a scale infestation this spring and was somewhat set back but forgave me with two flowers just recently.

I know, just had to ask. Many of you wouldn't divide orchids unless there was a gun to your head. If I were into (pure) collection, I would feel the same.

Ken, many times I divide my large Cattleyas and sometimes there is no problem and sometimes I outright kill my plant.
I have to look back a few years, I had a huge Copper Queen in a wooden basket well established and it was getting downright unmanageable. The roots were hanging down about 3 feet long, no joke. And there was the problem, the way the plant was anchored, I just couldn't make proper cuts without major damage. To make a long story short, all three divisions slowly but surely perished on me.
Fire Dance 'Patricia' can be split withought trouble, probably it grows in all directions, also out of the middle of the clump.
Cattleya skinneri likes to grow into a ball of sorts, now when you cut it, you can't avoid taking along healthy eyes and growth. It took years for my divisions to really pick up steam again.
I am always very careful nowadays how and at what stage I divide. To me it isn't that straight forwards. I am always in awe how professional growers like Silva split off divisions without batting an eyelash. This Spring I cleaned up a lot of plants and repotted many. So far so good.

I am so used to dividing orchids, I probably am more like the Silva clan. I don't even think about it. About the only time I manage to kill something is when there are ugly back-bulbs. I will just snip them off and pot them, knowing they don't have much chance. That being said, I have never tried to "re-locate" a three foot long span of roots. I hate that your Queens didn't survive. Oh, I do water my plants before dividing and always sprinkle cinnamon over the cuts. I also make sure that the media that I use for those re-potted plants is well-moistened.

Same here, Ursula although I've never tried to divide one of my cattleyas yet. Brassavola types are easy and successful almost all the time for me as long as I take big enough chunks. Yep, Ken thorough watering, cinnamon and soaking the new media is all part of the routine.

Here are some more vandaceous blooms.

Pda. Naoki Kawamura
(Pda. Arjuna 'Illumined' AM/AOS x V. cristata) This is the second blooming for me. It is really looking nice.


This Rhynchovanda Dr. Sally Meiners was mislabeled. When I posted it on FB, Bart Motes contacted me to tell me that Martin said it is actually Vandachostylis Monica Brick x V. tessellata 'Lemonade.' They apologized for the mislabel. I am going to keep it and think about what I can cross with it to improve it. It is quite pale, but the form is really good.

Oh, I love the color on the pale Vanda, Melissa. Glad you're going to keep it. The other one is great too, with that nice dark lip.

Both are pretty!