Potting media

        Potting media is one of the most important things we decide in growing healthy vibrant orchids. This is a mix that I make myself and plant probably 80% of my collection in. It consists of tree fern fiber, sponge rock, charcoal and hydroton. I got this mix recipe from the St. Augustine Orchid Society. I plant all my Cattleyas, some Vandas, and most of my Dendrobiums in this mix and they THRIVE. It is a great coarse mix that will not break down like the normal bark mixes out there. This allows for the plants to grow very well and to not be stressed by frequent potting every couple of years. I could probably water every day without having to worry about root rot, which is great, but I only water every 3 days in the late Spring and Summer. The other media I use are coconut husk chips mixed with some sponge rock and charcoal for my Encyclias and Oncidiums. The last media I use is sphagnum most mixed with a little sponge rock for my Phalaenopsis types and Catasetums. Them main point in determining which media to use is your growing conditions and where it sits in the green house.

Den. lasianthera 'Sepik Blue'

        Dendrobium lasianthera is a large sized, hot growing epiphyte from damp, humid river and streams in lowland forests of Papua and New Guinea below 100 meters in elevation with terete, erect stems carrying leaves throughout the length and have elliptic, coriaceous, emarginate, alternate leaves. The bloom season is from spring through autumn on an axillary, medium length to 1 to 2' [30 to 60 cm], several to many [10 to 30] flowered raceme with showy flowers that arises from the nodes near the apex of mature leafy canes with water and fertilizer applied evenly year round. The flowers average size is about 2.5 inches.
       This is a plant that I had bought off eBay. As the post yesterday, this is another antelope dendrobium. One of the more colorful dendrobiums in my opinion. This is still a young plant so hopefully it will get much taller and produce way more flowers over time. I have this growing in the coarse mix just as most of my plants do. It consists of tree fern, hydroton, sponge rock and charcoal. I haven't had this plant for too long so this is the first time I have seen it bloom, but I am very happy with the form and bright colors. I have thought about which of my dens. I could hybridize this with to get some really nice bright color formations. The last couple are opening up so I have a little time before the pollen goes bad. This will give me a chance to see what will be blooming somewhat in the future to plan the hybrid out right.

Den. Ong Hock Chye

       This is one of my favorite Dendrobiums. The parentage is Den. Liholiho x Den. strebloceras. I haven't been able to find a picture of Liholiho so I would say that the prominent parent in the cross is strebloceras because it looks a lot like it. This plant has been blooming since March and now has a total of 13 inflorescences which totals approximately 160 flowers. 

       The Spatulata section of dendrobium's are often referred to 'antelope' dendrobiums. They are called antelope dendrobiums due to their twisted, upright petals just like a wild antelope. Out of the 12,000 hybrids and 1,600 species, there are only 30 species that have these long twisted petals. The only place you can find these type of dendrobiums in the entire world are Papa New Guinea and the North East coast of Australia. Most are found overlaying rivers and some even by the ocean. I have currently bred this particular dendrobium with a few of my other antelope den's. and are currently forming seed pods which should be ripe enough in a few more month's to flask. Some of the plants will grow to be 5-6 feet and other plant will grow to be as big as a small onion. 

C. forbesii

About this species:  A cool to warm growing, medium sized epiphyitc or lithophytic species from Brazil found near streams or the sea coast on trees and rocks or on bushes under trees at elevations of 200 meters with slightly swollen pseudobulbs subtended by several membraneous sheaths and carrying 2 apical, oblong, coriaceous, spreading, rounded, notched apically leaves that blooms from autumn until spring on an erect, terminal, 4 3/4" to 6" long, 1 to 6 flowered inflorescence subtended basally by a sheath from which long-lived, fragrant, waxy, color variable flowers arise. Best grown mounted to tree fern or cork or potted in well draining medium, bright light, cool to warm temperatures and a warm humid summer and a slight winter rest after flowering.

Personal Note:  This is a plant I received from Blue Llama Orchids last year. This is my first time blooming it. I have it growing in a 4" clay, unglazed pot with media that consists of Hydroton, tree fern fiber, sponge rock, and charcoal. There is a slight fragrance to it and has been blooming currently for about 3 1/2 to 4 weeks now.

Blc. Canhamiana 'Cobalt' AM/AOS

Bloom:

Plant:

This is another orchid I received from a society members collection. This is a nice flower and for some reason I received two of them. One, I left as a nice specimen sized plant and the the I divided into two to three other plants. I also have the 'Azure' awarded plant, which is starting to make buds right now. I'll post a blog about it when it blooms. This is what they call a "blue" orchid. Since there is no such thing as a true blue orchid the "blue's" are typically a light purple color. Another name for the "blue" orchids are coerulea. This plant has about 10 blooms on it and is a nice sized plant.