problem finding specific plants to buy

[myshka]

my birthday is coming up in a few weeks and i would like to indulge my addiction and get one of my wishlist orchids. however, being a poor college student i'm left with limited options.

i've been googling my butt off for a while looking for these. but i haven't found much luck- either the plants are not blooming size or seedlings, or out of the country. i hate to be picky about the size, but i am very very poor! this is a big splurge for me and i'd like to get exactly what i'm looking for. paying for college is rough!

i'm diligently looking for a blooming size (the bigger, the better!) of either of these two orchids:

1) Angraecum Magdalenae

2) Vuylstekeara Camouflage ‘Everglades Passion’

i most likely can not order from a company outside of the united states because they tend to have minimum order amounts that are over my budget.

my budget is around $50-60 for one of either of the above.

i've been googling my butt off for a while looking for these. but i haven't found much luck- either the plants are not blooming size or seedlings, or out of the country.

if anyone can point me in the right direction, i would be very appreciative!

[orchidsamore]

Your question may be a good time to discuss orchid names and the way orchids are produced in the industry.

Vuyl. Camouflage is a 1999 (registration date) hybrid of (Vuyl. Memoria Mary Kavanaugh x Oda. Florence Stirling)

Oda. Florence Stirling) is an old hybrid from 1948 and its parent are from 1930. It is hard to imagine if these hybrids exist anymore to even try to reproduce this hybrid.

Since hybrids are man made, to still exist someone has to have enough interest (financially) to keep making it. This hybrid has never been awarded, so its commercial value is limited.

Oncidium inter-generics are usually produced one time and then growers move on to 'new names' crossing two different plants. Even when a hybrid is exceptional growers will not produce it every year but rotate crops on a 3-5 year basis. This is the time to flower and sell a crop of orchids. If we did not there would many less orchids varieties for sale.

Vuylstekeara Camouflage ‘Everglades Passion’
The name is followed by a cultivar ‘Everglades Passion’ . When an orchid hybrid is registered only the parents and the hybrid name are recorded. Growers add a cultivar when the plant is awarded to indicate a clone of the awarded plant. Since this orchid has not been awarded the name is meaningless. It indicates that only one grower used this name to make his crop look different.

All this goes to show that you will find a particular plant in big quantities for a year or two and then nothing as the industry moves to something new.

Even if someone wanted (and had the parents) to remake the hybrid, seed crosses can vary greatly and the plant produced may not look like the plant you are trying to buy.

An example of the variation in seed crossings is illustrated here
HomePhoto GalleryFree Orchid Cal

For your birthday you should look around to find an orchid in current production that looks like what you desired in this Intergeneric Oncidium.

Angraecum magdalenae is a species rather than a hybrid. For this we use a lower case letter on the species name magdalenae.

It is a white Angraecum and not very common. This is for commercial reasons. The Darwin Orchid Angraecum sesquipedale is historically famous and is much more popular. This one you will find easier. You may find it even more desirable as many people have.

[myshka]

wow, that was more useful information than i was expecting! thank you so much for taking the time to write all that out for me. i had very little understanding of how the industry works and why it can be difficult to find certain hybrids.

i'm a bit sad that Angraecum magdalenae is uncommon, however, it's understandable that Angraecum sesquipedale overshadows it. i do still want this plant and there are a few sites that have non-blooming size plants. i may just settle for one of those.

thanks again for taking the time to write all that out. it was extremely helpful.

[orchidsamore]

One thing not normally mentioned to beginners is that species even Dendrobium can take 5-8 years to mature while hybrids are usually selected to bloom in 2-3 years for Cattleya and 8-18 months for Dendrobium..

When buying species orchids you need to know what to expect. They can be very regarding but require patience.

[orkie]

For the Angraecum, I used the orchid nursery search engine (Orchid Nurseries) and found:

Orchid of the Week Library: Angraecum magdalenae

SUNSET ORCHIDS, Miscellaneous

out of date, but you might contact about the plant:
http://www.carolinaorchids.com/Files...ist%202007.htm

Good luck!

[murphy48]

For the Angraecum magdalenae it also looks like the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate might have it (it says inquire about prices)...

[myshka]

you guys are so awesome! i found a blooming size Angraecum magdalenae from carolina orchids!!

thanks much! i'm so excited!

[calvin_orchidL]

Magdalanae is not as common but sesquipidale, but it's still relatively common. Oakhill orchids in Chicago has 20 dollar ones. Let me tell ya though - this plant grows SLOW...nor is it incredibly easy to bloom, but if you like it, go for it. Just the fragrance alone makes it 100% worth it.

[Carl Austin]

Jerry, you are wrong in your contention about cultivar names and wrong in saying that the cultivar name 'Everglades Passion' is meaningless. Any orchid can receive a cultivar name - it doesn't have to be awarded. Orchids with outstanding characteristic(s) are often given cultivar or clonal names. Then every vegetative propogation, e.g. all divisions of that particular orchid, also carry the clonal name. The fact that this plant received a cultivar name indicates that the original owner considered it worthy of that distinction.

Carl

[orchidsamore]

My point was that when you are looking for a specific name like this for a non-awarded plant, it means it will come only from the one person who decided to tack a cultivar on it. Finding it then becomes luck if it is available at all. It probably does not exist except for the initial production.

True divisions could have the same cultivar as a clone but no one commercially divides Oncidium.

There is no restriction on cultivar names on non-awarded plants but traditionally that is how they were used.