Bulbo. Lion King X annandelei

[Optimist]

This was on ebay for a while. I kept looking at it, thinking that it looked pretty healthy, so I bought it finally. The flower is not too interesting, just like my last one (Medusa X Perseus).

I got it, and was stunned. It is massive. I'm used to seeing ebay orchids being tiny divisions. I am soaking it now because the roots were a bit dry, and one leaf is yellow, so it will probably fall off--

Look at how huge! This is well on its way to being a specimen plant! (See sharpie pen as a size reference). I have set it next to Medusa X Perseus. I will be cultivating it in a similar way, but with rock wool instead of moss.

[u bada]

I probably asked you already a while back... but you do well with big bulbos with what I'm guessing would be fluctuating if not low humidity overall throughout the year?

I mean those are nice bulbos... curious how you keep humidity high enough for them throughout the year or if the species/hybrids you grow can handle less humidity...

Bulbos that have done well for me have only done well for me in growing cases where I can keep humidity constant... However, I've been experimenting with growing two bigger bulbos- levanae and antenniferum (to me bigger means bigger than micro mini) on the windowsill and they seem to grow fairly well as long as media is kept relatively damp.

[Optimist]

I killed all the small "terrarium" type bulbos.
we have incredibly low humidity here. I punched up the humidity inside by having a 75 gallon fish tank, and also with the tons of sphagham moss under them. They need to be watered only once a week because those pots have drip holes only on the sides, not the bottom, so they remain wetter for longer.

Outside the shade "house" (really a dog kennel" has a horse trough pond in it, once again adding humidity I never let the dirt floor dry out. It has taken a long time working on humidity. Wet mud is really great stuff.

The bulbos that are similar to medusea take "cattleya" light. They go outside with the cats.

Every plant (bulbo) I got from a grower was mounted, and Mounted plants die quickly in my environment.

[u bada]

thanks. I have this theory that the rounder pbulbed types with thick leathery leaves can handle fluctuating humidity better, like cattleyas for example, as long as the roots remain damp (but not sopping).

Then there's the flower issue... can the flowers form and open in lower temps? I guess your medusae has grown and flowered with your varying humidity levels under you setup?

annandelei is a pretty meaty plant, so that should add to this hybrid possibily it being more tolerant...

[Optimist]

In March 16, I got this one to bloom. I was trying to keep everything "mounted" because I wanted a life like terrarium at the time. I gave it plenty of mist, but I think it may have needed more light. I don't know. Gradually all the leaves fell off.


This is the Medusea X which you can see is sparser, and yellow and does not really look as much like a medusea, but I think it is okay. (I am still looking for a species Medusea that does not break the bank) This I have in the flat enclosed pot with plenty of spag. moss. It has been doing great.



I was thinking it was (or might have been) the section Cirripedia in general. So I decided to stick with this section since I was on the"verge" (possibly) of getting them to grow.

In the winter, yes, the area is cooler than say "tropical Borneo" but in the spring, summer, fall it is strangely similar. (we run from 70 to 105 here) Now all I need is 80% humidity.

Good luck with your growing!

---------- Post added at 08:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:21 AM ----------

Oh, the medusea cross is spiking now, and that is from being in the window all winter.

---------- Post added at 08:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:32 AM ----------

Actually, no, I try to buy them large and healthy. I did not grow any of these from a seedling. I have gotten good growth at 1-2 leaves (p-bulbs) per year. I think that's all I can hope for.

[u bada]

Thanks for the pics and info! the medusa cross is pretty interesting...

yeah that whole bulbo growing fine with providing all the humidity and such then dropping leaves and dying has happened to me... that's why I'd hesitate to tell people to let bulbos sit in moss in water... I've lost quite a few to rot, and that section in particular I've killed to rot. In fact most I have are from that section and they do better with me with some drying out just not all the way... Still that moss you have the medusae cross in looks fluffy and airy, so that may be a factor in having kept it happy.

looks like medusa is from a different section, Desmosanthes...

All I need is 80% humidity too...

[estación seca]

We're talking about the southeast Asian always-wet plants. There is a large number of Bulbo species from dry-winter climates in Africa, and Mexico through South America, that nobody seems to talk about.

80% humidity may be the point at which they might - just might - rot. When I kept some at 60%-70% in wet sphagnum they never ever had rot issues. They died when I didn't get to water them often enough and they dried out only somewhat - never to dry moss. (Why couldn't I be a kept man instead of needing to work?)

They also didn't grow until I read that book and began fertilizing often. Bill Thoms says they should be in constant growth, and he has to repot every 1-2 years because they outgrow the container. He says it is expected every new growth will make at least 2 new growths, on a constant basis.

I put the survivors into a dank aquarium with a glass top. They are doing fine, even the seedlings. They would be doing better but I haven't had time to fertilize much lately.

I suggest you buy Bill's book at bulbophyllums.com and put the information to work - it costs less than the price of 2 more dead Bulbos.

[Optimist]

I do keep them wet, but there is a difference between totally saturated, and "wrung out sponge." I let them go from totally saturated to wrung out sponge, but never"crispy-dry." If I lived in Louisiana, I would probably keep them in bark, I don't know. Each medium you choose has to do with where the plants are expected to grow. I know that these 2 grew up in Florida. The medium they were in was suitable to Florida, but not New Mexico. Whenever someone gives advice on how to grow or pot orchids, they must take into account the ambient conditions where the plant is expected to grow.

[u bada]

If that's not the most effective, if not the only, plug for a book on bulbophyllums I don't know what is...

My main question is humidity... can they grow well and flower with humidity around 50% or even less if root zone is kept evenly moist... i.e. without a greenhouse or enclosure? So far my answer is no not really, except certain species may be possible... so it's a matter of finding out which ones, and if something like medusae can, then that's a bulbo worth trying...

[estación seca]

Cirrhopetalum lepidum flowered for me with a humidity range 40%-60%.