Neobenthamia gracilis (The graceful Neobenthamia)

[brianwstephens]

Originally Posted by isurus79

This one is a great little terrestrial. It’s been renamed Polystachya neobenthamia so it’s no longer a monotypic genus. It gets about 2’ tall when grown in full Texas sun, but I’ve heard of specimens growing over 6’ tall looking for sun in shady conditions! Keep this in mind when growing it!

Yes they get HUGE. The greenhouse that I bought mine from has a mother plant that TOWERS over me and I'm 6' 4"😆

[DirtyCoconuts]

Originally Posted by isurus79

This one is a great little terrestrial. It’s been renamed Polystachya neobenthamia so it’s no longer a monotypic genus. It gets about 2’ tall when grown in full Texas sun, but I’ve heard of specimens growing over 6’ tall looking for sun in shady conditions! Keep this in mind when growing it!

I wonder if these taxonomists will just shuffle some families during the quarantine when they are bored!!!


the above is true...i have mine in a huge pot under an eave and last years plant was 3' and there are 3 growths this year coming up fast!!

[brianwstephens]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

I wonder if these taxonomists will just shuffle some families during the quarantine when they are bored!!!


the above is true...i have mine in a huge pot under an eave and last years plant was 3' and there are 3 growths this year coming up fast!!

HAHA probably!!! 🤣🤣🤣

How wet do you keep yours?

[DirtyCoconuts]

i am starting to water it more...for the first bloom period i had been letting her only get rain water but this season has been drier and the plant is less vigorous so i have recently started watering it in the morning...fully soaking the pot as i water my other non-orchids and the soil is barely moist at all by night


i also have a large driftwood tree in the same pot with a terete vanda and some tillys so it is "leave it alone" pot and i sometimes forget about it. now that i am including it in the morning watering i expect it will be happier

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by brianwstephens

I know that this is a very old post, but I just got one of these and I'm wondering how cold tolerant they are. I live in the Bay Area and since they apparently love sun I was hoping to grow it outdoors.

I have one that I grew in the greenhouse for a number of years, that didn't do much. Then found out from a friend who also lives near the coast, just a bit south of me, that his does very well outside. I moved mine out last summer, it was out all winter, and is growing much better than it did in the GH. It's in a somewhat protected area, but winter lows are typically low 40's F with occasional nights that are lower. So... It seems to be a lot more cold-tolerant than it is given credit for.

[brianwstephens]

Originally Posted by Roberta

I have one that I grew in the greenhouse for a number of years, that didn't do much. Then found out from a friend who also lives near the coast, just a bit south of me, that his does very well outside. I moved mine out last summer, it was out all winter, and is growing much better than it did in the GH. It's in a somewhat protected area, but winter lows are typically low 40's F with occasional nights that are lower. So... It seems to be a lot more cold-tolerant than it is given credit for.

Wow that's great okay. It sounds like we have very similar weather I think I'm in 10b. I'm going to try a keiki outside and see how it does!

---------- Post added at 09:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:28 AM ----------

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

i am starting to water it more...for the first bloom period i had been letting her only get rain water but this season has been drier and the plant is less vigorous so i have recently started watering it in the morning...fully soaking the pot as i water my other non-orchids and the soil is barely moist at all by night


i also have a large driftwood tree in the same pot with a terete vanda and some tillys so it is "leave it alone" pot and i sometimes forget about it. now that i am including it in the morning watering i expect it will be happier

So you're giving it daily water?
All the keikis and aerial roots make it seem like it would like that...

[Roberta]

Mine gets daily water in summer, about every other day in winter. So I think damp is good.

[brianwstephens]

Okay thanks! I'm glad that I asked. So excited for it to bloom someday!

[isurus79]

I hit mine with water at the same rate I hit my Cattleyas. Everyday when temps above 95, every other day with temps 85-94, and a few times a week when temps are "chilly" (below 85).

[Afid]

Mine just arrived today!! It came way early and without notification from the postal service so it got a little chilly (it sat around in the package box in below-freezing weather) for about an hour, but it seems to be fine by some miracle.