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  #1  
Old 12-24-2017, 10:17 AM
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MrHappyRotter MrHappyRotter is offline
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Trichopilia suavis Male
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Trichopilia suavis

I woke up this morning on Christmas Eve day 2017 to the gorgeous and sophisticated fragrance of this wonderful Oncidium alliance plant that I purchased on Christmas Eve day 2016 from Carter and Holmes orchids in South Carolina USA. This is quite literally one of the most, if not the most, fragrant orchid I grow. It's a complex musky perfumy scent that's strongest in the morning, but noticeable day and night. It reminds me of Cattleya loddigesii or the similar fragrance of wild Passiflora incarnata (Maypop Passion Flower) with a hint of hyacinths. The plant is in my grow room, but it's just so fragrant it has filled the other rooms upstairs. Judging by the fragrance and the flower appearance, the flowers give me the impression that they're trying to mimic those of a Cattleya or similar genus. Perhaps they have the same pollinators in the wild?

A couple of months ago I noticed that the plant was putting out a new growth for me and seemed to be quite happy. At first the new growth moved very slowly, and then a few weeks ago, it suddenly began to grow at lightning pace (for an orchid) and it puffed up and elongated, revealing that this new growth was, in fact, a flower spike! I was not expecting this to bloom any time soon, as this is not, to my knowledge, a small growing Trichopilia and this plant is still quite small, in a 4in/10cm pot. The 4 flowers are about 4in/10cm in width and height! Very large for the size of the plant. There was a fifth bud (the first on the spike) that didn't open.

I grow this plant on one of my shadier shelves, under a single 2-bulb 4 foot T-8 fluorescent shop light alongside some mini-phals and slipper seedlings. It did not seem to be affected by warm summer growing temperatures in my collection, and given that Carter and Holmes is even further south (and warmer), I'm guessing this species is a lot more warmth tolerant than a lot of sources give it credit. I have come to grow this species the way I grow my Phrags and some of my Miltonias -- sitting in a saucer of water at all times and not allowed to dry out more than a day or two. The roots (not pictured) have grown into an extensive mass and appear to be quite happy with this arrangement. I use mostly rain/ro water, and feed lightly but regularly.

Enough words ...









Needless to say, if you're into fragrant orchids, it's hard to go wrong with Trichopilia suavis. I'm definitely going to have to look into some other members of this genus. I already know I want to get my hands on the more diminuative T. tortilis.
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  #2  
Old 12-24-2017, 11:35 AM
Dollythehun Dollythehun is offline
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Beautiful! It reminds me of a gloxinia! Thank you sharing and the info. This is going on my wish list.
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  #3  
Old 12-24-2017, 11:57 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dollythehun View Post
Beautiful! It reminds me of a gloxinia! Thank you sharing and the info. This is going on my wish list.
I completely agree. I didn't even think about Gloxinia until you mentioned it, but now I can't not notice the similarities.
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  #4  
Old 12-24-2017, 12:32 PM
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DeaC DeaC is offline
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Too wonderful for words-good 4 you! But can I pick your brain a bit? I've a Helpilia Tennis that needs help.Sev. yrs ago I had it in s/m,3" clay pot and under lights.Pbs began rotting so it went into bark/sm mix and placed near a cooler window over humidity tray. New pb and leaf grew healthier. I think it could still be a young plant but with 7 small leafless pbs and 3 that have leaves,it's clear I'm clueless even with my research. TY for any info. to anyone.
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  #5  
Old 12-25-2017, 12:33 PM
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Thank you for the detailed information. Carter and Holmes has them available now. On the plant's page they say to keep it damp at all times, and to consider it a cool to intermediate grower.

Yours appears to be in long-fiber sphagnum moss? This is what C&H uses for the plants they send. How many times have you repotted it since it arrived?

I passed on this a couple of years ago when C&H had them, thinking it is too warm here. Then isurus79 in Austin, Texas mentioned he knows of somebody near him growing it in a greenhouse. And I found this post here on Orchid Board:
Trichopilia suavis full of flowers

At the time C&H had this and tortilis, so I bought both in springtime. They arrived in round plastic pots, about 3" / 7.5cm, in long-fiber sphagnum. I put them into my growing area, which rarely got over 80 F / 27C. I did not let them dry out, but I didn't keep them wet, either. I had read several other posts here on Orchid Board that they shouldn't be kept wet (I'm thinking more and more this is wrong, and they should be wet while growing.)

Both sat there. Both began making new growths, but the growths soon stalled, then turned black. Both dropped all their leaves. They made a second attempt and growing, which also turned black. Then the plants died.

I decided to try again this fall, thinking maybe if I could get them established before it's hot, I would have more success. In my growing room now it's humid, cool at night (60 F / 15.5C minimum), and intermediate to warm in the day. The plant dropped all its leaves quickly but began making a new growth. The new growth stalled, then developed blackish edges. But now it's growing again.

With your information about standing your plant in water I'm going to try that. The pseudobulbs are still healthy (although it creeps me out they have all arrived with what appears to be salt stains along the top quarter of the pseudobulb.)
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  #6  
Old 12-25-2017, 01:04 PM
Dollythehun Dollythehun is offline
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Honesty, I had to come back and admire this again. What beauty! Carter and Holmes...not enough heat packs to get it here now. Tomorrow and all week in the single digits.
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  #7  
Old 12-25-2017, 01:53 PM
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They usually have them in their catalog for a number of months. They won't be shipping for a while, so there's a good chance it will still be in stock when the weather changes.
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  #8  
Old 12-26-2017, 12:28 PM
Jeff214 Jeff214 is offline
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Stunning display, especially from a plant of that size!
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  #9  
Old 12-27-2017, 08:20 AM
katrina katrina is offline
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I grow a number of Trichopilia and have for several years. Some, like tortilis, are very fussy and once they go into decline...it's very hard to bring them back. I've killed 2 and am working on killing a 3rd.

Most are actually kind of fussy about root disturbance and even dividing them can set them back quite a bit.

I find the hybrids to be somewhat more robust and hardy than most of the species. Also, recent imports can take a few years to acclimate to my space...and that's if I don't lose them first. I might have an easier time w/them if I used rain or R/O water...this is just a guess but probably a pretty good one.

Over the years I have experimented w/many set ups and I have found my best roots are on those that are growing in straight sphag in clay or plastic pots. They need to be kept pretty wet. I grow in straight sphag and I have them sitting in shallow saucers of water. If they dry out too much, they seem to go into decline...more so if the temps are high. One very frustrating thing I've noticed is that even w/my healthiest and strongest plants...I will lose one new growth to black for every 2 or 3 that grow and mature. I've lessened the black loss by doing most of my watering from underneath rather than soaking the foliage...but it still happens. I've yet to really figure this out and what causes it but I'm guessing it's mostly just a situation of less than perfect conditions. If the plant is a recent import and/or has had any root issues...I can lose more new growths than I get to actually mature. I got a laxa from Ecuagenera almost 3 years ago...it was very small...no roots when I got it...and I've lost more new growths to the black than w/any other I've ever had. It's in a small slotted 3" pot and it's definitely struggling. I might one day see flowers on this one but I'm not holding by breath.


They can be quite frustrating but when you get one to grow and bloom...it's very much worth all the hassles.

Almost forgot. I have a suavis and it was super healthy when I got it a few years ago. It was a small plant but it was very healthy. Bloomed beautifully and grew well. Then, I let it dry out too much last winter and it went into decline. I'm still trying to pull it out of that decline. Finger crossed.

Last edited by katrina; 12-27-2017 at 08:24 AM..
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  #10  
Old 12-27-2017, 12:54 PM
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fishmom fishmom is offline
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That is just an amazing flower! Thanks for all the detailed information.
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