Tolumnia sylvestris - the good news ...
 

The good news is that my never blooming (five years!) Tolumnia sylvestris has a spike! (It did get a spike last year, but withered and died early on)

The bad news is that about 3 weeks ago, it had three spikes ... :p

When the first small bud disappeared, I noticed that plant had chewed on looking bits. After I soaked the plant in a cup, I saw a fat caterpillar on it! So, I removed him!

The next bud was just there one day, and gone the next ... It doesn't look chewed, but I guess something must have eaten it :((

Keep your fingers crossed for me and this spike please!

A caterpillar! Is it growing outside? What kind, something which will morph into a beautiful butterfly?

Yes, the plant is outside. I don't know what kind of caterpillar, but it was a bigger one, so probably a nice butterfly. I'm not sure if it survived the soak I gave the plant, tho (plant is mounted) ... I do relocate caterpillars I find on orchids to other, bigger plants ;)

update and photos
 

I moved this plant indoors to prevent the remaining spike from being eaten. I was worried the change might cause it to blast ... I'm not sure if there were two buds, and one blasted, or just the one bud to begin with - these are tiny! - but the spike is still going, bud getting bigger :)

I've spotted a couple more possible spikes, but I'm not certain they aren't keikis - have to wait and see ...

I've not been able to get a clear photo of the bud - just too tiny for my camera ...

Holy cow, that plant is HUGE!!

Keep us posted rabbit. I have one that has refused to bloom.

Hehe - "huge" - not a word I would have associated with this species ;) But, I see what you mean - it has covered it's little twig quite well ...

I found a pic of it when I first got it, nearly five years ago ...

My Fingers are crossed !!!!

I got this in '08 - didn't get a spike until last year (but that withered without blooming) - I had gotten fed up with it, and left it outdoors all winter (mostly sheltered from rain, tho may have gotten a bit now and then - sheltered from frost, put in the garage if there was a chance of freeze), not watering it more than once a week - who knew it it would take that treatment quite well??? ... It had been outside since spring/summer of '11, until I just recently brought it inside hoping to save the remaining spike on it.

It now mostly gets a quick shower for water, rather than a soak, tho I have been soaking once a week, but stopping now - don't want to lose that bud!, haven't fertilized it in a quite some time. It's been going thru winter without fertilizer. The spike last year died after I started to fertilize - I really don't know if that's what caused the spike to abort - but, this year, I've not fertilized since I first saw spikes, and hadn't gotten fertilized over winter at all ...

I don't know - at least in my case, seems that less (less care - water, fert) is more ... :dunno:

I'll definitely keep everyone posted! Good luck with yours!

---------- Post added at 05:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:57 PM ----------

Thank you, Monika! :)

Ha! Yes, I guess "huge" is a relative term! ;)