Sarcochilus - Orchid Board

Roberta · #1 05-11-2023, 10:53 PM

Sarcochilus is an easy-to-grow Vandaceous species that is 'way under-represented here, so here's a modest attempt to remedy that shortcoming...

Sarco. fitzgeraldii is one of the foundation species of most of the spectacular hybrids that are being bred in Australia. The other big one is Sarco. hartmanii. Sarco. fitzgeraldii in particular has lots of variation in the amount, and shade, of color, and it's the source of much of the color in the hybrids. Through multiple generations of selective breeding of hybrids, the amount of red/pink has increased to to the point that flowers are almost solid color. Here's an example - Sarco. Kulnura Warmer is nearly half Sarco. fitzgeraldii and half Sarco. hartmanii (which has tends to have a much smaller ring of color). (It contains a very small amount of Sarco. falcatus, which is pure white) It sure doesn't look like its ancestors!

Ray · #2 05-12-2023, 08:45 AM

Those a great, Roberta!

I have not found them "easy to grow" at all, but that may be due to my temperatures here.

Paphluvr · #3 05-12-2023, 10:14 AM

Very nicely grown and flowered. Well done!

Roberta · #4 05-12-2023, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

Those a great, Roberta!

I have not found them "easy to grow" at all, but that may be due to my temperatures here.

An "easy" orchid is one for which one has the conditions... I can't grow most of the (big) Vandas...

I'm guessing that pretty much the same conditions as for Neofinetia falcata would apply.

DaylightFirefly · #5 05-12-2023, 11:03 AM

These are gorgeous plants. So green, bushy, visibly happy! Love it! Thank you for sharing!

PuiPuiMolcar · #6 05-13-2023, 12:46 AM

They're beautiful, I'm so glad my society had a speaker about sarcochilus last month (which I also won the lottery for one) it's great to know that the Australian orchid nursery are trying to incentivize people to get into Sarcochilus by hybridizing with more wilder pattern.
excuse the blurry image because this was the only pict I took

camille1585 · #7 05-26-2023, 08:45 AM

Lovely plants Roberta!! How long have you had the big one in the fourth photo (Kulnura Warmer)? It's gorgeous!

I have never had one, but love all the Sarcochilus I see in photos. It's one genus I'd love to try, and might pick one up at a nursery in Belgium next weekend since they do a lot of breeding with this genus. Do you know anything about requirements for blooming? I read they need coolish winters much like Neofinetia, but can't find much information sadly. I can get my Neos and cool resting Den just cool enough to get some blooms (not a big show but enough to make me happy) so I'm hopeful for the Sarcos.

Keysguy · #8 05-26-2023, 09:10 AM

Tim Culbertson is speaking on "Modern Sarcochilus Hybrids" at the New Hampshire OS June meeting. It's a genus I know absolutely nothing about so I'm really looking forward to it.

He came and spoke on Paph's last year and is a great speaker.

camille1585 · #9 05-26-2023, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keysguy

Tim Culbertson is speaking on "Modern Sarcochilus Hybrids" at the New Hampshire OS June meeting. It's a genus I know absolutely nothing about so I'm really looking forward to it.

He came and spoke on Paph's last year and is a great speaker.

Sounds interesting! Could you take some notes for us? I'd love to hear more about the genus. I just posted a thread to see if anyone is interested in trying this as a project plant, assuming it's suitable for that.

DirtyCoconuts · #10 05-26-2023, 10:05 AM

if i am correct i have one that i bought from SBOS and it has done next to nothing in 3 years.

i have it on a rack that gets good neofinatia conditions but i might move it to my actual neo area for a change...i'll see the tag. i probably bought the one that needs to live on a cold volcano in space.