B nodosa ‘mas major’ buds

Slippertalk Orchid Forum

Help Support Slippertalk Orchid Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Messages
9,914
Reaction score
308
Location
elmer, nj
Last year about this time I went to littlebrook orchids in Lancaster pa after work. I had the bug to find some orchids that would flower easily and wanted to pick up one of the phal lindenii he had. He had in the front peak of one of his greenhouses, a huge b nodosa in full flower! I found some plants for sale with buds coming and had a few flowers last year. This year the spikes started maybe a month ago, and are growing quickly now. The first won’t quite be open for Christmas, but definitely for the new year
2B3C56E8-5E97-42BB-BC6F-712CFC3666DD.jpeg839FB65E-5A30-4111-A096-A018DA028784.jpeg
The plant has basically doubled in size; had four or so growths before and has three more. I was actually kind of nervous that the plant would grow so quickly that I wouldn’t be able to keep it potted before it outgrew it! The original pot has been sitting in a quart yogurt container that I keep a small amount of water in and let it dry, then water again. I’d noticed that nodosa though liking airy roots didn’t really like being dry dry, and I’ve tried to keep just a little water in the bottom of the pot. I did spritz the roots a while before with quantum and more recently with inocucor, but actually not much fertilizer. It has some morning sun and the timed light
 
Merry Christmas!

here’s the whole plant set in the tub, and plant in front for scale
It’s good that you asked; I didn’t realize how much water was inside… just being wet and in the tub is enough for awhile. You can see from the color that with the combo of morning sun when the sun does shine, and the overhead light, it’s maxed on light
E7E170B8-0F8B-428F-9A12-E43584971059.jpeg74F0D61A-6CE1-4A13-ABC7-E205AC0EE60C.jpeg
 
.....a huge b nodosa in full flower!

Charles, are you sure this is B. nodosa ?
This is a nice and obviously vigorous plant......but I have doubts it to be Brassavola nodosa ? In my eyes the broad leaves and the loose growth don't really fit to B. nodosa which has more or less terete leaves and an compact growth. Also the reddish markings on the leaves don't fit to B. nodosa......I tend it to be a hybrid. At any rate flowers will tell the truth. So let's wait few more days. Here is a link to a foto of Brassavola nodosa like I know it.
 
Last edited:
I'm surprised the pine bark mix is tolerating the water. I put a rock or chunk of Styrofoam in the bottom of the yoghurt tub to keep the pot above water while the roots wander about.
Truth be told, I’ve been keeping a little more water in it recently, and more often than not it gets fairly dry between waterings. I decided to keep more moisture once I saw possible flower spikes. Last year when I brought home, some buds fell off when it got dry (it was in low spike when I bought it) I think having the tub around the roots when I’ve more recently let it be drier, kept humidity higher and prevented root damage. It’s leaving the original pot quickly, so doing more like you have adapted would likely be a good target
 
Charles, are you sure this is B. nodosa ?
This is a nice and obviously vigorous plant......but I have doubts it to be Brassavola nodosa ? In my eyes the broad leaves and the loose growth don't really fit to B. nodosa which has more or less terete leaves and an compact growth. Also the reddish markings on the leaves don't fit to B. nodosa......I tend it to be a hybrid. At any rate flowers will tell the truth. So let's wait few more days. Here is a link to foto of Brassavola nodosa like I know it.

hello Rudolph,
Yes, the plant is very different. I have my uncertainties about what exactly it is. My previous experience has been with tiny and medium length pencil leaved nodosa. I bought the plant a year ago, here’s the link to my posting here of the first flower opening

https://www.slippertalk.com/threads/brassavola-nodosa-‘mas-mejor’-am-aos-bud.50862/
The flowers look very much like nodosa/small, and it’s been awarded and crossed with other nodosa cultivars. I can find pictures of it by name online, I don’t know anything about it’s background. I would be happy to know more about it and exactly what it is
 
Looking around online, though this is awarded as nodosa, perhaps it is what sometimes is called brassavola grandiflora, or nodosa var grandiflora. These may be synonyms to nodosa, but it definitely is different than nodosa
 

Latest posts

Back
Top