bulbophyllum ambrosia

[cnycharles]

this species in unique in that it's a bulbophyllum that smells nice, it is alive, and in that it has flowered for me! usually bulbos smell like rotting things or worse, and the larger bulbophyllums that I use to have wouldn't flower. the first bud opened today (was surprised to see the open flower this afternoon). in the buds post I mentioned about how I had originally purchased this plant from george norris down in texas, and that the other half of the plant had been traded to a fellow orchid grower who grew it to large size and then it burst into flower. many pieces have been put on the auction table, and I actually got a piece of my friend's plant which is the one flowering here. I couldn't smell it tonight but I'll check to see if I can smell it in the morning. It's called 'ambrosia' because it's supposed to smell fairly nice

flower

side

mostly whole plant view showing reversed-astroturf mount (would probably
work better if I had higher humidity)

I did notice a new flower spike coming up from the base of another pseudobulb so there'll be three flowers

 

[paphjoint]

nice

 

[JeanLux]

Very interesting shape!!! Jean

 

[NYEric]

Not bad, interesting flower too.

 

[cnycharles]

checked this morning and it does have a nice fragrance but not exactly sure what like...

 

[SlipperFan]

It's a sweet fragrance, but not overly so. Very pleasant -- very surprising for a Bulbo. There's at least one more Bulbo with a good fragrance: cocoinum. Smells a bit like coconut.

 

[Mathias]

Nice flower! I heard that this one had a fragrance that reminded of almonds. Bulbos actually have a bit of undeserved reputation for being foul smelling. Only a handful in this HUGE genus is stinkers. But of course, those that do stink can be real "plant skunks"...

Another nice smelling Bulbo is Bulbophyllum lasiochilum that can have a faint strawberry fragrance.

 

[Kavanaru]

This is a sweet looking species... however, for me it happens to be a reluctant bloomer... I have tried high and low humiditiy and light, and I only get it growing...

 

[Mathias]

however, for me it happens to be a reluctant bloomer... I have tried high and low humiditiy and light, and I only get it growing...

Same here! Let me know if you find the secret...

 

[Ernie]

This one is neat.

Bill Thoms brought a couple Bulbos in for judging last weekend. One was a primary between agastor and echinolabium to be registered as Bulbo More than Agast. It had the usual nasty bulbo smell, but with a familiar smell of stale beer. It got a low AM. Agastor has really bad form- the sepals fold upward almost reminiscent of frostii. But this trait breeds out nicely.

 

[biothanasis]

Lovely...wish I could grow bulbos more efficiently!!