Habenaria radiata UPDATE 9/26/06

[Heather]

It's wonderful!
So, you left the house, and it thought "finally, some privacy!" : )

Looking forward to more photos.

 

[Marco]

John that is way to cool!

 

[Shadow]

Congratulations! Very nice flowers! Do they lose leaves during the winter season or spend the winter with leaves?

 

[PHRAG]

During the winter, the plant will die off, and the tubers will go dormant. They will sprout again next spring.

 

[Sue]

Yay! I hadn't read this thread before. Congrats, and thanks for sharing the pics!

 

[PHRAG]

The first bloom died seven days after opening. I think it would have lasted longer, but I touched it a couple of times to feel the fringe. : )

More blooms have opened, and there is quite a bit of difference in sizes and shapes. I keep hoping one will bloom pink or yellow. That would be cool.

Here are some more photos of blooms currently opening. I will post until you are all so sick of these plants you vote me off the island. Enjoy!

 

[Heather]

I will post until you are all so sick of these plants you vote me off the island.

Never!!!

I love these blooms. How they so closely resemble birds is just amazing to me. I wonder about their pollinator; does anyone know anything about it?

I really like the last photo, against the more blue background, John.
What kind of camera do you have?

 

[Heather]

I keep hoping one will bloom pink or yellow. That would be cool.

Are they known for those colors? Can they do that?

Though, I think I really like the white.

 

[PHRAG]

I would be interested to know what the pollinator is also.

I have a Canon Powershot. It's the cheapest point and shoot digital I could find at the time. I paid $150 for it on clearance. It has it's quirks, but for an all-around snapshooter, you can't beat it. I think Zach has one too. His photos always look pretty good.

These are not known to be any other color but white. As far as I know.

 

[kentuckiense]

I wonder about their pollinator; does anyone know anything about it?

From the looks of that huge nectary, I'd imagine the pollinator would be a butterfly or moth. Does it have a very strong scent at night?

Also, could you hook a brother up with the high-res of the second to last shot? May be time for a new desktop.

 

[kentuckiense]

I have a Canon Powershot. It's the cheapest point and shoot digital I could find at the time. I paid $150 for it on clearance. It has it's quirks, but for an all-around snapshooter, you can't beat it. I think Zach has one too. His photos always look pretty good.

You use the same camera as me? Damn dude. Your photos look great.

 

[Heather]

You use the same camera as me? Damn dude. Your photos look great.

Damn...same as me too...and my photos always look sucky!



I think we need a "how to take decent photos with a Canon Powershot" thread.

 

[PHRAG]

When you have to make bridezilla look like a princess, you pick up a few things. : )

The blue background that you see is actually the same black folder that I use as the background in the other pics. Except I switched the lighting around and let the sun hit the folder instead of the flower. The camera reads it as blue.

 

[cdub]

The cross-lighting on that last photo with black background really helps sharpen the lines! That's my fav.

 

[SlipperFan]

All I can say is, I want one...

 

[PHRAG]

http://stores.bulbmall.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDetail?storeId=10201&langId=-1&previousView=ProductSearchCriteria&partner=-1&catalogId=10091&catentryId=54105

Von Bourgondien is selling these via the website in their spring catalog preview section. These will not ship until next spring, but this is where I bought mine, and it's the cheapest I have found them.

 

[SlipperFan]

http://stores.bulbmall.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDetail?storeId=10201&langId=-1&previousView=ProductSearchCriteria&partner=-1&catalogId=10091&catentryId=54105

Von Bourgondien is selling these via the website in their spring catalog preview section. These will not ship until next spring, but this is where I bought mine, and it's the cheapest I have found them.

Thanks for the link. Now I have no excuse...

 

[Shadow]

Unfortunately, they don't ship outside USA. I haven't seen it for sale in Europe. By the way, it should have strong scent of jasmine at night and I've found information that flower lasts for one month if it isn't pollinated.

 

[Shadow]

I've found this plant in Europe. Even two varieties. Usual habenaria radiata and habenaria radiata variegeted. Does anybody know how the variegeted habenaria radiata looks like?

 

[Shadow]

In the winter, these need a cold dry chill. Last year, I kept them in the refrigerator wrapped in slightly damp sphag. I don’t know if this was the best method, as some of the tubers failed to sprout this year.

Where are you going to keep "the eggs" during this winter? Are you going to take them out of the pot at the end of their vegetation period?