Looking for rare, uncommon, strange, unusual orchids

[The Orchid Boy]

I'd like to get some orchid that is uncommon, rare, or wierd or something that not many people have or have heard of. I have warm condtions, 50%-60% humidity, and T5s. I don't care if it is stinky, wierd, tiny, or whatever, I just would like something that not many people have. I like bulbophyllums and cirhopetalums. I just want something uncommon.

 

[cnycharles]

started like that many years ago. one older book that had many interesting things was rebecca northen's miniature orchid species book

 

[NYEric]

If it's that weird or uncommon how would you get it?

If you look in IOSPE Orchids you can find plenty of uncommon orchids, the hard part is getting some. I've had luck getting some uncommon species on eBay.

 

[gonewild]

The easiest way to find what you want is to look for the most expensive plants. Then you can bet you won't find many other people that have them.


One interesting idea is to look for antique varieties. Try to find divisions of original hybrids that have "history". Or divisions of species that were collected by a famous person.

 

[SlipperFan]

Go to Andy's Orchids. They have lots of unusual stuff.
http://www.andysorchids.com

 

[Rick]

The easiest way to find what you want is to look for the most expensive plants. Then you can bet you won't find many other people that have them.

I think there's two parts to that too.
1) Its rare and hard to get,and
2) Its rare because nobody can keep it alive long enough to get flowers/seed/seedlings.

With the reproductive potential of orchids, there's no reason for something to stay rare, uncommon and high dollar if its easy to grow and propagate.


So with the two combined, you could spend a ton of money just to watch it die.

 

[The Orchid Boy]

Thought about getting a mounted Ascocentrum pumilum from the Plant House and putting it in a mini terrarium.

 

[gonewild]

I think there's two parts to that too.
1) Its rare and hard to get,and
2) Its rare because nobody can keep it alive long enough to get flowers/seed/seedlings.

With the reproductive potential of orchids, there's no reason for something to stay rare, uncommon and high dollar if its easy to grow and propagate.


So with the two combined, you could spend a ton of money just to watch it die.

Yes, and when you have learned how to keep that difficult one alive you will have a truly rare one that no one else has.
( a ton of money is not worth much anyway)

 

[keithrs]

One I always though was interesting is the dancing orchid.


Bulbo. saltatorum

 

[rdlsreno]

Like my Macrophodanthus cootsii. The genus means big foot. I just sown the seed pod.

Ramon

Macrophodanthus cootsii

Whole plant

 

[NYEric]

Nice Ramon.
Rare is not the same as uncommon; if it's truly rare and you lose it, how badly would you feel?
BTW uncommon in one place may be very common in another.

 

[TyroneGenade]

1) Its rare and hard to get,and
2) Its rare because nobody can keep it alive long enough to get flowers/seed/seedlings.

3) Its rare because nobody wants to grow it.

 

[Rick]

Like my Macrophodanthus cootsii. The genus means big foot. I just sown the seed pod.

Ramon

Macrophodanthus cootsii

I never even heard of this genus Ramon.

Very cool!

How did you come across this plant?

 

[Rick]

3) Its rare because nobody wants to grow it.

Then it won't be cool enough for Orchid Boy to want in the first placeoke:

 

[Stone]

I want (need) one of these

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/11834335@N03/popular-interesting/

 

[Rick]

I want (need) one of these

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/11834335@N03/popular-interesting/

Me first!!!

 

[NYEric]

I want (need) one of these

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/11834335@N03/popular-interesting/

Oh, so many nice orchids! :sob:
Thanks for sharing.

 

[goods]

Orchid Boy- Look into Lepanthes and some of the other less mainstream Pleurothallids. Scaphosepalums are another really cool genus that isn't grown terribly often. I've had luck with a few of them in W-I conditions. Others, like mini Bulbos (especially PNG ones if you can find them are awesome...talk to Chris/check out his python tank), also fit into your category. I think a trip or call over to Andy's is in order :evil:

I want (need) one of these

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/11834335@N03/popular-interesting/

There have been at least a couple imports of this one recently. Definitely not cheap, though. I was offered one at a "friend price", essentially cost, and it was well over $100 for something like a 3 bulb division.

 

[NYEric]

When I open that link I get hundreds of photos.

 

[goods]

I just assumed they were referring to Bulb. kubahense, the first two photos in the link since it's not readily available.