Looking for rare, uncommon, strange, unusual orchids

[goods]

I think you already answered part of your question

Catasetum, Cycnoches, Clowesia, Cyrtopodium, some Dendrobiums, Lycastes like aromatica, Habenaria, Cynorkis, Corybas, Pterostylis, some terrestrials like Bletilla...

All of those do relatively well in those temps. and go dormant for at least part of the year.

 

[mrhappyrotter]

A quick search for "rare orchid" on ebay shows such incredibly hard to find and unsual paphs as bellatulum, Prince Edward of York and Saint Swithin. I've literally not never seen more than several dozens of sites and vendors that sell them.

I know those are all pretty impressive in terms of rarity and how uncommon they are. If you're looking for something a little less, rare and unusual, but still uncommon and hard to find, you might try out your local Lowe's Home Improvement or Home Depot stores. You have to work very hard to look over the Christmas trees in August to find the rare and unusual noid phalaenopsis and dendrobiums.

// I kid. I kid.

 

[The Orchid Boy]

:rollhappy:

Thanks for the help goods. I'll have to google those and find some I like.

 

[The Orchid Boy]

I found one, Catasetum*tenebrosum. I read a lot on how to care for catsetums: high light for female flowers, lower light for male flowers, likes quite a bit of water and can be heavy feeders. Anything in particular I should know about this species? How tall does it get?

 

[goods]

I had tenebrosum once. It wasn't the healthiest piece and never thrived. It's a species I will try again, though. The ones I have probably get to around 24" when you account for the leaves and bulbs. I water very often in the growing season and give pretty high light (probably close to Catt. light, though I've bloomed them successfully under Phal. light) When the leaves begin to yellow, stop watering altogether. Once the new roots are ~3" begin watering again. I've grown them mounted and potted, though I get much bigger bulbs when grown potted. You can grow it in sphag and just repot yearly just prior to watering new growths.

 

[limuhead]

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.

Nothing could be more true. I see people trying to sell orchids for big money on Ebay and they say they are 'rare' but I can get some of the same stuff at the farmers market in Hilo for five bucks. One mans exclusive rare orchid is another mans swap meet beer money...

 

[wjs2nd]

I found one, Catasetum*tenebrosum. I read a lot on how to care for catsetums: high light for female flowers, lower light for male flowers, likes quite a bit of water and can be heavy feeders. Anything in particular I should know about this species? How tall does it get?

Search google imagine! I have seen catasetums and their hybrids planted in 5 gallon buckets. I'm guessing the bottom half of the bucket was filled with packing peanuts or something a like. Through reading I have discovered they bloom better kept in divisions of 3-5 bulbs. Any higher and the plant should be divided.

 

[The Orchid Boy]

Maybe not C. tenebrosum then. From my light to my shelf is exactly 24". Any shorter/more compact growing catasetums?

 

[wjs2nd]

Sorry, I should clarify. I have seen catasetums in 5 gallon buckets, not sure if it was tenebrosum.

 

[The Orchid Boy]

I found some pictures of C. tenebrosum and it was a pretty big plant. I found that C. denticulatum was compact though.

 

[Leo Schordje]

Add to the list of 'resurection orchids', deciduous Calanthe and southeast asian Habenaria, such as Habenaria rhodocheila, carnea, medusa and erichmichaelii. Also Pectilis species.

 

[Gcroz]

Ok, not gonna read the entire thread, so forgive me if someone else has said this: try Oberonia!

i recently have gotten interested in this genus of micro-mini flowered plants. I find them very easy to care for and bloom and they can be a real show stopper when they become specimen size. They also take up very little room. If you are interested, let me know and I can put you onto some sources.

You'll need a magnifying glass and/or a serious macro lens in order to see the shape of the flower though!

The pictures are of my Oberonia anthropophora.

 

[NYEric]

They are a fun group. There was a nice one on the auction list!

 

[cnycharles]

it looked pretty big even from back where I was sitting (though most things were specimen-sized)

 

[Gcroz]

it looked pretty big even from back where I was sitting (though most things were specimen-sized)

Some of the plants are indeed big, but I challenge you to call the flowers big! :rollhappy:

 

[cnycharles]

I don't know if i've ever 'seen' an oberonia flower before

 

[NYEric]

That's a good point. I like small orchids but most oberonias make playstele umbellata blooms look large.

 

[Gcroz]

I don't know if i've ever 'seen' an oberonia flower before

see pics above! Looks like Pippy Longstocking with wings to me!

Just for clarification... this is a specimen size Oberonia Anthropophora... 10 growths, 4 previous inflorescences and 6 maturing currently. Should bloom for the May NHOS meeting. My hand is in the picture to give scale....

 

[Gcroz]

I should add that I have 5 other Oberonia plants coming along

 

[cnycharles]

see pics above! Looks like Pippy Longstocking with wings to me!

interesting! nice pic just getting some semblance of flower shape being that small!

btw, the greenhouse I had thought about visiting in nh about a job when I went to the nhos auction doesn't seem to be interested since they have completely avoided replying to my emails, even just to tell me yes or no if they are interested (quite rude), so doesn't look like i'll be making another trip very soon. it's amazing that in this day and age when it is so easy to communicate ((reply- yes/no) 15 seconds) seems impossible for some people