More Fuukiran Fun! (Photos)

Slippertalk Orchid Forum

Help Support Slippertalk Orchid Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Lanmark

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Joined
Oct 25, 2009
Messages
2,949
Reaction score
2
I got a little carried away today making photographs of some of my Neos, so here I am playing show and tell once again. :eek:

These two photos show the first flower to open on my 'Manjyushage' plant. You may have already seen this plant in the other thread I created specifically for it, but these are new photographs which I thought you might enjoy seeing.

May04b2010010reduc.jpg


May04b2010116reduc.jpg


This next shot shows the buds on yet another plant of mine which you may have already seen, 'Houmeiden', but I'm finding I really like the colors which are developing. I couldn't resist making another photograph to show it off.

May04a2010029reduc.jpg


Next are the buds as they appeared earlier today on my Neofinetia falcata plant variety 'Unkai'

May04b2010084cropped.jpg


Next are a couple of rather unartful shots of my 'Kinkosei' plant sitting just inside the screened window soaking up some evening rays. When this plant isn't backlit, it shows a nice dark olive green snakeskin pattern overlaid on the surface of the leaves, but it's most spectacular when the sun shines on it from behind like this. I'm in love with the translucent yellow blotches, and I wish I could have gotten them to show off better than they do in these shots. It's like a having my own personal mini constellation. :)

May04b2010152reduc.jpg


May04b2010161reduc.jpg


And finally, my 'Ootakamaru' plant is in early spike and here are a couple of shots of that.

May04b2010195reduc.jpg


May04b2010198reduc.jpg


I hope you enjoyed this little tour. Maybe I will make another one in a few days or a week or two if life doesn't throw too many crazy things at me all at once. :rollhappy:
 
I love them all!!! Very nice photos!!! What do you have them potted in?
 
I love them all!!! Very nice photos!!! What do you have them potted in?

Thanks! :) Many of my Neos still grow the traditional way on hollow mounds of New Zealand AAAAA long fibered sphagnum moss, but I have been experimenting with growing my plants in slotted containers or plastic baskets filled with chunks of granite or chunks of granite combined with aquarium bio balls or wiffle golf balls. :rollhappy: Then I simply flood and drain a couple times a day using a dilute nutrient solution. The rocks anchor the plants well but don't hold any moisture other than a film of wetness on the surfaces. My Neos seem to love these frequent wet/dry cycles and are thriving quite nicely for me. :D What you are seeing here are chunks of rose granite.
 
Last edited:
I have to admit, that is the first time I've seen a fuukiran growing out of granite...

The Houmeiden is looking wonderful - I especially love the purple pink ovaries. The Manjushage has a hint of pink in the spurs - I had imagined it to be pure white from the photos...lovely thing!
 
Very nice, Mark. Do you have a greenhouse to grow in? Any photos of your grow area?
 
I have to admit, that is the first time I've seen a fuukiran growing out of granite...

The Houmeiden is looking wonderful - I especially love the purple pink ovaries. The Manjushage has a hint of pink in the spurs - I had imagined it to be pure white from the photos...lovely thing!

I love the blushes of color on otherwise white flowers. :) The granite works quite well as long as I use fairly big chunky pieces. The key is to make sure there are plenty of spaces/gaps for aeration plus ample crevices for the roots to explore. The plastic containers with slots help to maintain moisture at the roots for several hours between watering cycles but also allow for plenty of air to enter and leave, ultimately allowing the roots to be dry overnight. This method may not work for someone who does not have an automated watering system or the time to manually dunk each plant at least once if not twice per day. I'm delighted with how well they have responded. They are happy, healthy and strong. There's nothing wrong with the traditional method of potting Neos either. :D

Very nice, Mark. Do you have a greenhouse to grow in? Any photos of your grow area?

Thanks :) I don't have a greenhouse. I have a basement which very effectively maintains an even cool temperature year round. I grow my plants under balanced full spectrum ceramic metal halide lamps (CMH = Philips 400 watt HPS-Retro White). Some of my plants are mounted, some potted, some in granite. Fans gently circulate the air and keep the humidity well under control. If anything, I need more humidity, but I don't want to develop mold problems. I haven't taken any photos of my grow area since it's nothing special to look at. All the plants get rotated on a regular basis taking turns spending time upstairs on the windowsills getting natural sunlight on sunny mornings and late afternoons and evenings. I used to have many more plants, much more grow space with rooftop gardens and greenhouse, and expansive outdoor grounds and gardens, but I moved 1.5 years ago and was forced to cut back a lot. I'd like to move again in two or three years, settle down and build a greenhouse at that time as well. :) First I need to decide where I will go to live. I'm rather indecisive and my life has been too complicated in recent years. :eek:
 
I haven't taken any photos of my grow area since it's nothing special to look at.

First I need to decide where I will go to live. I'm rather indecisive and my life has been too complicated in recent years. :eek:

Sure, it is. Stop keeping it a secret and show us some pictures, eh?:rollhappy:

That's easy. Come to MN and bring all your fuukiran with you!
 
Beautiful photos, Mark. 'Houmeiden' especially seems to glow.

I hope things are going well in your complications.
 
Sure, it is. Stop keeping it a secret and show us some pictures, eh?:rollhappy:
I'll think about it, but don't hold your breath. I'd hate to have u turning blue! :poke:

That's easy. Come to MN and bring all your fuukiran with you!
I hadn't really considered Minnesota, but hey, it's an idea. :) If the two of us joined forces with Jason Fischer maybe we could rule the Western Hemispheric World of Fukiran. :rollhappy: I'm thinking we might have to call in Glenn, however, to really cover our bases.

Beautiful photos, Mark. 'Houmeiden' especially seems to glow.

I hope things are going well in your complications.
Thanks Dot! I try very hard but rarely am I ever fully satisfied with my photos. Houmeiden really does appear to glow, or at least it does in lighted conditions but not in the dark. :rollhappy: I can't quite capture the color in photographs, but it is a very bluish kind of pink on the pedicels. As for my complications, well... :( things are maybe a little more relaxed these days, but nothing is going quite exactly right just yet. I always have hope for tomorrow. :)
 
I hope stuff settles down nicely for you. Thanx for sharing. I have to enjoy these vicariously because I kill Neo's in record time. :( Keep us posted.
 
I hope stuff settles down nicely for you. Thanx for sharing. I have to enjoy these vicariously because I kill Neo's in record time. :( Keep us posted.

Thanks! :) I wonder how you kill them so quickly. :confused:
 
I get water in the leaves and they rot and fall off. Tolumnias are similar in form but are much more tolerant of water.

Ooooohhh... so they must stay wet for quite a long time then afterward. :pity: Poor guy. Maybe you don't have enough air circulation. I grow mine cool and bright. I completely submerse my plants, leaves and all, a couple of times per day, every day, but I use fans to keep the air moving. I haven't rotted one yet, and I've been growing them this way for over a decade. :p I guess they're called Japanese Wind Orchids for a reason. :poke: Methinks you should try them again. :)
 
I've been growing them this way for over a decade.

So you must have some huge, lovely beasts! You should compete at the Santa Barbara show this summer. This will be the first Fuukiran judging competition in the U.S. Satomi and Jason are going to be the judges. I just heard about this from him yesterday.
 
So you must have some huge, lovely beasts! You should compete at the Santa Barbara show this summer. This will be the first Fuukiran judging competition in the U.S. Satomi and Jason are going to be the judges. I just heard about this from him yesterday.

Awesome! I wish I could attend. :drool:
 
So you must have some huge, lovely beasts! You should compete at the Santa Barbara show this summer. This will be the first Fuukiran judging competition in the U.S. Satomi and Jason are going to be the judges. I just heard about this from him yesterday.

What??? I haven't heard about this and i'm in these neck of the woods!

Maybe i'll have to enter some of my Neos!
Pete :rollhappy:
 
You should compete at the Santa Barbara show this summer. This will be the first Fuukiran judging competition in the U.S. Satomi and Jason are going to be the judges. I just heard about this from him yesterday.

When is it? :drool: I might go down there since I won a travel boucher through my work.
 
Back
Top