The Elusive Vietnamense: Third Odyssey

[DrLeslieEe]

I’ve had this vietnamense for about 4 years now (OI select) and it has tried blooming twice before. Each time it blasted and was such a trip for me.

This time it has passed the critical stage and about to open!! Third time lucky?!

Just peeking inside I see dark petals and a very round dark red pouch … big expectations for it as ‘Halo Be Thy Name’ was similar too.

Here she is, unfolding!!! Wish her luck!



And oh yeah, I ignored it like it wasn’t there from the beginning… like the others lol. This is the first time I touched it.

They hate being watched daily! And will spontaneously implode if anyone gets too close as they are wayyyyy too shy . And finicky. Vengeful indeed .

 

[Slipperhead]

Stake it up right and stop fiddling with it!!! Looks good, so far!

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Stake it up right and stop fiddling with it!!! Looks good, so far!

It’s too soon to stake because they will keep nodding forward and have bad presentation.

I’ll stake when flower almost fully open. And I won’t touch it or look until that time lol. Hard lessons of past are learnt and remembered 🫠.

 

[Justin]

Mine have blasted annually since 2014

 

[GuRu]

She looks promising .... all the best and stay patient.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

She looks promising .... all the best and stay patient.

One day at a time. Luckily I left to go to Ottawa Show this weekend so it will be left alone for 2-3 days.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Mine have blasted annually since 2014

You tried my method of ignorance? Don’t even look or touch it?

Or keep well hydrated?

Or cooler nights at 15-17C?

Or keep in airy shadier place?

Or …

 

[richgarrison]

looks nice and dark and juicy....

so sad that we're near the end of any more... 'OI select plants' :-(

 

[Guldal]

Certainly looks promising - and well beyond bud blasting stage. Beware, though, as it slowly enters the don't-break-me-off-by-accident stage (which equals the don't-decapitate-me-whilst-staking stage in other species)!

 

[lori.b]

Good luck!

 

[Happypaphy7]

That's the stage where my giant malipoense would drop its bud off after 7-8months' wait.
How long has it taken from the first sign of spike to now on this plant?

 

[Justin]

You tried my method of ignorance? Don’t even look or touch it?

Or keep well hydrated?

Or cooler nights at 15-17C?

Or keep in airy shadier place?

Or …

Not sure. I suspect it is too low humidity in the colder months when they tend to spike.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

That's the stage where my giant malipoense would drop its bud off after 7-8months' wait.
How long has it taken from the first sign of spike to now on this plant?

Hmmmm 5 weeks?

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Not sure. I suspect it is too low humidity in the colder months when they tend to spike.

Try a bit more watering?

 

[Happypaphy7]

Hmmmm 5 weeks?

Wow~ that's speedy!

 

[BrucherT]

 

[DrLeslieEe]

So it’s opened BUT with a few minor imperfections… I shouldn’t have touched it lol. Luckily a second bud is on its way from another growth .



Might just bring to Judging tomorrow because I can lol. I’m sure they will criticize the streak and pouch indentations lol.

 

[monocotman]

That is still just an amazing flower!

 

[Ozpaph]

lovely 'plum' pouch

 

[tnyr5]

Meh, just some one-off glitches in the matrix. Wouldn't stop me from using it for breeding pouch color.