Visited Fair Orchids today!

[gdupont]

Just wanted to share that I had a super nice visit at Fair Orchids (USA - NJ) today! Kim has a great collection and was kind enough to give me a tour for an hour or two. He's a wealth of knowledge and has an excellent collection with some really special plants! I walked out with a coulple – a really nice Vanda falcata Shutennou and a Mexipedium xerophyticum. I especially like the Mexi, it's much more tighter growing and compact than other cultivars I've seen. So, kudos to Kim, and here are a couple photos of the Mexi!

 

[NYEric]

I hope he has some next show.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[Silverwhisp]

Just wanted to share that I had a super nice visit at Fair Orchids (USA - NJ) today! Kim has a great collection and was kind enough to give me a tour for an hour or two. He's a wealth of knowledge and has an excellent collection with some really special plants! I walked out with a coulple – a really nice Vanda falcata Shutennou and a Mexipedium xerophyticum. I especially like the Mexi, it's much more tighter growing and compact than other cultivars I've seen. So, kudos to Kim, and here are a couple photos of the Mexi!

View attachment 42946View attachment 42947

Is the Mexi potted in solid LECA? Does Kim let the Mexi sit in a saucer of water? Also, I’m curious to know the name of its cultivar. Thanks~

 

[gdupont]

Is the Mexi potted in solid LECA? Does Kim let the Mexi sit in a saucer of water? Also, I’m curious to know the name of its cultivar. Thanks~

No sorry I repotted this when I got home! Kim had it in sphagnum for the top half and a fine bark + perlite mix in the bottom half. The cultivar is ("Aggie" x "Howard")

This is actually my third Mexi. My other two Mexi I've had for years in small orchiata, they were super slow growing, and out of frustration I put them into a small 10 gallon tank with the lid shut almost all the time... and they took off!! Several new leads and roots, including a root that started growing over the leaves of an older shoot. So my impression is these really do like it kind of wet, which I sense is a bit underemphasized online.

So anyway, since it's my third and I have two doing well, and they seem to be thirsty, I figured I would try out LECA! I don't want to have it standing in water, but I think I'll water it thoroughly in the sink once or twice a week and let less then a quarter inch sit in the bowl, and then wait for the top LECA to be totally dry before I begin to think about watering it again.

If you or anyone else has tried out LECA for Mexis I'd love to hear your experience.