Is this, what I THINK THIS IS?!

[vanda_obsession]

So I was just admiring at how wonderful my Brassavola was smelling tonight (I admire it every night) but I noticed a few days ago it seemed like a flower suddenly died on me and I thought it was a bit odd... Well, tonight as I was admiring, I was going to take a picture of a flower with my cell phone, when I noticed this almost 'pod' like shape creating... may be too early to tell... but what do you guys think? No, I did not pollinate (Do not know how to on these! Nor do I think I am ready for it yet) but it seems like the middle of the stem part is slightly bigger than either ends... It's almost like a unplanned pregnancy, I'm a little freaked out! I will be sure to post pictures as it progresses IF this is in fact a pollinated flower...

If it is, any advice? Do I need to give it prenatal vitamins?!

[vanda_obsession]

heres some more... the whole plant picture is from 12/15/11.. I have dated the others ones in the previous post wrong... I tried to take the best pictures as possible to show different views of it, but at night in our apartment with my little camera is a little difficult! :P

[Shannara]

It looks like a pod to me. I guess you have to decide if you really want to keep it or not. Normally I remove pods so my chids can use their energies towards other things, but I currently have one pregnant chid I am nursing as one of my fellow geeks wants the pod babies.

As for care I have been treating my preggo chid the same as usual with a very light fertizlier a couple times over the past month. Let us know what you decide.

Shann~

[vanda_obsession]

OK! I believe I'm going to let it do its thing... plant is very healthy and happy. Probably the 2nd one I've had that got some happy sap to show me for about 2 weeks. I'll have to do some reading up on these on all the other 'pod' thread projects, in between college studies... aye aye aye! But I'm willing to give it a shot! If it survives I'm definitely sending it off to the lab place I've seen other geeks send their pods off to... I'll do some progression photos! I always love seeing other geeks progression photos so I'll do the same

[otis 226]

Congratulations! Planned or not it looks like you're gonna be a surrogate momma.
Cheers,
Tony

[JudyC]

Neato! A new addition

[Ray]

Technically, orchids have capsules, not pods (yet we call the pollen recipient a "pod parent").

I am not aware of most brassavolas being cleistogamous (self-pollinating), but one never knows what can happen.

[vanda_obsession]

Sorry I don't know all the technical terms yet, lol. I have no idea how it was pollinated, but it could be a number of factors that could have happened... who knows! I'll post pictures of it maybe once a month to show it's progress... Time for me to do some reading!

[orchids4me]

Good luck with your capsule / pod looks like its coming along nicely so far

[vanda_obsession]

thank you! I sure hope it survives!