Orchid Identification... Maxillaria tenuifolia???

[orchidfriend]

Hello all,
I bought this orchid last year from a nursery in CT. They had no idea what it was and sold it to me for a steal. I have guessed that it is a Max Tenuifolia (and a huge one at that) but it has yet to flower.

Am I right?

How can I get this bad mamma jamma to flower?







This fifth pic is a cutting I took off of the plant at the end of last summer...

[patticake]

Wow! It's huge! I haven't grown any of those (yet!) so I'm not sure. I do know that making a guess on the specific plant is not very easy to do, especially when it's not in bloom. I'm sure some of our more knowledgeable geeks will hop on in the next day or 2 and give us both some good advice! I can't wait to see it in bloom!

[Azure]

That thing is a monster! I have not idea what it is, but if you do get it to bloom I can imagine it would be quite a show. Huuuuuuge.

[hulaorchid]

Yes it sure looks like a max. I just got mine a couple of weeks ago so not too sure how to make it bloom! Maybe a tempature change from night to day! I think Imartiny and Fred have these!

[snowballsarebad]

It sure does look like a Max tenuifolia, but I don't think you'll really know until it blooms...which could be soon! Mine seems to bloom around the end of May. I think an increase in light and/or temperature does it for me.

[kmarch]

It looks like it could be Max tenuifolia. The leaf tops look almost consistently brown. Are you fertilizing? Over fertilizing often results in leaf-tip burn. Also too much nitrogen has been known to inhibit flowering. I do not know if that is true for this Max but it's something to consider.

[chrisb19]

How weird! I went to the national orchid show here in Cartago, Costa Rica yesterday and I bought three orchids. One was a max like yours in bloom. You are right on the id. Great guess! It has beautiful purple and black flowers. I will upload a picture in an hour or so.
The show was incredible and I will start a separate thread on it.

[chrisb19]

Here is your max. I like the plant almost as much as the flowers.

[orchidfriend]

Thanks for all the responses geeks!

Originally Posted by kmarch

It looks like it could be Max tenuifolia. The leaf tops look almost consistently brown. Are you fertilizing? Over fertilizing often results in leaf-tip burn. Also too much nitrogen has been known to inhibit flowering. I do not know if that is true for this Max but it's something to consider.

Most of the leaves had brown tips when I got this plant. I am using MSU weakly weekly... I generally give all of my orchids the same treatment and most are doing very well.

I have noticed some small new growths around some of the suedobulbs so i've got my fingers crossed

I will post pics if this guy starts to flower.

p.s. does anybody have a pic of a Max. Ten. in bud as opposed to flower?

[rcb]

orchidfriend, here's a picture with a bud. The bud is in the lower right corner of the picture, kind of sticking straight out.

[orchidfriend]

Originally Posted by rcb

orchidfriend, here's a picture with a bud. The bud is in the lower right corner of the picture, kind of sticking straight out.

Attachment 21166

Thanks for the pic!

Was it that red when it was first produced or did it slowly darken in color?

[rcb]

Yes mine are that red for the life of the bloom, until about a day before the flower drops, then it gets brown as it starts drooping. This picture was taken in direct sunlight, and the color is pretty true.

[dtje2000]

When that monster blooms it's gonna smell like a pina colada party at your house! I have one I purchased in January and she just blessed me by offering up a couple of blooms. Haven't photographed them yet. I had hubby sniff the flowers with his eyes closed and he said "smells like a frozen vacation drink"... ah yes...

[lmartiny]

Wow. That is a big one. I just got back from a week away and it looks like mine is forming some buds. Either that or new growth, but from how it looks and where they are I think they are buds. I'm hoping anyway.

[dtje2000]

Here's my little guy...

[lmartiny]

Nice picture dt. I hope that is what I've got coming.