New orchid genera exploration.. Help!!!

[orchidea]

I went to get some bark really, but ended up with 2 more orchids, that are new to me. The lady in the nursery was very helpful and was able to find some culture sheets for me on line before I bought them.

The first one is Phaius tankervilleae (pic 1). It has 2 tall spikes with forming flowers!!!! Does anyone grows this one indoors?????? I understand that this one could be difficult to grow, right?


The second one is Spathoglottis (the tag indicates "Spathoglottis Orchid Tropical Punch"), see pic2. It has one spike with forming flowers. It has many new growths. This one should be easy to grow according to what I have read so far.


Both should be very fragrant...

I placed them next to my Cym for time being assuming that they are more related to each other then to my epiphytes.....

Any comments on these two will be taken with a great deal of appreciation.

P.S. I have to confess, I had such hard time walking away without Jewel Orchid. I am considering going back...... Such pretty leaves.......

[berniep]

G'Day Orchidea

Apparently called the nun's orchid a bit of reading here Orchid,Orchids,Phals,Vandas,CLAN, Tropicals
Great purchase look forward to seeing the blooms.

Cheers
Bernie

[katrina]

I had a Spathoglottis plicata...had being the key word. My ornery kitty (Cosmo) just couldn't leave it alone. I really liked it...Cosmo liked it even more. If I remember correctly, it smelled like grapes.

These are true terrestrials...so a loamy mix that holds moisture but doesn't get "heavy" is best. The soilless potting mixes w/a little tree fern fiber, coarse perlite, or charcoal (or a mix of all three) would be excellent. LOTS of light...and I mean LOTS. LOTS of water during the growing season and then a drier spell for a couple of months in the autumn/winter. I wouldn't let it get completely dry for long though...I always thought "heavy dew" when I watered in the winter. In their natural habitat they have a dry season but there is a lot of night dew so it contributes a good deal of moisture.

If it's a NOID and it's purple...most likely it's a plicata or a hybrid w/plicata as the parent. My understanding is that it's the most readily available. But...don't quote me on that.

My Spath got pretty large so expect a bit of a shelf hog there.

I've never had the other one so I don't know much about it.

[orchidea]

Originally Posted by katrina

I had a Spathoglottis plicata...had being the key word. My ornery kitty (Cosmo) just couldn't leave it alone. I really liked it...Cosmo liked it even more.

Thank you Kat, it's funny. It was not funny for the poor chid, I bet.....
I am so lucky, my cat doesn't touch my orchids, not yet. She goes for any other plant I have in the house.

These two chids didn't even look like chids to me. But they were sitting with all the other "regular" genera orchids, so I asked. Apparently they are planted in the gardens straight in to the ground in the tropics. Why, or why don't I live in the tropics..........
Well, I report later if they like Colorado... or not...........

[katrina]

Originally Posted by orchidea

Thank you Kat, it's funny. It was not funny for the poor chid, I bet.....
I am so lucky, my cat doesn't touch my orchids, not yet. She goes for any other plant I have in the house.

Out of the 4 kitties I've had....Cosmo is the only one that's ever bothered a plant. I've tried everything...including giving him his own plant...none of it worked. For him...if he can reach it...he will take a bite...or 10. The Spath was really big and I was limited to where I could keep it so Cosmo kept getting it. I finally got tired of looking at the torn up thing so I pitched it last year.

I only had it for a little over a year but it was a fairly easy orchid. More like a standard tropical houseplant than an orchid really. I'm sure you'll do just fine with it.

[abiom]

That is one big healthy Phaius. I think some member here grow this plant indoor. I've tried growing Spathoglottis which were taken from wild but they seemed dont like to cared for and eventually died. I think they are best left alone, I mean no water & fertiliser at all.

[Celcat]

I have a Phaiocalanthe which is a cross between a Phaius and a calanthe. I do grow mine indoors, they seem to like water, mine do not mind if there is some water at the bottom of the pot. I have mine for only 7 months now, I have a big new growth. So growing is not a problem, now is it going to flower is another question... I did read that they dont like much fertiliser...