Coelogyne

[kmarch]

I thought I'd post some info and pics on the genus Coelogyne using plants from my collection. All of the varieties pictured are intermediate growers and are easily grown on a windowsill. In addition to being easy they bloom quite frequently. Coel. primulinum blooms 2-3 times a year as does Coel. speciosa. So here we go.

Coelogyne come from an extremely wide range of habitats, from cool mountain regions (Hinalayas) to warm tropical areas and everything in between. Therefore, when choosing Coelogynes to grow it is important to first see if they are warm, intermediate, or cool growers and determine of you can provide the necessary conditions.

The 4 species shown here can all be grown in intermediate conditions (70-80F or 20-25C daytime and 55-65F or 12-18C nightime) with medium light (bright indirect, as may be found in an east window or, in Australia, a south window).

Coelogyne primulinum
This is an easy to grow, small orchid with pretty yellow flowers. It grows fast and likes to ramble. They like to sneak out of the pot and when larger can be grown in large shallow bulb pans. In a humid environment like a greenhouse they can be grown mounted where they grow into large balls covered in flowers. There is some dissagreement as to whether this is a "real" species or merely a yellow form of Coelogyne fimbriata. Dudley Clayton in his Coelogyne book lists it as the latter.

Coelogyne speciosa subsp. incarnata
Mine is still on the small side. These can also form large clumps with manyflowers at once. I really like the green-cream-rust colouration. You can't see the petals in the first pic as they reflex severly and point backwards behind the flower. This species has flowers that are quite a bit larger than other Coelogyne species and for that reason have been used in hybridizing (yes, there are Coelogyne hybrids, and really beautiful ones, but they have yet to catch on widely).

Coelogyne xyrekes
Coel. speciosa and xyrekes are in the same section and so are closely related. Coel. xyrekes flowers, as you can see in the 4th and 5th pics are lovely pinkish-tan-salmonish colour and the petals are held out. You'll notice the plant habit and the manner in which the flower is held is very similar to that of Coel. speciosa subsp incarnata. Coelogyne taxonomists look carefully at things like lip structure, especially keels (the raised ridges that run down the centre of the lip) when identifying species. For this reason while pictures are helpful when identifying Coel species one really needs to examine the descriptions if there is any doubt about the accuracy of the name.

I hope this thread encourages people to learn more about and consider growing this interesting and extremely diverse genus. Let me know if you have questions!

Happy Growing!

[Anton]

I've also heard there's discrepency over the pronounciation too.

Is it pronounced See Lodge enee, or Silo guy nee ?

I prefer the first.

You have introduced me to a species I have heard about, but haven't seen any specimens of, and now have me interested in.
DAMN YOU Kevin !!!!

[fred]

I also have a few Coelogyne,s
Coel. Falccida
Coel. Cristata
Coel. Massangeana
Coel. Pandurata
I would recomend growing Ceologyne,s to all.

[kmarch]

Hi Anton,

Sorry for getting you interested in yet another kind of orchid....my apologies. Coel. is one of my favorite genera, ever since I saw a pic of charming little Coelogyne fimbriata years and years ago and was absolutely captured. I currently grow about 15 different species and one hybrid (Coel. Linda Buckley).

I have only heard of the pronounciation discrepency on paper. In otherwords I've never actually heard anyone use any pronounciation other than see-LOGE-en-ee.

I used to have more pics but lost them when our camera and laptop were stolen earlier this year. As they rebloom, I'll post more.

-K

[Anton]

Look forward to seeing them Kevin.

Do you run a financial loan service ?

[kmarch]

Thanks for posting fred, when you get a chance, snap some pics of your Coel. blooms and give them a show here. How's your luck with the pandurata? I ask because it is one of the warm growing tropical species and it's a bit on the cool side where you are.

-K

[fred]

As soon as the Coel. are in bloom I am more than happy to post pics for you all.
The pandurata with many others are in a fully enclosed hot house.
As heat will be needed in the house for winter.
I have just moved all my small growers out of the shade house into the hot house as the nights are getting cool here in Tassie.

[kmarch]

I really like Coel. pandurata a lot but don't have one curently because of how BIG they can get. I sure love their alien green flowers though.

[_cor]

Hi All,

I also have quite a few of these lovely things!

One needs to be a little careful when buying Coel. pandurata not only is it a big plant, it needs a fair amount of heat to flower well in Melbourne. Also, often plants labelled as Coel. pandurata are in fact Coel. asperata. Its all in the lip colour. asperata has dark brown markings on the lip Coel. pandurata has black markings on the lip.

I have quite a few of these about to flower. which I’m happy to post pic's of. Currently waiting on flowers to open on barbata, fimbriata & ovalis. All of these grow well in open unheated house in Melbourne.

cor

[kmarch]

Thanks for your post cor, and for the note on misslabled panduratas. It's something we should keep an eye out for. I'm looking forward to seeing your pics when you get a chance.