What a pleasant suprise!

[kmarch]

Today I was watering of all my Coelogyne and discovered this (see attached)! I didn't even know it was in spike! The best part is that it has 3 more spikes coming. See where ignoring your orchids can get you!

[Anton]

Beautiful Kevin, I like the brown in it.

[fred]

nice flower Kevin Congrats

[Tobi]

Kevin,
Very nice flower. I've been doing a little research on this genus. Is this
particular guy a Himalaya type or a Malaysia type? I know that the Himalaya
type needs cooler growing conditions. At what temps are you growing yours
at? What care do you provide for them and what type of media do use?
Some are scented, is this one?

[BillC]

Kevin, I never ignore my orchids, they just ignore me!

Bill

[Vivienne]

Gorgeous Kevin!!

Would you mind taking a picture of the plant including the top of the media? My Coelogyne is growing like a weed but no spikes yet... just more roots. I'm an eager mom. What type of Coelogyne is yours?

[prisana]

SWEET !! I should try to ignore mine and see what I'll find ( besides bunch of bugs ) It's a lovely flower, Kevin. Thanks for sharing.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Tobi

Kevin,
Very nice flower. I've been doing a little research on this genus. Is this
particular guy a Himalaya type or a Malaysia type? I know that the Himalaya
type needs cooler growing conditions. At what temps are you growing yours
at? What care do you provide for them and what type of media do use?
Some are scented, is this one?

Hi Tobi,

The Coelogyne picture I just posted is Coel speciosa subsp. incarnata (Clayton, p78). All of the types of speciosa come from the areas of Java, Sumatra, they are among the intermediate growing Coelogynes. In my care it gets winter nights as low as 10-12C (50-55F), winter days 18-20C (65-70F), summer nights about 15-20C (60-68F), and summer days as high as 35C (95F).

They seem to benefit from a bit of moisture, although they can tolerate drying out a bit in winter when it is cooler (keep in mind it is mid-winter right now where I live in Australia); you don't want them wet and soggy in winter.

I only repot my Coel. when they are overflowing the pot and even then, I only pot them up. They unanimously (except for fimbriata) seem to resent being disturbed and will sulk for a year or 2 before settling back in to grow. I am trying different mixes on them. Some folks here use a dry open mix (medium bark and medium stones) and water a lot, some use shredded coir, I have the one pictured in my moisture retentive Paph mix and it seems to be doing well. This plant in this mix gets watered about every 5-7 days in summer and about every 7-14 days in winter. Some of my other Coelogynes in drier mix have slightly shriveled bulbs.

Which brings me to light: I actually grow my speciosas in fairly low light, in a south facing window in my flat (roughly the equivalent of a north facing window in Cleveland, OH), same light as my mottle-leaf Paphs.

My speciosas, and speciosa-types (like xyrekes) usually bloom twice a year. Simply put...they're super easy, easily one of the 5 or so easiest orchids i've ever grown (both in the US and in Australia). The conditions they like are pretty much what most folks have in their home.

Cheers

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

Gorgeous Kevin!!

Would you mind taking a picture of the plant including the top of the media? My Coelogyne is growing like a weed but no spikes yet... just more roots. I'm an eager mom. What type of Coelogyne is yours?

Vivienne, i just remembered I was supposed to look something up for oyu regarding your coelogyne wasn't I? I'm sorry I forgot all about it until just now when I read your post. What was it you needed to know about it?

The one pictured above is Coel. speciosa subsp incarnata. I'm hoping to do some photo taking tomorrow as I have another Coel and a new Paph in bloom so I'll try to remember to take snaps of the whole plant and spikes and ...the mix?

-K

[pikevi]

Nice flower , kmarch.

Do those little white spots have a a 'sequin' effect under lights?

Also, as Tobi asked, is it scented?

[Tobi]

Kevin,
Thanks so much for the information. I'm been seriously thinking of getting
an intermediate growing one. I just love the bloom shape and varying
colorations. Seems I shouldn't have any problems growing one in my place
based on your information. Thanks again for the help.
P.S. How did the judging go at the Victoria Orchid Club show?

[Vivienne]

Kevin - I was looking for particular info on both Coel. dayana and Coel. mossiae. Thanks!

My Coel dayana is doing okay... was just divided when I got it. Seems to have slowed down it's growth but none the worse for wear. Just hanging out.

The Coel mossiae I repotted and when I did so the plant presented two plants... or the roots/rhizome came apart. So now there are two. They are growing in leaps and bounds in my bark, perlite, charcoal, sphag mix. They get morning sun and bright indirect light the rest of the day. The two largest new growths are about 7" tall now and the leaves are opening now. New roots coming off these tallest new growths. When would I expect spikes?

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by pikevi

Nice flower , kmarch.
Do those little white spots have a a 'sequin' effect under lights?
Also, as Tobi asked, is it scented?

What appears to be white spots in the photo is really bits of the white lip peeking through the dark brown, thick, hairy, keels. While I would not describe it as sparkling the sharp contrast between the snow white and the chocolate brown is striking. I love the lips on Coelogyne, they're so diverse, and so wild. This one is so....alien landscape or something, not really sure what to call it, then that shocking white mid-lobe.

I have not been able to detect any fragrance form this flower although some coel are wonderfully fragrant.

Originally Posted by Tobi

Kevin,
P.S. How did the judging go at the Victoria Orchid Club show?

Thanks for asking, it went well. It was a modest size show so we didn't have to race through things like we do sometimes. I was very pleased that a nice Paph Jade Dragon (malipoense x fairrieanum) won grand champion as well as an HCC of 77pts, and a sweet big Cattleya (about the size of a small sandwich plate) won reserve champion. Another noteworthy entry (which took home 2 first place ribbons and 2 trophys) was a big Dockrilla teretifolium that had probably 500+ flowers on it. I took lots of pics and willbe posting a bunch of show pics next month.

Originally Posted by Vivienne

Kevin - I was looking for particular info on both Coel. dayana and Coel. mossiae. Thanks! The Coel mossiae ... When would I expect spikes?

Let's start with Coel dayana: Coel dayana is actually a synonym for Coel. pulverula so the latter is its correct name. Coel pulverula was described in 1862 then someone else re-described the same plant 22 years later as Coel dayana. Naming orchids is like racing horses, whoever crosses the line first wins, so it's actually the older name, pulverula that is the correct name.

Coel pulverula comes from the Java, Sumatra, Malasya, Borneo, Thailand part of the world, so they like it warm-ish (intermediate to warm growing) and moist. Because they come from areas where the seasons are not pronounced, they experience similar conditions year round and can bloom at almost any time.

Coelogyne mossiae is from the mountains of southern India, from high elevations so would probbly benefit from intermediate temps. The region gets monsoons, so when in growth the plant can probably tolerate quite a bit of water, probably less when not actively growing. From info on the region I found on the web, the monsoons come in Spring and Autumn and the plant typically flowers in mid to late summer (August).

Is that helpful? I'm always happy to share the joy of Coelogyne!

Cheers!

-K

[Vivienne]

Thanks Kevin - definitely helpful!! Late summer blooming for the mossiae seems about right... at least it's on the right course to do that now. And it seems like I have them both in good locations within the atrium. Phew!

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

Thanks Kevin - definitely helpful!! Late summer blooming for the mossiae seems about right... at least it's on the right course to do that now. And it seems like I have them both in good locations within the atrium. Phew!

i forgot to tell you in my previous post, Vivienne, that Coel mossiae has a proteranthous, or synanthous blooming habit which means the flower spike will come out of the top of a new growth as as the new growth is growing. If you have new growths starting now, keep watch in down in the centre of the growth for any emerging spikes.

[Vivienne]

Kevin - thanks for the heads up! I've been watching the base of the new growth. Duh!! Will keep an eye on the tops now. The two largest growths are just starting to open and spread the leaves... still a while to go to accomplish that feat. I'll keep you posted.

Is the Coel. pulverula the same?

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

Kevin - thanks for the heads up! I've been watching the base of the new growth. Duh!! .... Is the Coel. pulverula the same?

Well for some Coel (tomentosa for example) you would be right to watch the base for flower spikes. Coel have 4 different blooming habits:

Heteranthous - which means the flower spike comes form the base of a pseudobulb and that after flowering the growth never grows on to be a growth but rather it dies off and the new growths coming seperately. Coel. tomentosa and Coel cristata are examples of Coel that bloom this way.

Proteranthous - which means the inflorescence comes out at the top of a new growth at an early stage, usually before the leaves emerge, and after flowering, the growth goes on to mature into a full growth with leaves and pseudobulb.

Synanthous - which means the inflorescence comes out at the top of a new growth at an later stage, usually as the leaves are emerging, and after flowering, the growth goes on to mature into a full growth with leaves and pseudobulb.

Coel pulverula, mossiae, mooriana, ocracea, and speciosa are examples of Coel that bloom proteranthously or synanthously.

Hysteranthous - which means that the new growth matures, or nearly matures and then the blooms come at the top of the bulb. Coel fimbriata and ovalis are examples of Coel that bloom this way.

Your Coel pulverula has a proteranthous or synanthous blooming habit.

[PhalPal]

Love the brown color Kevin, really beautiful. Wish I would wake up to such a surprise.

[pikevi]

Thanks, kmarch.

Scented or not , the flower is beautiful.

[Vivienne]

Thanks again Kevin. More info to print out for my book. After reading that information I think I may be missing a blooming cycle. Alas all my coelogyne have been recently repotted and divided.

[kmarch]

Yeah, except for a few, most coel don't like repotting and dividing. They'll sullk for a year then get over it and start up again. Today I snapped a few pics of my Coel. Linda Buckley, one of the relatively few coelogyne hybrids. It's turned out nice and I'll post something probably this week if I have time.

[Vivienne]

Can't wait to see it (your Coel hybrid) Kevin.
I really like the foliage on the coelogyne and watching it's growth habit. Next year will be even better when it come to the blooming cycle as well. At least I have abundant vegetative growth going on. Always a good thing.

[sandra]

You know a person has a lot of orchids when this can go un-noticed. Pretty flower, gorgeous color.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

Would you mind taking a picture of the plant including the top of the media? My Coelogyne is growing like a weed but no spikes yet... just more roots. I'm an eager mom. What type of Coelogyne is yours?

Vivienne,

Finally here are the other pics you asked for along with a pic of the plants other spikes coming, you can see them as pointy pinkish-tan growths, one in the center that is further along than the one at the lower left, just beginning to emerge. There is a pic of the whole plant and a close-up of the mix I have it in (which is the same mix I use for my Paphs).

Let me know if you have more questions. I'm always happy to share info about this remarkable genus.

Cheers,

-K

PS I see the first photo is rotated (eventhough the original is not) so either download and rotate it or limber up the neck.

[Vivienne]

Thanks a bunch Kevin. I think from your photos and my plants I will have to deduce that I won't have spikes and blooms this year. Hopefully after they are used to their recent division they'll be happy and bloom next cycle. At least now I know what to look for!