Darwinara Charm 'Blue Star'

[kid a]

Here is what I got today at Hoosier Orchids! Ps I think I misspelled Neostylis

[patticake]

Wow! I love the color of the buds...Those are going to be some SWEET blooms! I can't wait!

[myorchid]

Kortney

That is sooooo awesome!!! I love it, can't wait to see the flowers!!

[kid a]

You should have seen the blooms that were open on the display plant! They were completely blue! He had me and my three year old running all over the green house looking at all the neos today, lol! What a good day, it was fun! He asked my son "Do you like flowers little guy?" and my son said "Yes". Then Leon asked him what kind and my son said "I like orchids!" It was so cute! I wish I had gotten batteries before going so I could've taken a picture of the display plant. He showed me all the parent plants in the section that is for employees only, it was so cool! I had no idea he had so many neos.

[patlee]

Kortney, It's so cute the way the buds are forming the tiny spurs Looks like you're in for a terrific show. Help me out--what type of Neo is that? The leaves are bigger than my little Neofinetia falcata... How big will the plant get? Are the flowers going to be blue or just the spurs? Anyway, congratulations on your new baby--she's beautifl

[kid a]

Its a Neostylis. I'm not sure exactly what it is but it is a neo hybrid. The whole flower will be blue or should be, the display was the same size and from the same pod only the blooms were opened up. It is much larger than the neo falcata leaves. The flowers are a little larger too. This a pretty large size plant I can't wait until it has more growths it will be spectacular! I was thinking it maybe has Darwina charm in it but I can't remember I think that is where the charm 'Blue Star' came from.

[patticake]

Hopefully this will work: I couldn't find anything for Neostylis charm... Maybe this is it?

The International Orchid Register
Orchid search results page

Genus: Darwinara

Epithet: Charm

Seed Parent
Genus: Neofinetia
Epithet: falcata

Pollen Parent
Genus: Vascostylis
Epithet: Tham Yuen Hae

Registrant: Takaki O.N.

Originator: Takaki O.N.

Date of registration: 2/1/1987

[kid a]

That sounds like it might be it. He didn't write the parentage on the tag for some reason. The neo had several blooming spikes on it and too many fans to count. The other parent I am pretty sure was Darwinara of some sort. I'll call him and ask on Tuesday. Maybe Kmarch would know if that is correct or not.

[Orchidementia]

What a nice plant! Can't for the flowers (add me to the list!).

[arleneg]

Kortney,

I missed this and had read your earlier post mentioning you bought one. By the way, the correct name is Darwinara Charm 'Blue Star'.

Like I mentioned in your other thread, I hope you won't mind if I share my pic of the blooms here.

[kid a]

Oh no arleneg, I certainly don't mind and thank you so much for the naming clarification, lol!

[kmarch]

I've edited the title of the thread to reflect the correct name of the plant. Can't wait to see it in flower!

[kid a]

Thanks Kevin! I will make a new tag for it! Do you know what the cross is? Nevermind I found it here: Orchid of the Week Library: Darwinara Charm 'Blue Star'

[katrina]

Hey Kortney! You posted in a different thread you had a Darwinara Charm 'Blue Star'...soooo I had to go looking to see your picture. Beautiful plant! I believe I'm a year away from spikes but now I know what a bud looks like. Can't wait! Can't wait! Can't wait!

I noticed yours is in a pot....will you keep it potted or will you put it in a basket of some sort. As you saw, I have mine in a teak vanda basket w/coconut fiber...I'm wondering if I should pot mine up. What do you think?

Kat~

[kid a]

Once it blooms I will repot into the traditional Japanese method like my neo. I will post another picture soon to show the color change in the buds. I think one is going to blast it hasn't grown at all since I bought it Its tiny and it's the first bud that should open. Your looks like it is blooming size! It may just bloom for you this summer. I think if does well in the coconut fiber it would be fine. I just personally like the Japanese pots cuz they are so cute and I like the way they look on top of a mound of sphag. But it all just depends on if it grows well for you like that.

[psyc1210]

Oooh!! I can't wait to see those flowers. I bet it's going to be a lovely, lovely show

[katrina]

Funny how pictures can be deceiving...yours looks a lot bigger than mine. ?? I checked again and I'm not seeing any little starts of spikes. It was listed as a bloom size but I've learned that this statement can mean it will bloom within the next year. Fingers crossed it'll go this year. Summer is the time, huh?

Too bad about your little bud...I hate when that happens! Hopefully the others will be fine. Japanese method...I've seen this in another thread...very pretty!

I'll do as suggested and keep mine as is for now...and watch. Thanks!

Can't wait to see more pics of the little guy as the blooms start to open more. I'll be living vicariously through you until mine opts to spike.

[Leisurely]

Katrina, you might be able to speed up flowering if you put your plant in very bright light. I hung mine with the Vandas on the patio where they get full sun until about two o'clock and it popped buds within two weeks. Who is to say that it would not have done so in the greenhouse where it was growing but I noticed that it got the red tinge to the leaves after putting it outside and I feel pretty sure it was from the bright light. If you do put it outside, take the necessary precautions to prevent burning. I simply felt the leaves the first day to see how hot they were getting and to my surprise they never did. The light improves the flower color also. They will be much darker.

[katrina]

Right now he's on an east facing porch. His firstweek here he was getting direct sun until sometime between 10a and 11a. I do the 'leaf feel' thing too and the first couple days no added heat BUT the leaves started getting some freckles. I assumed from the extra (maybe) sun. ??

My initial though....uh-oh! So I tucked him back into the group a bit more where there's zero direct sun after 9:30-10am. Just bright light. I'll try gradually bringing him out more and more and see what happens. Perhaps the "freckles" were the start of that red tinge...not having this one before it freaked me out a bit and I was fearful I'd burn the little guy up.

I'll give it a try...I'll put him next to my vandas.... and monitor the heat of the leaves. THANKS!

[kid a]

My little bud fell off yesterday I think it was on its way to blasting when I got it. Kinda weird though since it was in the g/h. Oh well there are still 8 flowers left! The color has gotten brighter and more developed in the last couple of days.

[katrina]

Sorry to hear about the bud. 8 left though...it'll still be a beautiful display! Fingers crossed everyone else decides to show off.

[kid a]

Look what happened yesterday! I think another one will blast though.

[katrina]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH -- very, very pretty!! Can't wait for mine to bloom!!

I can feel your pain with the bud blast -- my Bollea equadoriana that arrived the wk of the 7th - had 2 spikes -- now looks like all buds on one of the spikes are blasting. In the past 3 days they've all turned a really strange yellow -- while the other spike's blooms have proceeded to swell larger and turn even more more dark purple. BOOHOO! I'm chocking it up to the EXTREME heat (90+f) we've had the past week and/or the shock of the move and repot. Oh well...at least I still have one spike -- fingers crossed.

[kid a]

Its funny cuz I haven't ever had a bud blast but I think it was from moving from the g/h to my house.

[jay]

Wow! I like the color of that one. Does it have a Neo scent?

[arleneg]

Jay,

Yes, it does, but not as strong as a Neo. I bought one a few weeks ago, during an o.s. bus tour to Fresno. Just haven't gotten around to taking a pic.

[articuno75]

Pretty! I can't really tell, (all monitors are different ) but is it more of a lavendar color?

[missann]

I could be wrong, but if it was a neostylis, it would have to be a bigeneric cross between a neo crossed and a rhynchostylis, but the parents of your plant are a neo and a vasco. which is a trigeneric cross between Asctm. x Rhynchostylis x vanda.

[missann]

Kid a, I just did a search for your plant. Here is a link with the parents.
Orchid of the Week Library: Darwinara Charm 'Blue Star'

[katrina]

Kortney....never a bud blast? WOW! That's great!

I unfortunately can't say that...I've had my fair share. Every time it happened, I'm confident it was due to the change of environment.

[kid a]

Originally Posted by missann

Kid a, I just did a search for your plant. Here is a link with the parents.
Orchid of the Week Library: Darwinara Charm 'Blue Star'

Tee hee! That's the same one I posted earlier in the beginning of the thread, lol!

Katrina: I have really only been growing since March. I had a phal and a ludiscia discolor for over three years But killed several phals. The only thing I got to reflower was the ludiscia discolor in that three years. I practically killed everything else, lol! But in the last two months I have had four plants bloom othed than the Darwinara. So I guess that is not really that much experience with blooming orchids, lol!

Jenny: It is more lavender than blue. Is that normal for "blue" flowers? It is not a true blue color.

[kid a]

Well it has been in full bloom for a fe weeks now and I am justing getting around to posing the pics, lol! Here they are.

[solay]

Oooh, that is too pretty. I love it. The color is more purple than blue to me. Like periwinkle.

[myorchid]

Very beautiful! Love that color!

[brookn]

Oh, that is just gorgeous. I have got to get one of those!!!!

[katrina]

Oooooooh that's GORGEOUS! I can't wait for mine to bloom! Mine isn't doing anything in the way of spiking yet.

What are you doing with yours? Special fert/watering/light/humidity? Maybe I'm missing something and that's why mine isn't blooming....please tell me what you're doing. Thank you! Thank you!

[kid a]

It was in spike when i got from the g/h! I wish I could take credit for it and offer my growing advice, lol! Sorry! I did get my neo falcata to bloom all by myself though!

[BillC]

Lovely pics. Kortney, and a very special colour. Thanks for sharing.

Bill

[arleneg]

Nice pics, Kortney.

I wish I had taken one of my Blue Star, too... Oh well, I get to enjoy yours!

[Chinghsi]

Hi, I am from Singapore, and have just gotten the same plant few days ago. Wonder if this hybrid can be given direct morning sunlight (till around noon)? Thank you!!

[kid a]

Um I dunno, lol. I grow under lights. I say give it a try the plant will let you now if it is too much. Kepp an out if the leaves get darker or turn a reddish color or if they burn.

[bloomorchidguy]

A few comments on Darwinara it was created by a very good friend of mine Jim Rumrill. I still have a few of the original plants. Which get morning sun in the summer and grown under lights in the winter since PA is too cold. Usually they spike during the higher light periods. I noticed that they almost always bloom when they grow from near full sun higher temps, to indoor lights and cooler temps. Similar to phals with the temperature drop. But then I have some that won't bloom unless they get into the greenhouse for a few weeks. For humidity it likes to be fairly high around 60% to 70% seems to work for me. Mine all get fertilizer weekly when actively growing and every other week during the winter months. Mine are all in bloom right now with one in spike.

I have some pics but the lighting from my plant lights kind of made them blurry so I decided not to post them.

Troy

[fred]

Kortney
all I can say is
Love the pics

[Chinghsi]

Originally Posted by bloomorchidguy

A few comments on Darwinara it was created by a very good friend of mine Jim Rumrill. I still have a few of the original plants. Which get morning sun in the summer and grown under lights in the winter since PA is too cold. Usually they spike during the higher light periods. I noticed that they almost always bloom when they grow from near full sun higher temps, to indoor lights and cooler temps. Similar to phals with the temperature drop. But then I have some that won't bloom unless they get into the greenhouse for a few weeks. For humidity it likes to be fairly high around 60% to 70% seems to work for me. Mine all get fertilizer weekly when actively growing and every other week during the winter months. Mine are all in bloom right now with one in spike.

I have some pics but the lighting from my plant lights kind of made them blurry so I decided not to post them.

Troy

Thanks a lot to Troy for the information. So, I would assume that in the tropics where I am located, this hybrid should grow well with direct sunlight till around noon time.

May I know if this hybrid is suitable to be planted in a wooden basket with no or minimal medium?

[bloomorchidguy]

They do great in a basket. All mine are either in baskets or mounted. Only my seedlings are still in pots and a fine mix. I use coconut husk to line my baskets and then pot them with a mixture of fir bark, perlite and charcoal chunks to keep the mix open but still retain some moisture. It seems like a bit more of a moisture retaining mix helps to aid in the stress the plant might go under when placed in higher light conditions like full sun. Most likely your leaves will turn a bit purple but otherwise it should do just fine.

Troy