Den speciosum

[Gene Schurg]

Need some info from the orchid lovers from down under. I have a Den speciosum that is in the second year of my care. I think I got it from H&R last year. It now is in a 6 inch clay pot and putting out two nice growths that are starting to harden off.

I see on a website that this species needs a dry cool winter. When they say dry do they mean no water at all like the Den aggregatum? Full drought or just dryer than summer watering? How large does this plant have to be before I can expect a bloom? The new growth for this year look to be about 6-7 inches long.

Thanks, Gene

[John Varigos]

[Pat Brennan]

Not good, not good. I have a couple of flasks worth of plants of Den speciosum X Den Ira Butler that I was hoping to start seeing flowers on this winter. They already are the largest plants in my Den section. Sounds like it might be a few more years; more repotting and larger pots. My question is just how cold do they need to get to set spikes. I am growing them in a greenhouse which does not go below 62 F. The kingianum and its hybrids bloom fine in this greenhouse. I have a couple of flasks of Den speciosum X Den Ivory in 3 inch pots and am wondering if I should cut and run. There is always room for one more plant in the compost pile.

Pat

[Gene Schurg]

Thanks all,

I guess I'll just have to be patient. I think the var. I have is curvicaule.

Pat, pot them up and sell them. There's alway a sucker like me that thinks he grow them out and wait for the blooms!

Good Growing, Gene

[Ray B]

Rod Venger gave me a seedling many moons ago. It's in a basket, hung up with the vandas, and growing bigger by the 'bulb (they're at 18"-20" now), but still no flowers.

[tenman]

Does anyone know what's become of the Venger's? I remember them fondly and often wonder how they are.

[Gene Schurg]

What works for me is to put a blue tag in the pot to indicate "do not water". Then I group all the dry stuff together on the same shelf. That group seems to be growing with the nobiles, catesetums, cycnoches, etc.

Gene

[Ray B]

Knowing not to do it is not the problem. Having the time to spend on "individuals" is.