Whoops, I guess Hoya cagayanensis...

There was a member here selling her very mature flowering Hoya's very cheap, and I waited to late to ask for one..

Kicking myself in the but ever since!:-(

Looking on the web I am begining to realize that not only are they hard to find, but expensive at that..I have been surfing for days just out of curiousity and it's hard to get mature plants out of hundreds of beauties...

Mike

I kicked myself when I saw Joni shortened the list of plants available for her 2nd Forest Treasures order. There were several interesting choices in round one I wish I'd ordered when I had the chance. I wonder if they didn't ship well or if FT just doesn't have them available atm.

... of course I could have missed out on round 2 altogether if the lovely Pug hadn't tipped me off. I'm not really stalking vendor sites as much since the cold weather hit.

I recently missed out on Hoya sp Biak, have wanted that one for a long time. A couple of years ago I posted about Hoya sp Irian Jaya because I was suspicious that my plant was a Dischidia and not a Hoya related to Hoya Collina. It turns out that the vendor I got this one from has recently updated their catalog and now lists this one as a Dischidia. Hoya sp Biak or Hoya collina remain on my wish list.

Mike

YIKES!!! I didn't even know about the 2nd Forest Treasures order! Shoot...well there's my "plants you missed out on"!
Kelly

Yeah, it was a momentary blip on the site, it seems. I should have made a town crier announcement the way Carolyn always used to do. ._.;

Mike, that sp Irian Jaya is cute anyway. ^_^

GG I should take a photo of my plant now that it's growing well. For the longest time thrips were constantly attacking this one and it did next to nothing for almost two years. One application of a systemic did the trick when I had been holding off using one for so long. I do hate using chemicals but I also can't stand by and watch my plants be sucked dry by bugs either.
If I have time this weekend I will snap a pic and post it.

Mike

Mike- I'd enjoy that very much, when things calm down for you! ^_^ I know dealing with pests and problems doesn't exactly put one in the photo session mood...

Today was the perfect day to take a few photos so I seized the moment to photograph that Hoya turned Dischidia and one of my orchids that is flowering.

This plant was purchased as Hoya sp Irian Jaya #28 and I had suspected from the start that it was a Dischidia. Recently the vendor changed the genus to Dischidia, still wonder what the flowers might look like. The plant is very stiff and waxy, a very nice little plant.

This is Galeandra stageana which is a deciduous orchid species found in several South American countries. The blooms are just so beautiful that I could no resist including a couple of photos. The flowers smell like sweet grape pop although it is not all that strong.

Mike

Just out of curiosity, how are you labeling that Dischidia nee Hoya? It's really very attractive. It has all the qualities of elegant and lustrous vineyness that first drew me to Hoyas (although now I know that they don't all grow like that).

Thanks so much for sharing Galeandra stageana. Since I'm not grown up enough to seriously grow orchids myself, I just love getting a taste of them from you and Quinn now and then. I couldn't help thinking: no wonder he's in such a good mood with that one casually blooming around the house.

GG the plant came from Paul Shirley so I am just going to adjust the name like he has and the new label will read Dischidia sp Irian Jaya #28.
I have a small cutting a friend recently gave me of this species as well and if you look at my Flickr photostream there are some photos of the strangely thick and inflated succulent leaves that my cutting first came with when I got it a couple of years ago.
Not the best photo but you get the idea. The photo before this one in the set (click to get to Flickr) shows the long internodes this species can develop.

Orchids used to be my thing and I was totally nuts for them, really nuts. I find them endlessly fascinating but many are difficult to bloom in the home because they requires high humidity. There are thousands you could grow and bloom in the home with no problem but the ones I really love, the genus Bulbophyllum and relatives like it humid. I have a Bulbophyllum bandischii in spike in my orchid case and that is a huge accomplishment because this is my second time growing this species. The first time I grew Bulbo. bandischii it became a huge beautiful plant but never bloomed, now the high humidity I can offer it has finally coaxed this super rare and downright amazing orchid into bloom. I used to have several hundred Bulbophyllum species but have thinned my collection down and now I grow a more varied group of orchids.

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Skim through pages of Bulbophyllum orchid photos

Mike...

You have some of the MOST beautiful looking plants that I have ever seen...You also give very helpful advice to me and many others..

Thank you for your kindness and the wonderful pictures you post..I love reading your post's as I learn so much along with everyone else here as I am new to this forum

Mike

Thanks Mike that was very kind of you to say. :)
There are a couple other orchids blooming now but they are just not as special as that Galeandra.

Mike

Awesome pic of that orchid! very unique!

This year, I'd have to say that I've received more plants than I could have imagined.

Josh

Aye, I saw that strangely inflated leaf photo when I searched your original purchase post. I think that's what started my curiosity about it in the first place. So, since you've been growing it in your conditions, the new leaves haven't inflated as much?

I can see why you'd be so drawn to the Bulbophyllum**, even if they aren't the best match for your conditions. The heart wants what the heart wants. I know we get more joy looking at a fascinating plant that rarely blooms than a plant we're apathetic about that is always in bloom. Congratulations on your bandischii spike! I can't wait for those pictures.

**Can I just say that the Bulbophyllum aff. mastersianum and Bulbophyllum acuminatum and Bulbophyllum serratotruncatum are the coolest things ever? It's like a daisy made out of orchids! Kind of reminds me of something the Nobles would invent in the Vampire Hunter D series. And the Bulbophyllum careyanum! What is going on there?! A bunch of these blooms look like spaceships to me... like Bulbophyllum cominsii and Bulbophyllum dearei. Do you think this is where SciFi designers get their ideas?

Both my plant and the cutting a friend gave me this summer have flat leaves, not sure what kind of conditions caused the original plant to have such thick leaves but it sure was neat. I know a couple people who grow this plant but none have seen blooms yet.

Bulbophyllum is by far the most diverse orchid genus and there are more than 1500 species, everything from giant five foot long leaves in Bulbophyllum fletcherianum to tiny plants that can only live in the constant dampness of mist forests. One of the most interesting species Bulbo beccarii encircles large trees with it's cup shaped leaves much like Hoya lambii but instead this Bulbos beautiful pendant blooms smell more like rotting fish.

http://www.orchidspecies.com/indexbulb.htm

If you want to get a good idea of the diversity of these orchids skim through the link at the bottom, you will be amazed. These more than any other orchids (maybe Pleurothallids as well) are more bizarre than beautiful and most would feel right at home in a Science fiction setting.

Here is my old photo album with a bunch of orchid photos.

http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/MDahms/#!cpZZ1QQtppZZ24

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Internet Orchid Photo Encyclopedia BULBOPHYLLUM