Easy, Continually Flowering Orchids?

[Wire Man]

I was wondering if there are any orchids that flower year round, are drought tolerant, and can thrive at room temperatures. The reason I'm asking is that my girlfriend loves orchids, but is getting frustrated at how long she has to wait for her Phal hybrid to re-bloom. I recently got her a light fixture to help her current orchid grow an bloom stronger and she picked up a misting bottle to water it with, so she has the proper equipment.

Any suggestions?

 

[DragonsEye]

How about these?....

Require zero watering, no light or fertilizer, & temperature insensitive. They just need dusting now and then. heh

 

[Wire Man]

Those look very convincing!

 

[ErrorEN]

You could try Reed-stem epidendrums. Very easy to propagate and they flower for most of the year. I'll see about getting pictures up tomorrow.

 

[Cthulhu138]

Try here: http://www.andysorchids.com/ You can put in the qualities you desire in the plants and in box on the lower right and it finds you the orchids that would best suit your conditions.

 

[DragonsEye]

Those look very convincing!

The woman who makes these does do very nice work. The pieces are handmade and the flower petals hand painted. Gave a cattleya she made to a cousin of mine as a wedding gift. (She loves orchids but tends to kill plants off.)

You could try Reed-stem epidendrums. Very easy to propagate and they flower for most of the year. I'll see about getting pictures up tomorrow.

For a living plant, I would have to agree with Eric, a reedstem Epi. is likely your best bet. They do require quite a bit of light -- even up to direct sun.

 

[tje25]

Wow lol... I thought they were real hahaha... I was like " Wow I want that green one"
Very beautiful though, and I'm not a huge flower guy

 

[Wire Man]

Did not know Andy's site had that feature. Very cool. I do like Epidendrum flowers, especially the elongated ones. The search tool helped me find some nice ones. Here's the list I've put together;
-Haraella odorata
-Phalaenopsis violacea
-Epidendrum englerianum
-Platystele misera
-Mormolyca ringens
-Scaphosepalum fimbriatum
-Epidendrum blepharoclinium
-Dendrobium carronii
-Rhyncholaelia glauca
-Schomburgkia albopurpurea

That tool will help with my highland setup when I get around to that.

What's the woman's name that makes those? I'm really impressed by the detail.

 

[nya]

What's the woman's name that makes those? I'm really impressed by the detail.

seriously! those are amazing!!

 

[DragonsEye]

Wow lol... I thought they were real hahaha... I was like " Wow I want that green one"
Very beautiful though, and I'm not a huge flower guy

heh You're not alone. She has her own display at orchid shows and I commonly shock people by informing them that they are fake.

Did not know Andy's site had that feature. Very cool. I do like Epidendrum flowers, especially the elongated ones. The search tool helped me find some nice ones. Here's the list I've put together;
-Haraella odorata
-Phalaenopsis violacea
-Epidendrum englerianum
-Platystele misera
-Mormolyca ringens
-Scaphosepalum fimbriatum
-Epidendrum blepharoclinium
-Dendrobium carronii
-Rhyncholaelia glauca
-Schomburgkia albopurpurea

I generally avoid Andy's website ... for I am weak and he has too many frickin nice plants! Great guy though, and if you have any Qs after receiving plants from him call or email him -- he's good about getting back to you.

H. odorata is a cute mini. A "large" plant will have a stem of up to 2". Not a heavy bloomer in my experience but blooms sporadically all year long. Generally a sequential bloomer.

Phalaenopsis violacea are beautiful but, again, not profuse bloomers. Flower spikes basically bloom sequentially with a new bud maturing as the previous flowers withers and falls off.

Platystele misera are cute buggers. Haven't tried them myself though. As I understand it, they like cooler temps than I can reasonably provide.

Scaphs are AWESOME! One of my favorite genera. Insufficient humidity tends to lead to bud blast.

What's the woman's name that makes those? I'm really impressed by the detail.

She's a sweetie. She goes by the name "Joy" though her real name is "Suphratta" (she's Thai). I won't say her prices are cheap but I do think they're reasonable considering the craftsmanship and time put into them. Here's her website:

http://joyclay.com/About_us.php

 

[Wire Man]

Those are polymer clay?!?!?! I'm very, very impressed now. I may have actually seen her at the Richmond Orchid Show last year, or someone who does similar work. I should dig up the metal Phal mannii I made for my gf last year. It has beaded flowers, a steel wire scape, copper leaves, and it's mounted on a piece of driftwood.

The good news is she uses a humidifier in her room, so humidity shouldn't be too much of a problem. Looks like the Platystele misera or H, odorata will be the best choice, unless I find some cane Epidendrums somewhere.

 

[DragonsEye]

Those are polymer clay?!?!?! I'm very, very impressed now. I may have actually seen her at the Richmond Orchid Show last year, or someone who does similar work.

It wouldn't surprise me if somene else was also making them. One of those things that once someone starts having success doing others will jump on the bandwagon. I have occasionally seen pieces made by other craftmen/artists. Personally, I think Suphratta's are about the best I've seen.

I should dig up the metal Phal mannii I made for my gf last year. It has beaded flowers, a steel wire scape, copper leaves, and it's mounted on a piece of driftwood.

Sounds cool. I'd like to see it.

The good news is she uses a humidifier in her room, so humidity shouldn't be too much of a problem. Looks like the Platystele misera or H, odorata will be the best choice, unless I find some cane Epidendrums somewhere.

Or wait 'til next month and take her here:

http://www.vaorchidsociety.com/2012VOSShow.html

 

[Wire Man]

Suphratta's are certainly the biggest, most realistic looking ones I've seen. This other woman made little ones. Here's my metal orchid;
http://death-pony7.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=144#/d3anfmu
We went to that show last year, very impressive! I ended up buying an Oncidium jonesianum and a Maudiae Paph. Just as dangerous as Andy's site. It'll definitely be worth going to again.

 

[DragonsEye]

I think that looks pretty cool.

Been a while but I remember seening a metal orchid at some art show once upon a time. The artist had colored some of the metal on the flower but I don't remember quite how. (It did not look to just be painted on. Wonder if it was some sort of a glaze ......)

You going to try your hand at a metal paph?

 

[Wire Man]

Thanks! They probably anodized the metal, or lacquered it. I never thought of doing a Paph before, but that would look wicked!

 

[DragonsEye]

Anodized! THAT was the word I was looking for! Course I could be wrong, and it has been a while, but if memory serves that was how the dude went about coloring the flower and leaves.

If you decide to do a paph (or phrag), do one such as this:

or this:

The "tresses" on these are typically anywhere from 12"-18" (or more) long.

 

[Wire Man]

The tresses would be fun do to. I know exactly how to get them to spiral like that! The Screaming Eagle is interesting, and those flowers look huge! I love how long Paphiopedilum flowers last. I have one that held a bloom for 3 months.

Anodizing can be tricky. Lots of chemicals, and there's always a chance of removing a finger while cutting the metal. I had a conversation with an artists how anodizes metal tables that he makes, and he said at least five of his fingers have been severed multiple times. I think I could replicate the colors with wire and beads without losing digits.

 

[DragonsEye]

Why would cutting anodized metal be more dangerous than cutting nonanodized?

 

[Wire Man]

It's the cutting process that's the most dangerous part, and the anodizing process isn't exactly healthy. I would like to try it though.

So, I just got back from the orchid show. It was even better than last year! My girlfriend ended up getting a Cochleanthes 'Amazing'. It's a very healthy specimen, and the vendor said it blooms year round.

 

[DragonsEye]

Post pics!

What does the anodizing use that is hazardous? Lead? Mercury?

Never tried Coch. though I often see C. amazonica at shows. Set up for a show last night and will be working sales for one of the vendors for today and tomorrow. Picked up a few jewel orchids thus far.

Oh and Supratta has some nice pieces I had not seen before. If I remember, I'll try to take some pix tomorrow morning.