# Which plant is the attention grabber in your collection?



## Carkin (Apr 21, 2014)

I was wondering what people Ooooo and Ahhhhh over when they come to visit you. 

Ironically the one that gets the most interest in my collection is not a favourite of mine. And it has never bloomed! And it's not a slipper! Go figure.
I think it's just because I have it in a jar...

Stelis restrepioides


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## SlipperFan (Apr 21, 2014)

Probably Den. spectabile.


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## Erythrone (Apr 21, 2014)

Interesting plant, Carkin!

My wowser is the Phrag Dragon's Light 4 N. Even a friend who knows nothing about plants fell in love with its 3 big red blooms. And it is one of my favorite too...


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## abax (Apr 21, 2014)

Paph. venustum is always noticed.


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## limuhead (Apr 22, 2014)

This tends to get a few second looks...



Den. williamsonii


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## Clark (Apr 22, 2014)

Plant?
Never any of the orchids.

Growing castor bean next to Canna Phasion gives the oo/ah reaction consistently.
We have a corner lot. By August it is a traffic stopper.


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## goldenrose (Apr 22, 2014)

limuhead said:


> This tends to get a few second looks...
> 
> 
> 
> Den. williamsonii


That would get a look from me!


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## gnathaniel (Apr 22, 2014)

Incredible Dendrobium, Fred, I love Formosae Dens.

Bulbophyllum medusae is probably my favorite head-turner, even as a small plant with one or two umbels it's hard to beat.


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## Carkin (Apr 22, 2014)

Ah, you guys are making me add to my wishlist!!! Thank you for that photo too, it is stunning!


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## Chicago Chad (Apr 22, 2014)

Lepanthes telipogoniflora for sure.


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## Carkin (Apr 22, 2014)

Wow...that colour screams "look at me"! Beautiful!


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## Carkin (Apr 22, 2014)

A clearer picture...not that it makes it any prettier!


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## mrhappyrotter (Apr 22, 2014)

Doesn't seem to ever matter what orchids are in bloom, peoples' attention first goes to the bromeliads, even if they're tucked to the back of the collection. Granted, that's not one specific plant, so it's a bit of a cheat in terms of answering the question.

There are generally two aspects that attract attention. First, some people are immediately drawn to the "air plants", aka tillandsias, because the growth habit is so different from anything they are familiar with. The tills just spark curiosity in people. Second, most of the other genera I grow (like the crypts and neos) have very brightly colored and attractively patterned foliage year round that just seems to pop, more so than the parvis and mottled leaf paphs.

If I limit my answer to orchids, the plants that people notice first are the phals. Not any specific one, just whatever happens to be in bloom at the time. I have enough of them, and enough variety, that there's usually at least one in bloom at any given time.

If I limit my answer to just the slippers, then the answer depends on what's in bloom at the time, and size tends to be more of an attention grabber than color. So, for instance, the caudatum group and kovachii hybrids usually get some kind of reaction, the besseae and schlimii group rarely get a mention.

Overall, there seems to be an inverse correlation ... the more enthusiastic I am about a particular orchid, the less likely it is that non-plant or non-orchid folks will take any interest.


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## Carkin (Apr 22, 2014)

mrhappyrotter said:


> Overall, there seems to be an inverse correlation ... the more enthusiastic I am about a particular orchid, the less likely it is that non-plant or non-orchid folks will take any interest.




Hahaha...I have found the EXACT same thing!!!

Great answer, love the detail!


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## cnycharles (Apr 22, 2014)

Chicago Chad said:


> Lepanthes telipogoniflora for sure.



were a few for sale at the philly orchid show, but they looked so dried out already that I didn't think there was any chance for their survival


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## abax (Apr 22, 2014)

I third happypotter and carkin! Don't you just love that glazed look in
their eyes when you start speaking with delight about a plant the visitor
didn't even see???!!!!


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## Herbert (Apr 23, 2014)

The "Dend williamsonianum" with the lip upside down is Dendrobium schrautii


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## Kyle (Apr 23, 2014)

Carkin said:


> And it has never bloomed! And it's not a slipper! Go figure.
> I think it's just because I have it in a jar...View attachment 9244
> 
> Stelis restrepioides



To bloom it, cool it down. Like really cold. Put it outside when nights are going to be 5-10 C. That will get it to bloom.


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## Carkin (Apr 23, 2014)

Thank you Kyle! I will try that next fall.


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## Chicago Chad (Apr 23, 2014)

> were a few for sale at the philly orchid show, but they looked so dried out already that I didn't think there was any chance for their survival



They usually tend to look like that. Mine came in with 5 leaves, 4 by the time I got it home. 

I have to remove mine from its mount. I have been holding off as long as I can but it needs to be done. I can let you know if I have a division. I also have a healthy division of L. caprimulgus.


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## Tom-DE (Apr 23, 2014)

Herbert said:


> The "Dend williamsonianum" with the lip upside down is Dendrobium schrautii




I agree! It is Den. schrautii for sure.


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## jtrmd (Apr 23, 2014)

The invisible ones that keep growing.


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## limuhead (Apr 24, 2014)

Tom-DE said:


> I agree! It is Den. schrautii for sure
> 
> Interesting. I have had this plant for about 10 years, before schrautii was described and it was purchased in flask as williamsonii
> http://orchidspecies.com/denwilliamsonii.htm


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## Tom-DE (Apr 24, 2014)

Fred, Den. schrautii has been mislabeled for years as Den. williamsonii. It finally got described few years ago. Den. schrautii always has upside-down flowers and more "hairs" on the lip. IMO, Den. schrautii is much nicer than Den. williamsonii.


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## limuhead (Apr 25, 2014)

I would have to agree on that, has a wonderful 'tangerine' fragrance as well...


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