# Thunia Bensoniae



## s1214215 (May 15, 2010)

Here are pics from a Thunia bensoniae I bloomed this season. I just collected seed from from another plant and sent it to the seedbank at www.terrorchid.org 

This species likes a cooler summer than T. alba or marshalliana. I keep mine at 25c, but they can take a bit higher.

Brett


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## JeanLux (May 15, 2010)

very nice blooms!!! What size are they? What size are the stems? How long do they bloom? Jean

(I tried 2 marshallianas years ago, but they did not appreciate my environment )


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## s1214215 (May 15, 2010)

The plants are slightly smaller than marshalliana, and the blooms are about 5 inches, though they would be bigger if the flowers had better substance and not so doopy. The blooms also have an odd musky fragrance, that while not attractive, is not repulsive either. They stay good for about a week.

How did you grow Marshalliana? When I grew it, I had it in an unheated tunnel house while it was 0c outside in winter (night low) and in a shade cloth house in the summer while it was an average of 35c. To hot for bensoniae though. 

I think this species likes a little more warmth in winter, but certainly a cooler summer.

Brett

ps. I am seeking plants of T. brymeriana and the hybrid T. Gattonense if anyone has them (PM me)


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## JeanLux (May 15, 2010)

very nice size for those flowers!!! 

I tried to grow the marsh.s in my colder room, which at that time did not have enough light. I got the 1st one to bloom once, but then it died away, and the 2nd did not even flower!! But this is more than 15 years back, and since then I did no more try ! Jean


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## s1214215 (May 15, 2010)

I'd give it another go. Can you get bensoniae easily in Europe too? It is in season here now, so some nurseries here are stocking it while in bloom.

Brett


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## NYEric (May 15, 2010)

Please show us a photo of the whole [gigantic] plant!


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 15, 2010)

Spectacular Brett! If you share any habitat shots, that would be awesome!


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## SlipperFan (May 15, 2010)

Lovely flowers. I agree -- it would be nice to see the whole plant and it's habitat.


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## JeanLux (May 16, 2010)

s1214215 said:


> ... Can you get bensoniae easily in Europe too? ...



Unfortunately my supplier, Michel Paul, passed away some time ago; thunias are hard to find, at least on the official lists of the nurseries I checked! Jean


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## s1214215 (May 16, 2010)

Hi Everyone

I will take some habit pics and post them today. 

Jean, I have posted seed of this species and Thunia alba syn. marshalliana to the seed bank at www.terrorchid.org if you can flask it. You need to be quick though as I only sent a few samples of the T. bensoniae seed. I tried to spread it around this lot of seed and have sent it all around the world to various friends.

I also sent seed to Laminar Flow, Austria. www.laminarflow.at I think they sell flasks on request. 

Brett


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## s1214215 (May 16, 2010)

Here are the plant habit pics. This particular plant has 18 inch or 45cm tall canes. This is staked as the plants will droop otherwise. I staked this one a bit late, thus the canes are not straight and as upright as they can be made.

You can see a few plantlets that have started around the base of the plant as well and they will produce keikis. Old canes can be cut into lengths and put in moss or sand to produce keikis too.

Brett


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## s1214215 (May 16, 2010)

Here is a pic of another plants blooms. Not such good photos. It is the one I selfed and have produced seed from that went to the Troy Meyers Lab and Laminar Flow in Austria.


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## s1214215 (May 16, 2010)

A pic in the wild. I forget who sent me the pic. Taken in the north of Thailand. It grows both as a terrestrial, lithophyte and an epiphyte. It does not really attach to wood or such with the roots as say a vanda or Dend, but roots become embedded in the moss and enable it to cling. Without the moss, it cant hold on very well.

I have seen people grow it mounted, and the only time it was successful was when it had a mass of moss around the roots to anchor too and keep moist in. Mounted plants often appear stunted to me.

Brett


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## JeanLux (May 16, 2010)

spectacular!!! Jean


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## s1214215 (May 16, 2010)

Seed pod pics. They do not yellow much before splitting, and are very hard. You have to watch carefully or you can loose the seed with the sudden opening.

You can see in the top pic, this pod just starting to split.


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## biothanasis (May 16, 2010)

Very cool pictures!!! I have a marshaliana I guess (it has never flowered and the frienf who gave it to me did not have a name for the plant...). Now It starts showing new growth.

What potting mix do you use? (I have potted mine in small perlite with some bark) How should I treat it to bloom?? TY


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## s1214215 (May 16, 2010)

They need a cool winter and dry rest to set the blooms. So, if it gets to about 10c I think that is ok. The plant will shed the leaves. It should bloom on the new growth in the spring/summer.

I grow mine in pure spagnum. I have seen others in treefern. They are not too fussy, but whatever you use, just make sure it drains ok, but keeps quite moist. They dont like to dry out when in growth. Heavy feeders, so one a week when in growth.

Brett


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 16, 2010)

Thanks for the habitat shot especially, just wonderful!


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## s1214215 (May 16, 2010)

You are welcome Tom

I love this orchid a lot. I have been after it for years, and this year I got 8 plants, so now have 9 of them. I can imagine a mass of them in the future as they grow so easily from cutting.

Brett


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## NYEric (May 16, 2010)

Excellent info and presentation. Thanx for sharing.


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## rdlsreno (May 16, 2010)

NYEric said:


> Excellent info and presentation. Thanx for sharing.



I concur!

Ramon


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## biothanasis (May 17, 2010)

Thank you so much for the info Brett!!!


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## s1214215 (May 17, 2010)

You are all welcome. I am happy to share.

If anyone can point me to Thunia pulchra, brymeriana and Gattonense sources too, please do hahah.. I think Thunias were my first love of orchids - damn that Golden Guide to Orchids book and its illustrations. It is a pity these three plants are the harder ones to find south of the equator. I hope I can aquire them while I am here in Bangkok, so I can take them back with the rest of my collection.

Thankfully I have bensoniae now, which is scarce a hens teeth in Australia.

Brett


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