# christmas in may, or an early birthday present



## cnycharles (May 23, 2010)

I'm usually one of the last people who has a big orchid purchase to list, but it's getting to be a tradition to order plants from foreign vendors who will be at the florida redland orchid festival. This year I ordered phal species from Purificacion Orchids in the Philippines, more phal species and a habenaria from Michael Ooi in Malaysia and more phal species from a private vendor in Central Florida. I wanted to replace an ailing (damaged by mealybugs and my hydrogen peroxide sprays) phal sanderiana that may not make it, and also some special phal bellinas that I had been bred by Michael Ooi. I also followed a lead to a phal grower near Tampa who sells only through another vendor; he grows tons of excellent phal lowii. I saw other interesting things on the lists, and a friend from the orchid club bought a few plants as well. Tennis flies down to the Redland festival each year as a vacation. He picked up and mailed the plants to me, which arrived in record time. 






goodie box with wrapped orchids bursting forth!





from bottom left going clockwise - 2 phal lowiis, 2 habenaria medusa (one not mine), ceratocentron fessellii (not mine), two phal mariaes (one hidden), phal aphrodite, another phal lowii, phal bellina f4, phal bellina f5, phal modesta (the phal sanderiana isn't posted because it had to immediately be treated for crown rot  )

the phal lowiis are absolutely amazing! they are a bit off-color as I was told that his greenhouse is a bit cool in the winter (for florida) and as soon as it warms up they green up and spike. can't wait! the lowii vendor told me that other buyers have contacted him and told him that they had killed their plants; he says that they need to be kept warm, and watered only twice a week. (this is in central florida, keep in mind...) so, they don't need constant watering and they had over-watered their plants. over-watering usually isn't one of my problems, but I think I can keep up with twice a week


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## Hera (May 23, 2010)

Spectacular purchase and enviable!!


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## Clark (May 23, 2010)

High five!


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## SlipperFan (May 23, 2010)

Looking good!


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## JeanLux (May 24, 2010)

Really great looking package Charles!!!! Jean

(I am afraid mine is spending a very long weekend in a depot somewhere )


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## NYEric (May 24, 2010)

Cool, see how STF has helped your addiction!


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## noel (May 24, 2010)

what a great haul,you must be delighted to acquire that many.......


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 24, 2010)

Enjoy!


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## cnycharles (May 25, 2010)

noel said:


> what a great haul,you must be delighted to acquire that many.......



yes! especially the phal lowiis - great plants, very nice price. also the phal bellinas... and the two phal mariaes (so, yes feel lucky to have found them all) nice early birthday present!

unfortunately I noticed this morning that the phal aphrodite had crown rot that had spread, and the condition is terminal. remind me to take out rootless phals from small plastic pots that have coconut fibers pressed around the roots; no air and soaking wet. :sob:


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## biothanasis (May 25, 2010)

Great aquisitions!!!!!


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