# Eriopsis biloba



## Migrant13 (Nov 22, 2014)

First time blooming for me. The emerging flower spike looked like a skinny mushroom! Big heavy plant that likes lots of water.


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## NYEric (Nov 22, 2014)

Very nice. Thanks for sharing. Fragrant? Where did you get it?


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## Erythrone (Nov 22, 2014)

Beautiful!


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## Migrant13 (Nov 22, 2014)

NYEric said:


> Very nice. Thanks for sharing. Fragrant? Where did you get it?



I picked up this division from Marlow's a few years back at the MOS show. It's the only time I have seen it for sale...though Peruflora (I think) has them in their most recent plant listing (not sure of the size). Marlow's will occasionally have one in their show displays which is where I first saw it.


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## Migrant13 (Nov 22, 2014)

NYEric said:


> Very nice. Thanks for sharing. Fragrant? Where did you get it?



No fragrance.


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## Linus_Cello (Nov 22, 2014)

Migrant13 said:


> Big heavy plant that likes lots of water.



What is your culture? Good candidate for s/h?


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## SlipperFan (Nov 22, 2014)

New one for me. Now I have a new one on my want list.


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## NYEric (Nov 22, 2014)

Migrant13 said:


> I picked up this division from Marlow's a few years back at the MOS show. It's the only time I have seen it for sale...though Peruflora (I think) has them in their most recent plant listing (not sure of the size). Marlow's will occasionally have one in their show displays which is where I first saw it.


Thanks I will ask about it. New to me also.


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## Ozpaph (Nov 23, 2014)

Really attractive flower.


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## Lmpgs (Nov 23, 2014)

What a beautie!! I bought once one from Peruflora but it didn't survive. 

I'll try it again.


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## Migrant13 (Nov 23, 2014)

Linus_Cello said:


> What is your culture? Good candidate for s/h?



I grow it outside in the summer with indirect but bright light most of the day. I water it every other day in the summer and twice a week in the winter. It appears to be in straight orchiata and I have not repotted it yet. I sprinkled oyster shell on top for extra calcium. The vendor I bought it from suggested it needed constant moisture and I believe he said it was native to Venezuela and grew near waterfalls/limestone cliffs where it receives water constantly. Interestingly, as the plants gets more mature it gets these upward facing needle-like spikes. Mine only has a few but other divisions I saw from Marlowes had a lot of needles which he warned me about. But this plant overall seems to one tough hombre. The vendor also told me that he used a sawzall to divide the main plant because of the needles and root system! So I was not surpised my division took a few years to bloom. He also mentioned that he bought the original plant from a Hawaiian grower but has not seen any since. He also claimed the ones from the South American vendors tend not to survive?? Hope this is helpful.


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## gnathaniel (Nov 23, 2014)

Very cool species! Also new to me but definitely one I'll look for when I have a little more growing room. That bloom habit is just weird and wonderful... Interesting about the needly spike-things, too, sounds like maybe debris collectors like some Catasetinae develop?


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## Migrant13 (Nov 23, 2014)

gnathaniel said:


> Very cool species! Also new to me but definitely one I'll look for when I have a little more growing room. That bloom habit is just weird and wonderful... Interesting about the needly spike-things, too, sounds like maybe debris collectors like some Catasetinae develop?



I think you are right about the debris collection. Makes sense if they do grow on exposed waterfall areas where nutrients might be sparse.


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## Linus_Cello (Nov 23, 2014)

Migrant13 said:


> Hope this is helpful.



Yes, very helpful and interesting. Sounds like I won't find one for sale readily. (Oh well, will buy more kovachii hybrids instead)


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## Migrant13 (Nov 25, 2014)

Linus_Cello said:


> Yes, very helpful and interesting. Sounds like I won't find one for sale readily. (Oh well, will buy more kovachii hybrids instead)



If I see any in my internet or actual travels, I will alert those of you who expressed interest. Worth seeking out if you have some room. Maybe mine will get big enough someday to divide and I'll be sure to share.


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## cnycharles (Nov 26, 2014)

Marlows, that's where I've seen it, in our orchid show in their display 

Here's a pic from their last years' display
http://cnyos.org/showpics/displayimage.php?pid=433

And a closer pic
http://cnyos.org/showpics/displayimage.php?pid=432

If anything, your flowers look a little nicer than the ones from their plant last year!

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## Migrant13 (Nov 26, 2014)

cnycharles said:


> Marlows, that's where I've seen it, in our orchid show in their display
> 
> Here's a pic from their last years' display
> http://cnyos.org/showpics/displayimage.php?pid=433
> ...




Thanks for the photos. Looks like their plant had many more spikes and they staked theirs which I unfortunetly did not do. The spike grows incredibly fast! It's worth checking in with Marlows for any divisions they may have left or if they might have more divisions soon.


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## cnycharles (Nov 27, 2014)

Yw. An interesting note I think in panama I found where a group is trying to reintroduce this and five other species that locals were taking from the forest and populations were very low. Another link that popped up was a nature pharmacology site that they stated as having pills made from this orchid. I don't know which compound or the intended result, the site was strictly sales and not informative


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