# Rhynchostylis gigantea



## Happypaphy7 (Jan 5, 2017)

My first Rhynchostylis bloom! 
Surely adds some tropical touch in my room. haha

Only 24 flowers, but not bad at all for a first timer in dry apartment, right?
I'm actually surprised that it even made a spike in last fall because the plant only has three roots. 

The growing speed of the inflorescence was quite good.
I once had Neostylis Pink and each time it spiked, it would take forever to grow even one tiny bit, then blasted in four months! three years of that and I tossed it. lol

I'm going to save pollen of this guy and remake Neostylis Pinky in the spring.

The flowers smell rather nice, but with very unpleasant afternote. I can't quite describe and won't say it here.


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## Lanmark (Jan 5, 2017)

Very pretty! I hope the scent improves with time. It's a bit of a bummer when a pretty flower which is supposed to smell nice doesn't. I have a new Holdcodirea 'Newberry Jasmine' which came into bloom for the first time several days ago. The flowers on this particular plant aren't nearly as pretty as those on other plants of this cross which I've had in the past. The scent is very odd as well and not pleasing as the others were. It will probably get composted.


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## NYEric (Jan 5, 2017)

LOL! people make fun of me for growing Stanhopeas in an apartment! 
:crazy: Thanks for sharing.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jan 5, 2017)

NYEric said:


> LOL! people make fun of me for growing Stanhopeas in an apartment!
> :crazy: Thanks for sharing.



Why not? but your apartment is too warm. well, mine is warm too. haha

Almost all Stanhopea needs cold winter. There is a table showing each species with their winter temperature requirement.

I tried Stanhopea reichenbachiana because it is among a couple of the "warm" growing species that does not require significant chilling. 
Well, they grew well but got spots easily. I eventually got tired and threw them all away. lol

What do you have, and how is it doing?

Rhynchostylis is at least warm-hot grower. I just have dry air against it. well, basically against everything I grow other than cactus. hahaha


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## Happypaphy7 (Jan 5, 2017)

Lanmark said:


> Very pretty! I hope the scent improves with time. It's a bit of a bummer when a pretty flower which is supposed to smell nice doesn't. I have a new Holdcodirea 'Newberry Jasmine' which came into bloom for the first time several days ago. The flowers on this particular plant aren't nearly as pretty as those on other plants of this cross which I've had in the past. The scent is very odd as well and not pleasing as the others were. It will probably get composted.



That's a bummer.
I had similar experience with other "fragrant" orchids.

Well, this one does smell good, like ligh citrus of some sort, but as I say the end note is strange. I won't say it here. ha~


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## NYEric (Jan 5, 2017)

Happypaphy7 said:


> Why not? but your apartment is too warm. well, mine is warm too. haha
> 
> Almost all Stanhopea needs cold winter. There is a table showing each species with their winter temperature requirement.



Since we got thermostats on radiators this summer we are cooling down the rooms at will. the Phrags and cooler growing things should flourish.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jan 5, 2017)

What about the warmer growing ones, then?
like leucochilum? haha


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## NYEric (Jan 5, 2017)

You can please some of the people all of the time; you can please all of the people some of the time; you cannot please...


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## Happypaphy7 (Jan 5, 2017)

All the "chids" not even some of the time. hahaha


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## Ozpaph (Jan 5, 2017)

good colour and markings. Surprised it can be grown indoors.


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## abax (Jan 5, 2017)

Beautiful plant, Happy. Such cheerful blooms in the winter
are such a depression reliever.


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## paphioboy (Jan 6, 2017)

Well-bloomed! Guess your temperature is not too hot to inhibit the proper formation of spikes. Over here, gigantea usually aborts spikes or grows short, stunted spikes if not air-conditioned.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jan 6, 2017)

Ozpaph said:


> good colour and markings. Surprised it can be grown indoors.



Why not? lol 

I have it in a 6 inch plastic mesh basket with sphagnum moss.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jan 6, 2017)

abax said:


> Beautiful plant, Happy. Such cheerful blooms in the winter
> are such a depression reliever.



So true, Angela. 
My mood does get heavily influenced by the weather, although it is never so bad to rely on drugs. 
I hate rain the most. Cloudy dark days put me really down. 
Tea, coffee, hot coco, dark chocolate, hearty soup, music and orchids help, although not in this order.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jan 6, 2017)

paphioboy said:


> Well-bloomed! Guess your temperature is not too hot to inhibit the proper formation of spikes. Over here, gigantea usually aborts spikes or grows short, stunted spikes if not air-conditioned.



My room temperature was between 85-70 while the spike was developing.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 8, 2017)

Beautiful. One of the best.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jan 20, 2017)

I took a bunch of pollen off two days ago and all the flowers whose pollen were collected are wilting. Interesting! 
I thought pollinated flowers wilt shortly after. 

Are these supposed to last for about one month normally?


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## Rick (Jan 20, 2017)

I really like this species.:clap::clap:

There are also some really nice dark colored versions I need to keep my eyes open for.


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## Secundino (Jan 21, 2017)

Wow, that is a wonderful spike! 
Perhaps I should try a Rhynchostylis once.


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## Ozpaph (Jan 21, 2017)

Happypaphy7 said:


> Why not? lol
> .



Because its a tropical plant that, in my experience, needs Vanda conditions. Hard to reproduce completely artificially.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jan 21, 2017)

I see what you mean now, but I don't think completely reproducing any orchid habitat condition is impossible under cultivation although one might get close on certain level for certain things. 

Back to Vandas, at least the big things like sanderiana and coerulea come from high land where the night temperature dips quite a bit at certain times of the year from what I understand. 
Nothing much different than a bunch of other epiphytic plants actually. 

Btw, I once bought one blue & one pink vanda hybrids. Grew and rebloomed in a clear acrylic vase with no mix in it. In my apartment. 

The only real practical issue about these big Vandas is the size as they get tall.
I got rid of mine long ago. lol


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