Blooming Neofinetia & Friends

[Happypaphy7]

In the earlier part of the day, Sedirea japonica graces the air with its sweet spicy (citrus, clove/cinnamon, plus more) scent.
It has a basal keiki coming!
As the day starts to wind down, the sweet jasmine/gardenia/cookie dough/cake mix scent of Neofinetia falcata takes over the air space.
The fragrance show lasts well into the late night and until early morning.

Seen here is Hisui, the green one. You can see another spike in bud just below the blooming spike. The plant has three other spikes but all in different stage of development.
The white one is Taiga, one spike bearing ten flowers.
Both these varieties have much larger flowers than most. The flower count usually runs higher, too.
The last one is Raizan, a pale pink variety. It also has a multiple spikes but all in different stages.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Cattleya walkeriana semi-alba throwing two new growths. Hopefully one or both of them will give me flowers?

Cattleya Hardyana seeding is starting three (only two shown) new shoots and I’m wondering if it is a small compot.
Will repot soon and find out.

Tolumnia hybrid also sending up two new shoots for the year

Morning Glory with three buds. I got two buds last summer, so this is better.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

That's it, we've found a new name for a band, Basal Keiki.

Nice flower count on the Sedirea. Looks like you have plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks. I hope my neos flower half as well as yours.

 

[Happypaphy7]

That's it, we've found a new name for a band, Basal Keiki.

Nice flower count on the Sedirea. Looks like you have plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks. I hope my neos flower half as well as yours.

We got the name. Recruit the members.
Do you still have your neos outside in the garden year around? I remember you had some mounted on the trees and some get moved indoor in the winter.

 

[PeteM]

Everything looks very well grown, especially the Walkeriana. What is your method for growing this? I thought it might be an aircone pot but the edges of the pot you are thicker and you have the pot nested in a larger tray? Those pseudobulbs are not missing a beat. I would love to learn this culture.

I have two Hardyana seedlings in my collection from Carter and Holmes and they both throw multiple leads.

Beautiful Neos and japonica, lovely to have some fragrant blooms this time of year. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Everything looks very well grown, especially the Walkeriana. What is your method for growing this? I thought it might be an aircone pot but the edges of the pot you are thicker and you have the pot nested in a larger tray? Those pseudobulbs are not missing a beat. I would love to learn this culture.

I have two Hardyana seedlings in my collection from Carter and Holmes and they both throw multiple leads.

Beautiful Neos and japonica, lovely to have some fragrant blooms this time of year. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you.
The walkeriana is in large to medium sized chunks of bark in 4inch square plastic pot. It does have a slightly raised center at the bottom with slits for drainage but nothing dramatic like the aircone pot.
Since I don't have tray, I have it in a round deli container. I water by soaking the plant in it. Then, drain after a while.
The plant was growing on the windowsill and the newest growth started to lean toward the driection of the sun, so I have it under the artificial light to help straighten it out a bit although I believe it is probably too late.
At least, the newest two growths will develop and grow upright.

 

[My Green Pets]

i keep seeing these phal japonica and feeling more and more tempted!
Love your green falcata.
I've got vocals in the band - let me know when rehearsal starts.

 

[Happypaphy7]

i keep seeing these phal japonica and feeling more and more tempted!
Love your green falcata.
I've got vocals in the band - let me know when rehearsal starts.

I say give in to the temptation!
No, honestly, it is a compact plant that puts out very pleasantly scented flowers. What's not to love?!
Yep, the green is my favorite.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Morning Glory fresh open in early June & two weeks after that

 

[Happypaphy7]

A second basal keiki is starting right next to the first one on my Sedirea japonica


And some more Neos in bloom

 

[Happypaphy7]

Hisui making a third flush of buds for the year


And almost non-stop blooming Psychopsis papillio fma. aurea


Phalaenopsis Liu’s Cute Angel has a pretty big spike this year. I accidentally knocked one bud out on the main branch and wow, the empty spot looks really big! Dang it! lol

 

[Happypaphy7]

Last but not least, Catasetum (Melana Davison ‘Snow White’ x Diana’s Dots ‘SVO’) blooming for the first time.
I like the light green/yellow but I was hoping for more yellow especially on the lip. I do have a second seedling so I hope I get lucky!!

 

[Happypaphy7]

Btw, walkeriana growths turned out to be without flowers. Oh, well…maybe on the next growth(s)!

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Nice triple spur neo. Is manjushage?

 

[Happypaphy7]

Nice triple spur neo. Is manjushage?

Yes, it is. My big Manjushage that was much larger and vigorous suddenly perished. So I bought a baby. Only five flowers but one of them dried up and only four made it to open bloom now.
This is its third or fourth bloom so I have no hope for this one. I'm still on the lookout for a good one like my older one.

 

[kc6847]

How do you get your neos to bloom? I have mine under Cattleya conditions but they never put out flowers for years.

 

[Happypaphy7]

How do you get your neos to bloom? I have mine under Cattleya conditions but they never put out flowers for years.

No flowers for years seem very odd. With the winter low tolerance of the species being close to freezing (must be protected from winter rain in California!!), I would think Neos should be easier than Cattleyas in your region.

I can't really help you other than saying that mine are all in door with too warm of a winter (rarely lower than 60s even on the coldest winter nights on my windowsill). The summer high is rarely over 80s as I use AC.
Most of my Neos bloom anywhere from one big flush in the spring or 2-3 times of smaller flushes spread out from spring to fall with late spring and early summer usually being the peak of the flowering season.
So far, the only varieties that have not bloomed for me even though they are multiple-growths plants, are the ones known to be a reluctant bloomer like Seikei and Senzai. They are not really grown for flowers anyway. Too cute just as they are!!

My best bloomers are Hisui, Kinrokaku, Shojo. These bloom multiple times a year for me easily or with multiple spikes. All the common and cheap varieties but I love those the most!!

If you are looking for varieties that make a lot of flowers than typical(easily 6 and often 10 or more per inflorescence), then you might want to get a wild type of Amami Island variety and its variants like Hokage and Taiga. Hisui also easily make 6-10 flowers per spike.
Most others will make somewhere from 3-6 reliably.

 

[Heather]

I’ve kept my Neos outside during the winter here in Sacramento. Bring them in if it is going to freeze. They always bloomed reliably. I’m hoping to do that with my new batch as well, but inside the rest of the time. They grow ok outside here, but look like hell from too much light.

 

[Guldal]

Btw, walkeriana growths turned out to be without flowers. Oh, well…maybe on the next growth(s)!

Maybe not enough light?!

How do you get your neos to bloom? I have mine under Cattleya conditions but they never put out flowers for years.

I'm with Heather on this one: maybe too much light?

(And maybe the concept of 'Cattleya conditions' too vague to elicit any meaningful response: quite a stretch from Catt. coccinea to Catt. purpurata or Catt. trianae!)

 

[big923cattleya]

These images are of a Vanda falcata, formerly Neofinetia falcata that came to judging in June. A grower of these, plus Phalaenopsis japonica and Dendrobium moniliforme, is all that he grows!
He brought nine “Neo’s” in total! More about those in a later post.
The owner impressed all of us with these gorgeous plants. This Neofinetia falcata ‘Manjushage’, with triple nectaries, was granted an AM. There was one nectary tube attached to the lip, the other two were attached to the backside of the petals. If you look closely at the images there are buds as well. They appear as green tipped buds.
To finish the story quickly, all nine were presented in fresh Sphagnum moss. They were in tall, Oriental themed pots. We immediately signed him up to present a program to the judging personnel this August. We as judges know something about Neo’s naturally but this gentleman with his detailed abilities and knowledge of Neo’s presented a great educational opportunity.
Briefly he grows everything under lights, in sphagnum, in Western Michigan.
I will add additional cultural information after his presentation. He says he imports a good deal of plants from Korea. He says he is the largest importer in the States.
As a note, moderate light, always moist.