Tiger orchid in flower!

[paphioboy]

The largest orchid species in the world. Grammatophyllum speciosum (Tiger orchid AKA sugarcane orchid, queen orchid) is currently flowering gregariously in Malaysia. Many specimens which have not flowered, or flowered poorly in collections nationwide are now bursting with spikes, some up to 50 spikes per clump.. These were seen at the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, grown in large cement containers.. Growing medium cannot be seen anymore, but presumably a hard rocky type substrate. This is a rare occurrence. Huge flowerings like these only occur every 5-10 years, presumably triggered by a long dry season we experienced early this year (3 months). The flowers have a strong fragrance of honey.

NYEric, this is one for your apartment

Each flower is 4-5 inches across!

The root basket, which functions to trap litter. Grammatophyllums produce 2 types of roots, softer larger 'normal' roots for anchorage and upright spikey roots to trap rubbish. Catasetums do this too.

 

[MaryPientka]

Wow!

 

[cnycharles]

Wow!

I'll say


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[eaborne]

Oh my!

 

[bcostello]

That is spectacular!

 

[17andgrowing]

That is spectacular!

Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Would this count as a CCM or CCE award?

 

[Ryan Young]

Amazing!

 

[Paphman910]

Wow! I want one!

 

[John M]

Very cool! Thanks for posting these photos. I had one of this species. Never bloomed it and finally sold it. Now, I realize, although technically BS, it was really a bit too small to bloom. Plus, I know I never gave it any dry rest. I should've held onto it and kept trying. That's quite the spectacular inflorescence they produce!

 

[Scott Ware]

...NYEric, this is one for your apartment

Eric's gonna need a bigger stove.

 

[PaphMadMan]

Wow!

Complete understatement, but what wouldn't be?

 

[paphioboy]

Would this count as a CCM or CCE award?

If you give this a CCE, what award will you give Michael Ooi's plant which currently has 50 spikes?

Now, I realize, although technically BS, it was really a bit too small to bloom.

I will post pics later, but there were smaller plants (about 10 canes) which are also in spike. I think it is a matter of when exactly they receive the environmental stimulus required to send out spikes, not so much age.

 

[paphioboy]

Smaller plants mounted on trees in spike.

 

[NYEric]

NYEric, this is one for your apartment

I have one but it's bigger! oke:
Spectacular, thanks for sharing.

 

[SlipperFan]

Just amazing! And to see that growing in a tree must really be something!

 

[paphioboy]

Just amazing! And to see that growing in a tree must really be something!

Indeed. I just hope the tree doesn't crash down when the clump gets larger. Which is why it is most often grown on the ground, even though it is a natural epiphyte.

 

[JeanLux]

Same comment here Li: Wow !!!! Absolutely .....!! Jean

 

[Alec]

Perhaps you'd like to see a pic I took in July 1982, at Burnham nurseries in the UK.
They had grown the plant for many years and in all their sales brochures they would say 'visit us and see the worlds largest orchid growing in ideal conditions'.
It had it's own room.
It just so happened that at that very moment it had finally come into full bloom for them.

I could hardly believe my eyes. It was impossible to even get a decent angle on it to take a pic.

It got them an FCC from the RHS, and they had to literally dismantle the place to get it out. (A few weeks ago I talked to one of the guys that did that).
Anyway, you know how big the flowers are, well this was their plant.


I guess NYEric would have to live under his kitchen sink to keep this one in his flat!!!!

Now the ironic bit. A few years later I visited them again - no plant. I asked Mr Rittershausen himself what had happened to it and he said it had just faded away after flowering and died, and nothing they did could stop it.

Have seen it since blooming in Singapore, but nothing like that size.

Alec

 

[Clark]

Wished they all bloomed like that.