This year has been particularly wet and very humid in our part of Queensland. We are in an official La Niña which means moist and humid conditions with higher than usualy rainfall and storms. I call this 'orchid weather' because the plants just seem to grow like weeds with all the rain and high huimidity. Unfortunately, it also brings along more bugs and this spring I have already had to remove a number of Dendrobium beetles and today also sprayed my two large Myrmecophila tibicinis plants that had larvae on them (these plants just finished blooming). Fortunately I caught the beetles early.
Gracing the stage currently is my Cymbidium aloifolium that is a real performer each year and just gets bigger and better. Thirteen spikes currently and the plant has been moved to a stand because it is just too heavy to hang anywhere now. It must weight close to 20 kg. Those Dendrobium beetles love to munch on the blooms, so I have sprayed those too. So far so good.
I have also had some very welcome success growing and flowering my Cymbidium suave. This plant was purchased as tube stock in a 14 cm tube in June 2020. It has grown incredibly for me and continues to shoot out new growth non-stop. It has also flowered for the first time this year, sending out three current spikes with another three developing. The flowers are fragrant of spice during the mornings. When the plant first arrived in the post, it was potted in soil of all things! I quickly removed all the soil and over-potted it up in a deep waste paper bin drilled with extra drainage. This worked really well and it has quickly grown to a large size in this container.
Another good looker is Eulophia guineensis which has wonderfully long-lasting flowers. Mine has been in full bloom now for over a month and is still looking good. I had to stake the inflorescence though, which is tall and erect, but the weight of the flowers is too much to hold up when it rains.
Then, a hybrid that is growing on me (excuse the pun) is Bealara Big Shot 'Hilo Sparkle' that I got as part of the deal when I purchased my greenhouse. Of the many plants that came with the greenhouse in very poor condition, this one perked up quickly after I repotted it and treated it for bugs. It has rewarded me with three large spikes, one of which has just begun opening its blooms. Flowers are pleasantly large and fragrant.
I hope the humidity lasts for a little while longer - just enough to get the growing done for the majority of my plants this season!
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| Cymbidium aloifolium 27 Nov 21 |
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| Cymbidium aloifolium 27 Nov 21 |
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| Eulophia guineensis |
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| Bealara Big Shot 'Hilo Sparkle' |
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| Cymbidium suave |
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| Cymbidium suave |
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