No to both, but I am fast becoming the same way with Ctsms, Bulbs, and specie Phals ! Used to be a Den fanatic but the same thing happened to me. Even the small ones when put outside turned into giant-in-disguise types ! No greenhouse for me so I found others to be absorbed with. Inside-window-under-lights grower and I manage to handle 2' tall Ctsms ! They're my main obsession right now with Bulbs #2, Phals #3 !

Andy has 10 Dracs I don't have, Hawk Hills has an additional 14. Ordering these 24 up and writing a big check does not count. Collecting means something else. There has to be trading and opportunity otherwise it's no fun. I'm not rushing to buy their offerings but in the back of my mind is that this would boost the collection to 79. 21 would still be missing in action.

Nick

I could be on my way, but even more specialized. I'm in love with Phal violacea, and am on my way to having a collection of all the different varieties, but I'm new to it and I have serious trouble growing bellina. So I'm in the process of seeing if I have the same problems with my3 current violaceas (its not looking too good at the moment *cry*). If I'm able to grow it, my collection of the varieties of this species will explode.

Can Draculas be grown under lights? I have been wanting to try one inside with my african violets but am afraid I will kill it. The temperature inside is 74 to 78 degrees and usually around 78.

Much too hot. They don't need much light growing mostly in the shade. My swamp cooler goes on at 75 during the day and usually prevents the temp from going higher. A second timer and thermostat working at night only drops the night temp down to 55F all night long. That's the part that's really important. They get soaked with RO water every day and a humidifier keeps the humidity at 80%. Difficult to do in a home.

Nick

Sounds like stamp collecting where the aim is to have one of everything....a path most new orchid growers go down. One of this and one of those...

I'm trying to be a specialist, but you always get sidetracked.

I suppose i'm a specialist Tolumnia Hybrid grower seeing the current number of those is 300 to 400. But of course, they do not count for much because they are all Hybrids. Yuck! Lol.

Chryss, the singular of species is species. Specie has something to do with money.

My large speciosum is in bud and hopefully will be in bloom for the coming "winter" show in two weeks time. It will just fit in the back of the car.

Dabbled with Phal. bellina and kept it alive for half a dozen years and it even bloomed but it was struggle in not so good conditions. Pity because it is a great orchid and the perfume is wonderful.

Chryss, I went through the Catasetum craze but cut back drastically a few years ago; they are big plants that need big sunshine and I ran out of both space and sunny areas in the GH.

I love growing Angraecoids which like a variety of conditions and come in a variety of sizes; I can pick which species (and hybrids) my conditions are right for.

terp, I have no problem growing bellina. How have you grown yours?

Arthur, went though a bit of a Tolumnia craze myself, but I tend to rot these plants fairly quickly so I grow only about a half-dozen now(both species and hybrids) that seem to like me.

CJ, I don't treat them any different than other phals that do well in my collection. I try to keep them maybe a little shadier and a skosh drier on the advice of someone who works at Seagrove Orchids, but more often then not its just standard phal care. Other phals are doing well, but never bellina.

I'm trying something now where I have a bareroot vioalcea plopped on top of a S/H pot with primeagra, but not buried. I dont' know if you recall, but I got a large violacea from Hank maybe 8 years ago. It was well established in a basket. It was neglected, dehydrated, and was basically tortured and it grew like gangbusters. Given how dry it was kept, I'm hoping to recreate that with this experiment. I'm banking on it thriving bareroot with DC's humidity long enough to throw out some roots and send them down into the primeagra. If that happens I can bury the tops of the roots. I've not had success in transferring them to S/H so I'm hoping this will be my way around it.

Oh, BTW, the Tuberolabium kotoense I potted japanese style? Totally kicked the bucket :(

There are a couple of species that really grab me where I tend to collect examples of the variation within those species. I grow several Diuris orientis, Diuris sulphurea, Pterostylis baptistii from different prevenances. I collect them more to appreciate the differences between populations rather than with any pretense of owning them all (how could I?). I also focus on Den kingianum but focusing on kingies and speciosum in Australia is like focusing on Laelia anceps or Phal violeacea breeding; there's so much of it around that the effort is more in the restraint than the acquisition.

The goal is awarded species divisions. Keeps the quality high and the count low, as they are not usually cheap.

Got broadsided with a wholesale list of plants from Colomborchedea. There I found 23 Draculas which had previously eluded me or where much cheaper than on US vendors. They are going to part of a very large order from the San Diego orchid society which significantly reduces the price.

Add these to the list and we are approaching 100. Then there are some on the web page of H&H which I have not bought for financial reasons. One of these days, I'll break down and get some of them. That leaves 23 MIA which I have read about but cannot find anywhere. Some, like Dracula maduroi, may not exist. Others are extremely slow growing so don't lend themselves to commercial sale. Drac nosferatu appears to be one. Andy got one 6 years ago and only now has been able to make the first division. That one and a couple of others are extremely slow growing.

Yesterday I met Andy at the Fascination of Orchid Show in Santa Ana to pick up one of the only 2 remaining ones on his web page that I do not have. He loves Dracula and we started talking about them. I showed him my list of the MIAs which I cannot find anywhere and after having a chuckle at my expense he immediately pointed out about a dozen he has in his private collection, including the slow growing nosferatu, which he can divide and sell me.

The finish line is in sight! After that it will truly become a treasure hunt with some having been described but not commercially available. Then there are some who were described and never seen again. The only other avenue to pursue at that point is the specialization of some species eg: Dracula vampire, Drac bella and Drac gorgona. One of the best and darkest vampire, with an FCC is sold by H&H for $850 a division. One of these vendors, I forgot which one at this moment has a gorgona with a huge flower also for $800. I will probably pass on these, however just like terpguy's Phal violacea, most Dracula collectors have a number of vampires with different features. I know Andy has a real dark one I need to talk to him about.

So the beat goes on. I fully relate to 300 Tollumnias, 30 different Dend speciosums and a gaggle of Phael violaceas. I think it makes it much more interesting, to go to the edge in one specific genus. the only problem with Draculas is that in SOCAL there are virtually no compatriots to share the interest with as no one grows them. I know of one person in San Francisco who has 100 of them and a lady in San Diego who has over 50, several she got awarded.

For some reason, there are very few hybrids available, less than a dozen, so the hybrids don't clutter the land scape. If I don't count the few hybrids and the few duplications (vampire, hirtzii) I now grow (or will grow after the colomborchedea order arrives) 91 species, Andy should put me over 100 with that latest group. After the H&H purchase later this year, every addition will be a real find of a rare treasure. Exiting!

Nick `

I just looked at H&H's web site and the vampire is now listed at $500. Is that a sign of double dip recession?

Nick

Wow! How tempted are you?

I need to find a partner or two for something like this. They grow fast and could be divided into 2 or 3 plants within 6 month. Then this would become possible. Interested?

Nick

Am nearing the end of my journey with the Dracula. Have 96 different species and a few hybrids. Contacted Gary Meyers at Hawk Hills for the remaining few and got this response. I'm blown away by the knowledge of Dr Meyer who may well know as much or more about Dracula than anyone in the US. Some of my requests are possible but I'll post his explanation for the others.

adriana - doesn't exist. Taxonomic error of Luer. It's just a lotax and he drew another plant's leaf in the description. I have analyzed the type plants DNA in my studies and it is just lotax.

x anicula (natural hybrid of cutiss-bufonis x walisii). Only one very ill plants exists in Colombia. No one in the US has this.

antonii (No collection data) - will check on this.

Bertha Gates (platycrater x bertha) - should ask Gerardus Stahl about this one. I think he made it.

inexperata this has never left Costa Rica. The government wouldn't even let me have a DNA sample. It is probably platycrater.

lehmanniana only one plant left as far as I can find in Europe, US, and South America. I tried to go to the site where it is from in Colombia this year and three people got kidnapped while I was there. So will be a while before this is available again.

maduroi No plants reliably coming out of Panama. I got a few two years ago and they died.

nigiritella (drawing only). Does not exist. I am friends with the original owner and she never found it in her collections after years of searching.

pileus (photo by Gary Meyer). J & L is best chance for this.

pubescence taxonomic mystery. I have gone to the reserve this is from several times and never see it there. Other scientists who go there always think they find it but it turns out to be something else when I see photos. I think this is a fluke and I think the type plant in EU is dead bc the pieces sent to the US have been wrong.

rojasii it's a hybrid. I fought because I didn't want my name on this one and now I have the DNA to show it's fake.

sijmii (photo by Eucuagenera) I have one plant but long way from being divideable.

syndactyla does not exist in the us. I have tried to go to the site where it is from but it erupted into a battle. It does exist still at the site, just too violent to get there.

My 'wish list' will undergo some major modification after reading this. He has some of the others I requested, I hope to get them next month in San Francisco. What a treat to hear from a true expert.

Nick

What is platycrater?gb

A somewhat unusual looking Dracula, I have one in bloom right now. It looks a little like Dracula bertha.

http://www.orchidspecies.com/draculaplatycrater.htm

Nick

I'm obsessed with Draculas for their unique beauty. I have been managing to keep them alive and well here in SW Florida with daily watering and a place in a well shaded area under my palms and oaks.

I get lucky at some of our many orchid shows and have been able to pick up a Dracula here and there, but none of the uncommon ones. I heard a few of you mention H&H, where is this located, do you have a link? I was only able to locate one place called H&H and they did not have orchids. I really have to see this $500 Dracula you guys are talking about!
Sue

Google up Hawk Hills Orchids, J&L Orchids and Andy's Orchids and you'll see all the Draculas your pocket book can afford. If you got some Florida stuff like Vandas for trade, send me an email, I have a bunch of Draculas I can swap you for. You can also go to the Ecuagenera web page and pre-order. They are regulars at most US orchid shows and either will mail you your stuff from the US or you can pick it up at the shows.

Nick

Thanks Nick, for the great links! I have a feeling HH Orchids and I are going to get to know each other quite well. I only have really small Vandas right now besides my "pets". I will be dividing my cigar orchid this spring if you might be interested in one of those when the time comes.
Sue

Sure, me and my buddy Bill are always interested in cigars.

Nick

Making a lot of noise does get the wheel greased. H&H has a gorgeous Gorgon xanthia listed for $850. I have also seen it as Dracula gorgona 'Colombo' FCC/AOS and Dracula gorgona xanthia 'Colomborchidea' FCC/AOS. By screaming about it on several forums, I have now located one for $500 and have 2 potential partners to split it with, suddenly it becomes almost manageable.

Nick

The Nov PA meeting will be held at the home of JP. He grows nothing but Dracula and has over 100 different ones. I'll be like a kid invited to Santa's work shop.

Nick