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My orchid is getting a new leaf, I'm exited.

13 years ago

I noticed a new leaf this morning and I'm as exited as a teenage boy having his first romantic encounter! So an orchid is getting a new leaf, big deal, what else is new?

This is no ordinary orchid, this is Bulbophyllum beccarii. I have tried them twice before and failed each time. This plant is larger than the babies I had before, leaves are like dinner plates, all three of them. It's expensive, hard to find and even experienced growers like Jason Fisher from Orchids Unlimited told me that he looses 10% of new plants. I'm therefore truly exited. The vendor, Mount Prospect Orchids, whom I got the plant from, told me the secret is to keep the new leaf dry. Water and fertilize the rest of the plant like crazy but put a little plastic cup or something over the newly developing leaf to keep it from rotting which they are prone to do. The leaves are shaped like funnels to catch falling debris from the forest canopy and water collects in these pockets. This is fine for the adult leaves but apparently is not tolerated well by the newly developing leaf.

So far so good, I hope it will bloom some day, the aroma is spectacular. Some one once compared it to the smell of a herd of dead elephants. I'd love to take it to an orchid show so the public can get turned on to orchids.

Nick

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Comments (3)

irish_rose_grower
13 years ago
Oh how very exciting. I'll have to go look up this orchid, as i'm new to orchids and only know the common ones. So amazing how this plant has funnel shaped leaves to catch debris from the canopy.
Sheila
13 years ago
Nick, I really wonder about you guys that get turned on by these 'fragrant' blooms....

Maureen, if you haven't found it yet, you can check out species plants at orchidspecies.com
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What Patti's photos show do not match what Sue Bottom is showing. I've had both. I had Catts freeze and they displayed the large edemas in Patti's photos. The smaller pimples are probably due to watering when cool/cold during dormant periods. Had those too! Whatever the cause, I do not think it is anything contagious. Those areas will dry up and turn brown. I still suspect cold temps, low 40's-30's. It is possible the leaves were close to the window and certain areas got frozen or close to it. It doesn't look like any kind of disease to me. I think it is environmental and will not cause death of the plant. Jane
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orchidnick
Original Author
13 years ago
Maureen, here is the link:

http://orchidspecies.com/bulbbeccarrii.htm

Great men often enjoy unusual pleasures. Napoleon, on the way home from a campaign would send a messenger to Josephine telling her to stop bathing 1 week prior to his arrival. I had a Bulbo echinolabium once that smelled like a dead rat. The flower fell off but the odor persisted. I then discovered that there was a dead rat under the table. That plant got an award

I got an other award on a Bulbo spiesii (now correctly called fletcherianum). It was a substantial flower pod with close to 40 flowers and it smelled! I got a big kick out of the judges who had to get up close in order to accurately count the number of flowers. Their displeasure was obvious. I named the plant B spiesii 'Paul's Fragrance' AM/AOS after my flatulent son who is very proud of this. Picture and name found it's way into an orchid book which he cherishes.

The only 2 plants of mine that ever got awarded both smelled like dead fish/meat. It must be that odor that stimulates the AOS judges and makes them hand out the awards.

It's the little things that add spice to life.

Nick

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