Bump

Bump up. Hi Nick, thanks for keeping the forum alive during the past year. I suppose the lack of response is due to the fact that no one has tried to grow this large orchid.

It's been a good year, rejoining the forum has been fun. Best of holiday wishes to you Arthur and to everyone else.

On the G speciosum there is plenty of literature available but I lack specific info on my growing area.

1) I know they like it warm but how warm do they need to stay in the winter. I keep my greenhouse at 53F, is that warm enough.

2) I know they like direct sun, that's how they grow it in Hawaii. Can it take the full brunt of Southern California midday sun in July/Aug/Sept?

3) I have only seen pictures of it in a pot. It is reported to be an epiphyte and occasional lithophyte. I plan to grow it it in the saddle of a large root stump I have laying around. The only picture I have seen of it's root system implies it has fine roots. A heavy plant with fine roots will probably not hold on to its mount very well so maybe putting it in a pot would be a better idea after all. The fine hair roots seem to come from a larger base root, I'll make the final decision when I get the plant. I have seen small plants but never a large one and never one in bloom.

No one here in LA grows a large one that I know off. Should be fun to try it and even more fun if the sucker actually blooms. If it gets big I can see building a small shed for it, 6' x 6' x 10' and blasting it with HI lights during the winter. A small dedicated greenhouse like that could also be kept warmer, 70F or even hotter during the winter without the cost of heating a large GH to that high temp.

All of the above speaks of someone who has too much time on his hands!! Any sane person would throw their hands up at this prospect, probably the reason for a lack of response and also the reason why no one I know grows one. I grow a huge D specisosum but it needs minimal care as it likes the climate here and requires no tweaking of it's environment. This G speciosum is a horse of a different color.

Nick

Nick, I have been wanting to respond... Well, mine has not bloomed yet, so I don't know what to tell ya. I have left mine in the ground(was in a 10 ich vanda basket- now the roots have gone thro the mulch into the soil to the point that I cannot displace it from the ground. I have to leave it behind during the last year's cold front when it hit 38 for a day or two- min damage like sunburn - otherwise plant continues to grow vigorously. Takes full sun, grows with the Schoms and the roses.
My new experiment is to stick these large plants in the mulch- my large Vanda's and vandopsis and one Schom are in the ground- they look very happy, roots have scrambled all over the place - kinda looks cool- I'll post pics soon!

I have had a similar thought, place the plant in a 15 Gallon pot with generous holes in the bottom and the sides near the bottom. Place it on a bed of gravel 2" or so and then plan to leave it there permanently. I'm sure the roots will find their way into the ground. You have confirmed that.

For the winter I had planned a tent like structure that would be assembled over the plant without moving the plant and then take it down once the whether gets warm. The only drawback is that the plant will never make it to an orchid show. The other way would be 4 movable wall that can be hinged together with a removable roof. I'm encouraged to hear how low a temp your plant tolerates

Nick