Love the Den. laevifolium but it might not like Florida. My vote goes for the various clones of Onc. Twinkle. A well grown plant is a delight, compact with lots of flowers. How come people keep calling Sharry Baby, Sherry Baby? Who started this nonsense. Talking about Onc. Sharry Baby here is a poor photo of one in an orchid display. It certainly gives an idea of how big an in-flower plant can be. The only reason i'm getting rid of mine is that an in-spike plant is just to tall to take to an orchid meeting in a compact car. a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsos/2482742618/" title="Strathfield Plaza Show 2008 by wsos, on Flickr">

What Jane said as far as the old spike. I think you were on the right track, maybe use something besides paper towels so that when the roots do appear, they have a media to grow into. When used with sphagnum moss (available at big box stores, maybe even in the NYC area?) this technique is called sphag and bag. Open the bag every now and then or cut some very small holes in it to let in some fresh air occasionally. Sit it where it gets no direct sun, just bright indirect light. Once the roots start growing and moving into the media, you can un-bag, pot up and slowly move to more light. I would not be surprised if you lose the larger leaf on the spike side, it looks like it may have some type of discoloration very close to the axis of where it comes out of the main stem. Don't fret too much if it happens (if you tug gently and it comes off, discard it), just keep trying until it is growing roots or it gives up completely. Good luck, Bob

Hah, Arthur! My response to running out of room has always been to build more growing space! At the peak of my obsession, last time, I built a 10' x 20' greenhouse with a single-pitch roof with a 12' peak and a 4' x 10' section designed to grow cool growers in SE Texas (which is to say, it was walled off and built to accomodate a 5,000 BTU window-unit air conditioner). Part of that is that I come from engineers, part of it is that I am a typically stubborn Pollack, and part of it is that I have access to lots of building materials cheap/free. Honestly, the only limits to anyone's collection should be financial and of course, how much they are willing take care of, in my humble opinion. But then, I am an admitted hedonist. -Cj P.S. My great aunt still has that GH on her property...one day, when I am settled down and have the land for it, I am going to get that CH back, because there is nothing like having a customized-to-your needs greenhouse. Especially a huge one. LOL!

Very beautiful flowers CJ! I have (had) one almost exact like that. Re bloomed for me one time last year. I split the plant to give one to my friend as a favor. The other half is barely surviving right now but produced some young shoot. I am nurturing them like a baby because I love the flowers. I don't think it liked the heat I had in my sun room that much either. I am very watchful this year. If the heat in the sun room goes up to 27 degrees. I move them into my living room instead... Don't want any more damage. The flowers are very striking! I want to ask you all a question about put them outside. I heard some of you said you leave the orchids outside in summer and bring them in when the weather starts to get cold or cool down. What about rain? We all know and talked about don't let water gets in the crown of the orchids otherwise it will rot the leaves. How can they survive with rain pour on them? Or you do shelter them under some kind of protection? Please let me know. Tanie