Howdy!
Hope you all are doing well!
A special greeting to all of you fathers out there! May you be surrounded (or at least contacted!) today by those to whom you have provided such expert guidance and wisdom! Enjoy your day!
A reminder that Oak Hill will be closed on July 4, 5, and 6th (Fri-Sat-Sun) to honor our nations birthday. Have a safe and relaxing Holiday!
We have available, while they last, some plants of Polyrrhiza lindenii that are a bit larger than we usually offer. There are only about 20 of them and they are selling for $30.00. They are about four (4) years from blooming. See a photo for size comparison at the link below.
Polyrrhiza lindenii special size
We also are offering four new Chiloschistas for sale. These are a genus of leafless orchids from Southeast Asia. See them listed as our mid-June special as you scroll down below the Polyrrhiza offer on our specials page. The more you buy, the more you save.
"The Ghost Orchid"
|
Chiloschista leafless orchid special
Chiloschista segawai
Be sure to see below, as Liese offers her "tip of the month" on how to grow the leafless orchids!
Have a safe and enjoyable Holiday over the 4th!
Regards,
Greg
|
|
Growing Tip of the Month - by Liese
|
|
 "Leafless Wonders"
Growing leafless orchids can prove to be quite challenging. Since there is no major leaf growth on these orchids, they must be grown mounted on wood or cork with their roots totally exposed.
Some varieties, such as Polyrrhiza lindenii (the Florida Ghost Orchid), very rarely even adhere to their mount (substrate) when grown in "captivity." Our private stock plants, which have thrived here for over 30 years, still have their roots hanging freely from their mounts, to which they have been tied loosely. These leafless wonders use their roots to soak up moisture, nutrients and the sunlight they need to thrive.
The trick to growing these varieties is to create a warm, humid environment with filtered light and stagnant air (no fans!). They must be protected from bright sun, and they love hot, humid weather. Picture the Everlades swamps in South Florida during mid-summer...hot, humid air with frequent rain storms - this is where they thrive.
The plants do not like to stay wet. They like to be lightly misted on dry days, but if the humidity is high, skip the misting. They tend to rot if misted heavily. They grow best when the air around them is moist.
Setting up a terrarium environment might be your best bet if you live in a dry part of the country. Water can be kept in the bottom of the terrarium to create moisture - just make sure the the mount does not touch the water or it will stay too wet and rot your plant.
We fertilize these plants regularly, along with all of our other orchids, by simply misting or watering the roots with our various formulas.
These are rare plants, and can prove to be difficult to grow. However, by setting up an environment for them that provides them with their specific needs, you can both grow and bloom them sucessfully.
Good luck!
Liese
|
