Welcome fellow orchid enthusiasts to the first column in the series of "Bloomin' On". Descriptions, culture and photos will be discussed. Practical information and experiences of both commercial growers and hobbyists will be shared. To help us, Orchids Garden Center (OGC) has opened their plants to us, as well as, sharing their expertise. We are most fortunate to have OGC near us for plants as well as a generous resource.

A recent trip to OGC lead me to discover Gomesa crispa, which is featured this month.

Gomesa is a genus of thirteen species found in central and southern Brazil. The plants are characterized by flattened, oblong pseudobulbs with two apical, rather soft leaves. They look like small oncidiums and don't take up much space. The crispa form occurs in southern Brazil. Mature plant size is about 6 - 8 inches.

Arial roots that seem to jump out of the pot appear as the plant matures. When this happens the plant can be repotted, directing those roots into the planting medium. They are typically grown at cool temperatures because their natural habitat is usually at higher elevations (500 to 1500 meters), but are also grown successfully at intermediate temperatures by OGC. A general rule of thumb: the higher the elevation at which the orchid grows naturally, the cooler the temperature required for optimal home/greenhouse cultivation. Gomesa is an epiphyte and must go dry between waterings. Roots will rot if kept constantly wet although humid air conditions are beneficial. Bright, but not direct light is best and nights should be a bit - about 10 deg F - cooler than day temperatures.

Here is a photo of a typical blooming size plant in a 3" pot:

You can expect Gomesa crispa to produce an 8 inch spike around late spring and have a full set of open flowers about mid-summer and last through fall. A typical spike is shown below.

Close up, one can see that the sepals and petals are green yellow, spreading with crisped edges. The small citrus-scented flowers are green-edged with yellow and the lip bends downward.