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EEOS Original Articles |
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The many articles in our Orchid Culture section can solve most of your culture issues. Check them out before submitting a question. |
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AOS Culture Sheets |
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The AOS Culture Sheets are very thorough guides for growing orchids successfully. Read the one pertaining to your kind of orchid before asking a culture question. |
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Ask Your Own Question |
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If the articles and culture sheets in our Orchid Culture section did not solve your problem, feel free to submit your own orchid culture question. |
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(Posted on March 9, 2004) |
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Question |
| I have an orchid that I bought about 7 years ago from Alberts and Merkle in Boynton Beach, but I don't know what it is. I call it a string bean orchid because the leaves are shaped like green beans. It was attached to a small piece of bark that I attached to a tree. The roots have grown around the tree and, when in bloom, the orchid looks like a feather boa draped around the tree. It's beautiful. The flower is cone shaped and grows in clusters on long, skinny spikes. This year it has 38 clusters! What is it? |
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Susie |
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Answer |
| Susie, it's difficult to guess what orchid you have without seeing it. You might try contacting an orchid society in your area. You probably will get the answers you're looking for and meet other orchid lovers, make new friends, and gain valuable information about your plants. Revisit our website and click on the links section. You can visit The American Orchid Society or you can browse our list of societies. We have many links to societies all over the state and the country. |
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Bob Stipe |
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Answer |
| Dear Susie. If you've read some of the other questions posted to this site, you've probably seen us give this same answer. And I tell you, it's not because we're tired of answering them, but it is the simple truth: it is virtually impossible to guess the type of an orchid from a brief description. There are thousands of species of orchids and thousands more hybrids, so you can probably understand why we can't do it. Since your orchid is attached to a tree, the best thing to do is to take a picture of it (in bloom, if at all possible) and take it to a local nursery or orchid club. Otherwise, you can e-mail it to me and I'll do my best to identify it for you. I wish you the best of luck. |
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Fred Armando |
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(Posted on March 9, 2004) |
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Question |
| You see, I have what seems to be about 4 varieties of orchids. One Is locally called the 'Holy Cross' - I remember a flower I had seen on one such plant at the place I bought it (about 1200kms from where I live) - What could be the real name so that I can learn more about it? One is the more commonly occurring Dendrobium? What's the best fertilizer to give it and can it grow from cuttings? One is called 'Obsenium or Obsenia' or something like that. Has a very thin stalk and very thin leaves (about 5-6cms long and 2 cm broad leaves). What kind of nutrition will be required and what's the real name? Lastly, I have an orchid that looks absolutely flat with each leaf growing adjacent to the next in triangles, making each plant look like a flat semicircle with triangular ended leaves. What could this orchid be? Nobody around here has any clue about Orchids and the seller did not give me any name too. Waiting for a reply with a lot of expectations. |
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Francis Jose - Bombay, India |
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Answer |
| It's hard to tell what orchid you have unless you have a picture of the flower. Your best bet is to take it to a local nusery or botanical garden & let them identify it. As far as fertilizers go, we use a product called Peters 20-20-20 soluable fertilizer and fertilize our orchids once every month in the winter when the orchids don't grow very much and twice a month in the summer. |
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David Schaffter |
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Answer |
| Hi Francis. Okay, let's tackle this question one orchid at a time. 1) It is very difficult to identify the first orchid you mention. I have never heard of a Holy Cross Orchid. I did a search on Google, but came up empty. My suggestion is to take it to a local nursery or orchid club. If you cannot do that, take a picture of it and e-mail it to me. By the way, it is better if you can get a picture of the flower. 2) For culture tips on Dendrobiums, consult our Orchid Culture section. There you will find an article by the EEOS and a culture sheet from the American Orchid Society (AOS). However, as David told you, it is best to use a balanced fertilizer (20-20-20) and feed your orchids a weak solution every week or every couple of weeks. 3) There is no "Obsenium" or "Obsenia" genus, but those names sound suspiciously like Oncidium to me. Take a look at our Orchid Culture section and you will find both an article on Oncidiums (EEOS) and an AOS Oncidium Culture Sheet. 4) Lastly, the same thing applies to this orchid. I cannot tell you what you have from your description. Try to take it to a local nursery or orchid club or e-mail me a picture of it. Good luck. |
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Fred Armando |
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(Posted on February 20, 2004) |
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Question |
| This is my first orchid. I would like to identify it so that I care for it properly.The tag that cam with it says Brs. Eternal Wind Summer Dream SQ/JOGA? I have had it for almost a month. I live in an apartment so I supplement with a grow light for my plants. Most have been happy. In the past week this orchid lost 4 blooms but at the same time it is also blossoming new ones. But that is it, there are no new growths. I water it once a week by soaking it for 10 minutes. Is that enough or too much? The leaves look fine not light not red. Do all of the dying blooms sound familiar? Can you give me any advice as to how to save it. Thanks so much. |
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Rae |
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Answer |
| Rae, your watering method for your orchid sounds a little severe and could lead to rot, of course it all depends on your humidity conditions and drainage of the potting medium. As a rule, the plant is receiving enough water if the pseudobulbs are staying plump. This is how your plant stores its water. The blooms do not last too long, so it shouldn't be a concern if they fall off. One thing to realize, most orchid problems start in the roots. Thanks for the question and for visiting the EEOS web site. |
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Bob Stipe |
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| Your orchid is a Brassia hybrid that falls under the class of Oncidiums. Look at our Orchid Culture section under Oncidiums (both in the Articles by the EEOS and the AOS Culture Sheets ). You can water it twice a week, but make sure the roots don't stay too wet - they should dry slightly before watering again. Sometimes these orchids will drop their blooms if they meet an unexpected stress, such as sudden drop/rise in temperature, too long of a dry period, or too little/much sunlight. |
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David Schaffter |
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(Posted on July 31, 2003) |
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Question |
| I am complely new to orchids. I received this as a gift. The white tag says Zyg. Everspring Holanda Van Daalen TP 1302. It is a dark almost purple with five star like points and has a beautiful layered colored center. Please help. I am unable to find phoyo to I.D. it. Have a great lucky and healthy friendship filled life. |
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Gregory - Reno, NV - USA |
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Answer |
| You have a hybrid Zygopetalum that is made up of several species of Zygopetalum. Your hybrid might be relatively new, so no pictures might be avaliable. Check out a local orchid society and with their library, they might be able to show you some pictures of the parents of your plant. Some of the species involved are Z. gautieri, Z. mackayi, Z. crinitum, Z. intermenium, Z. maxillare, and Z. graminifolium. You also might be able to look up some of these plants on the Internet. These are beautiful orchids, unfortunately they have a tough time in S. Florida since they prefer cooler weather. |
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David Schaffter |
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(Posted on April 27, 2003) |
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Question |
| I have a purple orchid. It is a common one you can buy on the street here in Mexico. How do I get it to grow? I have tried before without any luck. Thank you. |
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Nanette - Jalisco, Mexico |
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Answer |
| Nanette - It's hard to tell what type of orchid you have, as there are many different types of orchids. First, take your orchid to a nursery or someone who is familiar with orchids. In the meantime, give the orchid partial sunlight (not full sun) and water in the morning two to three times a week. Do this until you can determine what type of orchid you have, then go to our Orchid Culture section and check out the articles for that specific genus. |
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David Schaffter |
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| Nanette, there are over 1100 different species of orchids and there are purple ones in most all of them. It would be impossible to give advice on your orchid without knowing the name or at least seeing a picture of it. You might want to take a look at our Orchid Culture section or search the Internet for orchid pictures to help identify it. Thanks for your question and for visiting the EEOS web site. |
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Bob Stipe |
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| Dear Nanette: I recommend taking a look at the AOS Culture Sheets we have posted in the Orchid Culture section of this web site. They have line drawings of the most common types of orchids and you may be able to find something similar to what you have. After identifying the genus, you can then consult the articles we have on it and learn how to take care of your orchid. Good luck. |
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Fred Armando |
| I'm trying to identify my orchid plant... it had one thick (1-1 1/4 in diameter, 12-14 in tall) shoot when it was given to me as a gift last february. It has now sprouted an equally thick and tall 2nd shoot. The original shoot has since lost all leaves (were about 8, 4-5 inch leaves, about 1 1/2 across), but is has now sprouted two bud shoots with about 3 buds each. the second shoot has all it's leaves, but has yet to bloom. The stalks have the effect of bamboo shoots with a distinct ridge every inch or so. I know i need to repot, but since I don't know what kind it is, I don't know what to buy or care for it. I live in michigan which is very hot and humid in the summer and very cold and dry in the winter. Do you have any idea what kind it is and how I might need to care for it? I've searched the internet but there is so much information and the pictures usually only show the flowers (which i've yet to see what they look like, but they look as though they might be a dark pink or light purple when they open). Thanks for your help. |
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Margaret - MI, USA |
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Answer |
| Sounds like a Dendrobium, but without a picture, it's hard to tell. The best bet is to have someone that knows about orchids look at it. They should be able to tell you. In the meantime, keep it warm (50 to 85 degrees) and water sparingly until it's identified. |
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David Schaffter |
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Answer |
| Hi Margaret. I agree with Dave, it sounds like a Dendrobium. Dendrobiums are sympodial orchids and have growth along a rhizome, with new pseudobulbs coming out of the base of the previous pseudobulb. What you call the "shoots" are the pseudobulbs, by the way. Anyway, if I were you I would try to identify it for sure before anything else. Take a look at our Orchid Culture section. We have two articles on Dendrobium: one by David Schaffter (click here) and one by the American Orchid Society (click here). The AOS Culture sheet actually has a line drawing of the plant itself, which might help you identify it. David's article has more cultural information to help you if indeed it is a dendrobium. As a last resort, you can e-mail me a picture of the plant and I will try to help you identify it. |
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Fred Armando |
| Please tell me the name of the yellow/red cattleya that appears off and on at the top of this page. I have looked in the Member's Orchids and do not find this flower pictured. Thank you. |
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Maria Wood - Homestead, FL - USA |
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Answer |
| There are a few cattleyas it could be. It looks like some of H & R crosses, such as Slc. Barefoot Mailman or Pot. Little Toshie. If you have an H & R catalog, vheck it out & see. There is also a Ctna. Why Not that you might be looking for. It's red with yellow towards the center of the flower. |
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David Schaffter |
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Answer |
| I assume you are referring to the pictures in the slide show at the top of the EEOS web site. There is a yellow/red cattleya in the small slide show. I took almost all of those photographs, and if I'm not mistaken, the one you're talking about was taken during the EEOS show of 2001. I will look in my CDs and send you the picture by e-mail. [Webmaster's Note: this question refers to the old design of the EEOS web site. The picture Maria asked about is no longer shown in this web site.] |
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Fred Armando |
| I am having trouble identifying / finding care instruction for my latest raffle prizes. One is tagged Aerv. Kinnarree "Redland Gold", the other C. Facelis X C. guttata X L. tenebrossa. Can you help identify what they are and how I care for the two? I am a fairly novice orchidist. I'd also like to ask your recommendation on purchasing the best orchids at the best price in the Dade/Broward areas. |
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Al - Miami, FL - USA |
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Answer |
| The first orchid is a cross between an Aerides and a Vanda [Webmaster's Note: The genus is called Aeridovanda]. It likes high, filtered light (patio screen) and water every other day until it cools off and then cut back on the watering. The other cross is a cattleya hybrid which needs medium light, but only water twice a week. Fertilize both plants twice a month with Peters or a similar water soluable fertilizer until it turns cool, then cut back to once a month. Check out our Orchid Culture section for more detailed culture instructions on Vandas and Cattleyas. A good place to check out on a nice selection of orchids and get resonable prices is at an orchid show. Several vendors are brought together, so the variety is high and prices are kept low. In fact, there is an upcomming EEOS orchid show at RF Orchids where some well-known vendors will be selling a wide variety of plants. You also get expert advice from the growers. The show is Oct. 18, 19, & 20. Look at this website for details in the Events section. |
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David Schaffter |
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