I
received this Coelogyne cristata as a gift from Windswept in Time Orchids in
the spring of 2014. I was looking for another Coelogyne, but Edgar did not have
it. However, he did have a Coelogyne cristata in need of some love and care. So
I gladly took it home and repotted it. Over the summer, I watered it heavily
and watched the pseudobulbs plump up.
Considering its condition and
the finicky nature of recently repotted Coelogynes, I was very surprised
to see the spike emerging last fall. It is finally blooming and, I love, love
the flowers. They are about 3 inches wide, pure white petal with
yellow-orange throat. Many Coelogyne cristata are fragrant. However, mine is
not. Still I am looking forward to next year's blooming already.
Coelogyne cristata is considered a cool growing
species found throughout Southeast Asia, Southwest China, India, and several
Pacific islands. This species grows in areas with clearly defined wet and dry
season. Under cultivation this translates to frequent watering for four to six
months in warm weather. I placed my Coelogyne in a shallow dish during the
summer so that water was always available. This method worked best for
me.
I am thrilled about this bloom. The satin and velvet textures of the flower petals in combination of the pink hues whisper romance. Ok so maybe that is just in my head. But you can see where I am coming from right? Right?? Although, I showed the picture below to my mom, and her response was, "That looks like that bug. You know the one." I eventually figured out which one she was talking about but it does not support my romance statement. So that is enough discussion on the buggy appearance. My mom feels the droopy flower assist in the bug like appearance. I, on the other hand, think it adds to the mystic and romance. Mystic and romance are my final answers.
It has not been in my collection long so I can not take much credit for the bloom. But here is what I know about the plant and how I have been growing it for the last month. This species comes from Thailand, Malaysia, and Sumatra. It is an intermediate to cool grower. It is found at elevations between 2300 - 6300 feet, which is quite a range. So I think it has some temperature tolerance, but prefers the cooler end of the spectrum. Mine is growing in intermediate temperature. I will report back on how that works out for me in the long run. It requires moisture year round and will quickly shrivel when moisture needs are not met. As for the lighting, I have it in a West window for the time.
It blooms sequentially. Therefore as it matures it can put on a long show. Some growers say it well eventually bloom the majority of the year. The bronze leaves are another nice feature of this plant. Young leaves have a bronze appearance when they first start out. This adds a nice contrast to the mature green leaves. When spring comes and it is time to repot, I am going to place it in a hanging basket to better enjoy the display.
If Lewis Carroll created an orchid character in Alice In Wonderland, it would be a P. fairieanum. The flower's appearance is 50% regal and 50% trippy. It is this appearance that attracts even those odd people who dislike Paphiopedilum. This plant is among my favorites because it boast such a huge personality. Thankfully it passes many of its uniquenesses on to its offspring. So there are many opportunities to enjoy a very nice variety of fairieanum remixes.
Paphiopedilum fairieanum is a small growing plant with bright green, strap like leaves. It hails from the Himalayas and Bhutan where is grows in leaf litter and humus. This plant can often be found growing on limestone outcrops, which is why it is considers a calcareous paphiopedilum. Many grower advise adding oyster shells or some from of limestone. I very lightly supplement the growing medium with dolimitic lime about every three months. It requires intermediate to cool growing conditions. I have heard some people grow it warm but mine started to wilt a bit when temps went over 85 in the summer. To counteract to warm temperature, I put it in a shady spot over the summer. This allowed it could enjoy its summer vacation. This seemed to really help it deal with the heat. In the winter, I keep the temps between 75 and 60. My fairieanum appears to do very well with this arrangement. It is about 10 inches under a 125W CFL grow light. So far so good with this one.
It has a reputation for being finicky and failing to thrive, especially when it is young. Right now I have two growths, but I will feel better about its stability if it makes it to four growths. It is a bit of a diva. This bloom definitely took its time appearing. I think is took about 3 months for it to fully open. That feels pretty diva like to me. I will do my best to keep it happy and hope it does not have a melt down.
