Finally my Aerides crispa in bloom

[Halloamey]

''Orchids teach us patience'' this is what most of the experienced hobbyists say, this plant in particular has tested my patience. Aerides crispa (I had this plant even before I knew its scientific name, or anything about growing orchids for that matter). Growing in high altitude forests in the western ghats in India, this endemic plant is really beautiful with citrus scented long lasting flowers. I got this one as a small plant which I collected myself in Dec 2004. From then on it sat there doing nothing for a first couple of months, when I experimented with growing media every 3 days LOL, finally I got bored of seeing nothing happening and put it in clay pots with just pot shards and charcoal. Then a year later, they were at least growing. Then the greenhouse happened to me and them and then they took on like crazy growing about a foot every year, forming base keikis, but no flowers. Finally this year after making me wait for a good 7 years they are flowering.
One of the giant plants


Close up of the inflorescence


And another one of the saddle shaped lip

[nicki]

7 years! It's hard enough waiting 1 year with nada happening. I like how the flowers drape down the plant.

[extranjera]

That was a long lesson, but how satisfying it must feel to see such beautiful blooms!

[Cjcorner]

Congratulations on your patience, growing and beautiful reward! And what a beautiful show it is...I love the way the blooms hang as well.

[walingwaling]

congrats Amey, i cant wait even 7 seconds, lol.

[blrnut]

Beautiful!

[Halloamey]

Thanks everyone ! I would have also found it difficult to wait that long, I think it helps that for 3.5 years I was not there, and that some other orchids were blooming all the time distracting my attention from these guys. If I had like just 20 orchids and these ones not blooming for this long, I would have cracked LOL !

[lanhua]

Amey, I hope, I don't need to wait for 7 years. Thanks again.

[trevor05]

That is such a beautiful orchid, with stunning blooms, Amey. I think it's definitely worth the wait..

[Halloamey]

LOL Mietek, I hope not. I think they need a good winter to initiate spiking, this year we got a good winter, accompanied by a winter rest and they flowered.