Definitely not a Paph: Aeranthes grandiflora

[prem]

This has to be one of the most wickedly cool looking orchids that I grow. Flowers are reasonably strongly scented of butterscotch/buttered popcorn at night. They bloom sequentially on very thin, wiry spikes sheathed in dark brown sheathing. This renders the spikes virtually invisible from any distance. Mature plants can have dozens of spikes, giving the appearance of a flock of green ghostly goblins bobbing about in thin air. Mine is a rather young plant with only two extant spikes:



and a near profile shot:



Enjoy!

---Prem

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Prem-- How very unusual! It sorta reminds me of an Angraecum and a Masda at the same time.

You said it is fragrant at night? That is also cool. We have a cactus (I know it is not an Orchid, but I love all unusual plants ) here in the greenhouse that blooms only at night. The blooms are about as big as my hand and open just at dark and close with the morning sun.

How long do the blooms last on this Aeranthes? The flower looks thick; I would guess it last a long time once it opens.

Thanks for posting this bloom. I don't think I have ever seen one like it before. (Another for my list!)

Cheers!
Brutal_Dreamer

[LJA]

That's wild. I've been just sitting here, staring at it.

I wonder if this is one that might be able to answer amaximia's Challenge in the breeding section--if, like Brutal was saying, it could be crossed with an Angraecum.

[prem]

Dreamer,
the flower lasted about two weeks last time, but it might be my cultural regime that shortened its lifespan.

LJA,
Aeranthes is related to Angraecum and has been bred (nothogenus: Angranthes). I know Hoosier Orchids has offered some of these hybrids in the past.

---Prem

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Thanks Prem! I appreciate the information. I thought it really looked similar to an Angraecum! We have a huge Angr that when it blooms, it is outstanding.

Thanks for the introduction to Angranthes!

Cheers!
Brutal_Dreamer

[LJA]

What part of the world is Aeranthes native to?

(Actually, if anyone knows of an online source for a relatively comprehensive listing of native orchids worldwide, if you could post a link, I'd be very grateful...)

[prem]

Louis,
one can often do a Google search to get info on orchids. www.orchidspecies.com has a lot of information, including native range, of many species orchids.

A quote from orchidspecies.com:

"A small to medium sized, hot growing epiphyte from Madagascar at altitudes up to 1200 meters in humid rainforests from the coast to the central plateua, with a very short stem and 5 to 7 distichous, narrowly oblong, coriaceous, unequally bilobed apically, broad leaves and has bizarre flowers that emerge in the late spring through summer from and axillary, 4" to 4' [10 to 120 cm] long, pendant spikes with sheaths covering the peduncle, and have 1 to 2, large, fragrant, long-lasting flowers at the apex. Never cut them off as they keep reblooming even if it seems dead.

"Synonyms Aeranthes brachycentron Regel 1891; Angraecum grandiflorum hort. 1895"

[LJA]

Excellent. Thank you!

[prem]

woo-hoo! two buds forming on two separate spikes! The second bud has pretty much caught up in size with the first. Too bad the longest spike (nearly 18 inches long) had blasted, or I could've really had the "goblin effect" going. One time, a society member brought a large plant of this species in bloom...it had about 8 or 9 (or more) flowers, all bobbing up and down on their wiry spikes...it was truly bizarre-looking!

---Prem