My first Cycnoches

[jenn]

Sorry about the picture quality, but I am so happy to have this blooming (even if it is a female flower)

[Diane]

That is a very interesting flower. But it would look better (to my sense of asthetics) upside down. Maybe you could repot it into one of those hanging upside down planters that they grow tomatos in - - LOL

[mde]

Interesting...I haven't ever seen one of this genus. I really like it. How are you growing it? Does it have a rest period and is it deciduous or evergreen?

Matt

[Diane]

(even if it is a female flower)

What does the male flower look like?

[jenn]

That's funny Diane, I hadn't thought of that before, but I see what you mean LOL. I have no personal photos of the male flowers, this is my first blooming one, but I could pm you a great website to view.

Matt, I also really like these. They are deciduous and start loosing their leaves in the fall before their rest period through winter. To have one bloom now is pretty late in the season, but one of my Phal violacea is about to bloom now too, so go figure. They have male and female flowers (depending on temp and light I think) the male flowers being the more sought after blooms. As the plant matures they produce more and more flowers, I have seen some with over 20 blooms, which is quite a show! In the spring, when they "wake up" they grow like crazy and need lots of water and fert. I was thinking of putting mine into S/H then but I don't know.

[Jmoney]

nice color contrast on that one! is this the one that shoots the pollen across the room?

[jenn]

Thanks.
I have not had this plant for long yet, I don't know. That habit had not been described in what I have read about them. If the flowers do, they will be having a war with my Euphorbia leuconeura across the windowsill from it; that Euphorbia LOUDLY shoots seeds all over the room!

[auntymo]

i may be wrong, but i think for cycnoches the male and female flowers look very similar, you just get more if they are male?

for some of the other catasetums there is a huge difference between the two different sexed flowers.

--mo--

[Diane]

Jenn emailed me the web site and I went and had a look. The male flowers are smaller, and often of a different color. Some examples were male flower burgundy or red, female flowers green/white. Very interesting stuff. oh - the male flowers also had a very small uhhhh - lip??

[jenn]

LOL Diane, too funny! Did you also notice the rather large and long reach on the stamen of the male flowers?
The male flowers are much more flamboyant on this type, from what I have seen online.