Bullara Redland Sunset

[Sheryl]

Well, finally after a four or five year wait, this pretty orchid bloomed for me. Only 2 flowers as another bud is right behind this flower. I've had it in a pot suggested probably too big for the plant so maybe the reason for long wait.

[Chris in Hamilton]

Fantastic colour Sheryl! You get today's patience award! Congrats!!

[zainal abidin]

Stunning Sheryl very beautiful color I cant imagine if the other bud open together ........good job.

[JDT]

That is beautiful Sheryl, well worth the wait, hopefully it will bloom more often for you!

[ksriramkumar]

Looks awesome Sheryl

[raybark]

Interesting observation about the pot size, Sheryl.

You know me, I like to know the "why" behind the various aspects of orchid culture, and being "pot bound" is one I've had trouble wrapping my mind around, when you consider that their roots, in the wild, and never "bound."

About the only thing I can think of is mechanical stability, and the plant somehow "feeling more comfortable " once it has grown enough roots to anchor itself well in the pot or on the mount.

[PaphMadMan]

Interesting observation about the pot size, Sheryl.

You know me, I like to know the "why" behind the various aspects of orchid culture, and being "pot bound" is one I've had trouble wrapping my mind around, when you consider that their roots, in the wild, and never "bound."

About the only thing I can think of is mechanical stability, and the plant somehow "feeling more comfortable " once it has grown enough roots to anchor itself well in the pot or on the mount.

Speculating on the pot bound issue... While a wild plant is gaining significantly more resources as its root system expands it makes sense to continue expansion and stay in a vegetative growth phase to max out resource potential. When it reaches a point where it either becomes restricted or there are simply diminishing returns relative to further expansion, it makes sense to switch over to reproductive growth and produce flowers instead of just leaves and roots. For a potted plant, once there are enough roots in the pot that growing more roots no longer gains significantly more nutrients, it hits the switch. For either plant this would be assuming that it attained an appropriate size and maturity before resource limitations kicked in.

[sciencegal]

Speculating on the pot bound issue... While a wild plant is gaining significantly more resources as its root system expands it makes sense to continue expansion and stay in a vegetative growth phase to max out resource potential. When it reaches a point where it either becomes restricted or there are simply diminishing returns relative to further expansion, it makes sense to switch over to reproductive growth and produce flowers instead of just leaves and roots. For a potted plant, once there are enough roots in the pot that growing more roots no longer gains significantly more nutrients, it hits the switch. For either plant this would be assuming that it attained an appropriate size and maturity before resource limitations kicked in.

That makes the most sense to me.

[sciencegal]

In water culture orchids are thriving and blooming when their roots are not attached to anything. I have noticed that they tend to stick to each other and grow much fatter than when grown in media.

[78Terp]

Love the color combination!