grammatophyllum speciosum

[chefsusymassetti]

I'm quite new at this so be patient with me. it took me few days to find what this orchid was and when I finally came across the genus I was surprised to see that it is considered the largest orchid in nature. I actually "adopted" it from my regular garden/nursery because, although quite in a bad shape, it looked very interesting and in need of help. They had no idea what it was nor could remember what the flowers looked like, quite normal in my neck of the woods unfortunately. It is much much happier from the day I brought it home and a lot of new aerial roots are shooting up as well as few new shoots. I've done a bunch of research and found out that does like to be wet or wetter than other species and that it might take a lot of time to bloom, even few years but I wonder if anyone out there has one and can give me some growing recommendations?
and lastly I'm attaching photos of my starclass dendrobioum, does anyone recognize the type please or the correct name?

[catttan]

Hello from Malaysia. The Grammatophyllum speciosum is a native of my country, where it is hot and wet the whole year round; temperatures between 30 and 40C and rain about 100 inches a year. The Grammotophyllum speciosum is known as the Tiger Orchid here as the blooms are yellow with dark brown bars like the markings of a tiger. In cultivation they bloom at a height of 5-6 feet with with thick flower stalk from 4 - 10 feet tall bearing between 30 t0 50 5-inch flowers. They can be grown in full sun but blooming is very sporadic. I gave mine away because it never bloomed in the 10 years I had it.

The dendrobium is a nobile type but I'm afraid I can't give you the specific name of the one you have.

[Chris in Hamilton]

Welcome from Ontario, Canada Susy! Missed your introduction post yesterday

[JDT]

Yew Sung was correct about the Grammatophyllum, one thing they have changed the name on these to Grammatophyllum multiflorum var multiflorum, why is beyond my knowledge. I have had mine since 2014 and at that time it was in a 6 inch pot, it is now in a 12 inch Vanda basket and has grown quite a bit, it now is starting to overgrow the basket with roots. It has not ever bloomed for me it has been out in direct sunlight for several years and in the last month I put a misting head pointed right at the center of the basket, I don't know if it is from the water or what but I now have 11 spikes growing. It also likes fertilizer a lot! Good luck with yours and will look forward to your first pictures.

[Dorsetman]

I have only seen this in flower once, in the plant market in Chiang Mai, many years ago. - sounds as though it was a small one - ha-ha - only about 5 ft high, and flowers only 4 inch across. Even a lunatic like me would not try to grow that in UK, although I do have a couple of relatives which are much smaller and might possibly flower before I end up in a wooden box...
But I will love to see yours when it flowers. Please do post - as if you wouldn't !

[JDT]

I have only seen this in flower once, in the plant market in Chiang Mai, many years ago. - sounds as though it was a small one - ha-ha - only about 5 ft high, and flowers only 4 inch across. Even a lunatic like me would not try to grow that in UK, although I do have a couple of relatives which are much smaller and might possibly flower before I end up in a wooden box...
But I will love to see yours when it flowers. Please do post - as if you wouldn't !

Surly plan on posting, I just wish all 11 spikes would bloom at the same time but that is not going to happen so there will probably be several pictures posted along the way, I am looking forward to the blooms!

[Sheryl]

Welcome from Florida Susy! And wow Jack!! How exciting!!! I can't wait to see the blooms!

[catttan]

I was referring to the Grammatophyllum speciosum which can grow to a height of 10 to 12 feet. In April 1972, when I was a much younger man. on a 12-day fishing trip to the interior of Peninsular Malaysia (Ulu Trengganu) I saw a huge clump of Gram speciosum, some of the canes measuring to 12 feet. Nearer home, in our local forest reserve, there used to be some specimens measuring up to 6 feet ( alas... no more to be seen, at least in the more accessible locations). JDT's Gram multiflorum is from the Philippines and is much easier to bloom, 2-3 times a year here, and by comparison is a dwarf, with pseudobulbs to 8 inches. Looking forward to seeing pictures of JDT's Gram multiflorum in its full blooming glory!

[Yug]

First of all, that Gram multiflorum is a totally different gram. and will not get any where near as large as the g. speciosum. First think I would do would be to give it a larger pot. I've seen some monster sized ones that get some sun and some partial shade. All but one were in very large pots with a mostly bark mix that would retain some moisture, but not stay too damp. The largest one I saw was grown in a tree stump that had been partially hollowed out.

[chefsusymassetti]

mine looks very different form this , I don't believe is the same. must be a different varietal?