 |
|
Slipper Orchid seedlings in
2.5"
pots
are several years from
flowering.
Buying
young plants is a
cheap
way to build an orchid
collection
|
|
What is the
difference between seedlings
and
mericlones?
You may sometimes see orchids
referred to as a 'seedling' or
'seedling cross'
irrespective of size.
What this means that the plant
being sold is the progeny of a
cross made using two different
parents, or simply one
parent(selfing). Often
there will be some variation
between different seedlings
(just as there are among
siblings with the same
parents). This can be exciting
as you will be the first to see
the flower, if you buy an
unbloomed seedling!
Good
vendors will often
describe the range of
possible outcomes or show
photos of some of the
plants they have bloomed
out. Some crosses yield
consistently high quality
crosses while others are
experimental so be sure
to ask. Your other option
is to buy mericlones.
These are tissue cultured
plants of specific
plants, that are
identical to the plant
mericloned. Usually only
high quality orchids are
tissues-cultured or
mericloned because they
have superior flowers
and/or grow and bloom
well.
Potinara Hoku Gem
'Superspots' is an example
of a mericloned cattleya.
All clones of Potinara Hoku Gem
(cross), that have the cultivar
name 'Super Spots', no matter
where you buy them will
be identical to this one.
Mericlones are a great way to
build a quality collection of
superior
orchids.
|
|
WHY
BUY ORCHIDS ONLINE?
The simple
answer is that the selection of
orchids available increases tenfold! Your
local garden center or orchid grower (if
you're lucky to have one driving
distance) may only carry a limited
selection of orchids. When you buy
orchids online, the sky's the limit.
You'll have access to growers across the
country. You'll also be able to find
plants in bud and have them shipped when
you need immediate gratification. The
main disadvantage, of course, is that
you're unable to see and choose the
plants for yourself. However, if you read
our tips below, you'll be well equipped
to start buying beautiful orchids
online.
WHAT YOU NEED TO
KNOW
1.
How big are the plants?
There are three main criteria for plant size.
These are A) how close the plant is to
blooming, B) the pot size and C) the actual
plant size. Vendors may use one or more of
these systems:
A. Plant Size- the
main categories are seedling (S), near
blooming size (NBS), blooming size (BS)
and previously bloomed (PB). As a general
rule BS plants are within a year or so
from blooming, NBS plants are 12-18
months from blooming, and seedlings are
2-3 years from blooming. The closer
plants are to BS, the bigger they are and
the more they cost. Some vendors may have
different criteria for each of these
sizes so be sure to check. Also, these
are general guides and much depends on
your green thumb.
B. Pot Size- this
can be helpful once you know more about
different types of orchids. For example,
many mottled -leaf paphs will bloom in a
2.5 to 3" pot so in this case, plant size
may be more useful. For slippers this is
usually given as the length of the two
longest leaves so even an 8" seedling
could be quite small.
A compact cattleya will usually be BS in a 4"
pot whereas a standard cattleya may only be NBS
in the same pot size. If only pot size is
indicated, ask the vendor how far the plants
are from blooming. Not that some orchids are
grown 'mounted'. This means they are on pieces
of cork bark or wood, growing epiphytically as
the do in nature. Mounted orchids are generally
not suitable for windowsill culture.
C. Plant size/leaf
span-you often see this with more expensive
slipper orchids where the leaf span (length of
two longest leaves) is provided rather than pot
size. If the plant is a division of another
plant, the description may tell you the number
of growths/fan or number of bulbs depending on
the orchids.
Lc Newberry
Pixie 'Cherokee' is a compact cattleya
orchid that can grow on a sunny
windowsill.
Go to Part
II of this article
|
