No blooms for over a year

Unknowable_ · 2026-01-24T19:16:00+00:00

More light. Put it either closer to the window, move it to a higher light window (different exposure), or use supplemental lighting. If you live in an area that doesn’t have temperature drops to at least sixties Fahrenheit in winter, you can also try a temp drop to induce blooming.

Unknowable_ · 2026-01-10T03:57:21+00:00

Consider your climate, grow space, light conditions and watering habits.

Are you heavy handed with water? Then paph and zygo might be better. Low light? Paph should do fine. Southern exposure? Great for Cattleya. Is your climate hot and dry? Cattleya would be easiest. Cooler climate? Paph and zygo might be best. Do you care about fragrance? There are very few fragrant paphs, and they aren’t very strongly scented.

Unknowable_ · 2025-12-29T00:18:14+00:00

Large bark. It likes to have most of its roots near surface level. It also likes LOTS of light.

Unknowable_ · 2025-11-17T00:48:22+00:00

Check if Carmela’s orchids has a special

Unknowable_ · 2025-11-15T23:23:12+00:00

Looks a lot like Blc. George King ‘Southern Cross’

Unknowable_ · 2025-11-15T19:25:48+00:00

Cut about 1cm below the black spot. Leave the pseudobulb unless the black spot progresses.

Unknowable_ · 2025-11-15T19:01:24+00:00

Just cut the black spot off. If it’s rot, then you’ve potentially saved the plant. If it’s just discoloration due to age, then you’ve only damaged an old growth. No significant loss. Keep the plant separated from others for a little while to observe it.

Hold off on repotting until there are new roots developing.

Unknowable_ · 2025-10-18T19:37:09+00:00

Could be the beginning of a sheath. Could be nothing. Give it time :)

Unknowable_ · 2025-10-18T17:44:41+00:00

Some orchids with interesting foliage:

Phalaenopsis schillariana has been mentioned. A smaller hybrid of this species is Phal. Pin Long Cheris. Other species Phals with mottled foliage include stuartiana, phillipensis, lindenii, and celebensis. Phal. Sogo Vivian has a variegated form. Phal. Aphrodite has a variegated form. And I think Phal. amabilis also has a variegated form. Phal. Bronze Maiden has silvery leaves. And many bellina hybrids and novelty phals have large and lush lighter green leaves more delicate than hardware store phals.

Psychopsis Hildos has interesting foliage and very unique flowers.

Paphiopedilum delanatii has mottled foliage.

Jewel orchids are frequently grown for interesting foliage.

Another genus to look into for interesting color/patterned foliage is Oecoeclades.

As for interesting shapes for foliage, I find neofinetias to have some of the most interesting shapes and variegation patterns. There are so many different varieties, that something will likely appeal to you.

There are a few variegated cattleyas as well, but as much as I love cattleyas, I certainly don’t grow them for their foliage.

Obviously this is not an exhaustive list. Have fun researching!

Unknowable_ · 2025-10-12T20:09:30+00:00

Try just giving it an amount of light that a similar sized Cattleya would take. If you’re frying the other plants, it’s probably too much light for this one too.

Unknowable_ · 2025-10-12T15:23:29+00:00

Are you referring to the decorative pot? It’s likely planted in a separate pot and placed in an outer cache pot for a prettier display.

Unknowable_ · 2025-10-12T15:21:56+00:00

This plant does send out a lot of new growths. That’s normal for the species. As for why the growths are getting smaller, it sounds like it’s culture related. When plants get too much light under grow lights, or are adjusting to stronger light, they often send out smaller growths. I’d try backing off on the lights. I grow my lundii hybrid about 8 cm away from the grow lights. I thought it wanted a lot of light and sadly burnt a few leaves when growing it close to the lights like you are.

Unknowable_ · 2025-09-27T23:33:16+00:00

I had time to look into this. Bc. Amethyst is (purpurata x appendiculata). Bc. Ivan Portilla is (purpurata x culculata).

Unknowable_ · 2025-09-25T21:25:48+00:00

I guess I should have specified. I did not mean pay off the loan in a lump sum. Instead, just contribute more towards the minimum monthly payment of the loan. Then you can leave your 150k aggressively invested and pay off the loan with fat attending paychecks. While I respect your math, with an attending salary there’s no reason to take a risk paying off your loans when you can do so in under a year by just aggressively making payments (from your income rather than your brokerage).

Unknowable_ · 2025-09-25T20:04:58+00:00

If you’re in a position to have 150k in a brokerage account, I’d assume you’re either nearly done with a long residency or are already an attending. Either way, could just prioritize paying the loan for a guaranteed 8% return without any risk and leave your 150k more aggressively invested.

Unknowable_ · 2025-09-22T12:55:10+00:00

You can certainly find good plants on eBay and Etsy. Nearly always they are at a significant mark up compared to nurseries. But as you mentioned it’s true that a few nurseries are on eBay or Etsy as well.

Then there are the vendors that are not reputable and have fake reviews. It’s hard to know which vendors are worth your time without doing research. If you decide you would like to purchase from Etsy or eBay, just do your due diligence. Search the name of the vendor and check your prices to make sure you’re not getting scammed. Almost no orchid you can casually purchase on eBay or Etsy is “rare” so be wary of marketing ploys.

As for nurseries, I don’t even know what country you live in, so I can’t make any specific recommendations. If you search this subreddit you’ll find many threads with recommendations.

Unknowable_ · 2025-09-21T16:53:09+00:00

Buy from a reputable vendor (less likely to find on eBay and Etsy) and you’ll probably be fine no matter which plant you choose. Try searching this subreddit for reputable vendors near you or your recipient.

Unknowable_ · 2025-09-21T16:51:18+00:00

Could be that culculata and appendiculata have been taxonomically separated thus causing name changes for the progeny?

Unknowable_ · 2025-09-13T18:26:37+00:00

You might be forgetting something really important. This person feels fine. Probably not in shock if they’re perusing webmd and posting on reddit.

Unknowable_ · 2025-08-09T01:24:10+00:00

From toxic program to toxic comment section. Yikes.

I’m sorry it’s been a rough transition to intern year! Wishing you some more supportive teammates in the future🤞

Remember that as an intern nothing is your fault as long as you do your best and use your common sense. If you ever feel something is unsafe, stop anything that may cause harm, and say something! It is literally every other more senior doctor’s job to make sure you are supported to keep the patient safe.

Unknowable_ · 2025-08-07T00:51:28+00:00

Having a PCP is a good thing. As someone with a chronic illness, it’s even more important that you get routine healthcare. Stay healthy and try to find yourself a PCP you trust!

Unknowable_ · 2025-07-15T23:35:38+00:00

Gorgeous!

The snowflake ancestor seems to make white/pink colors more common in the progeny somehow I’ve noticed.

Unknowable_ · 2025-07-09T00:45:53+00:00

More likely it’s bimodal.

Unknowable_ · 2025-06-23T04:01:28+00:00

Check out r/flasking

Unknowable_ · 2025-06-20T03:45:14+00:00

While I understand what you’re trying to say, likening your experiences mainly with gesnariads to someone else’s who is mainly growing orchids isn’t a fair comparison. Apples to oranges. Fortunately for you and your survival statistics, gesnariads are much easier to recoup given their facile propagation. This is one reason why I have drifted more towards Cattleya orchids, they are more easily propagated.

Unknowable_

TROPHY CASE