Mid April 2015. So after much anticipation over the NoID maxi, it finally flowered and it turns out to be a Tenufloria as well! I find this totally intriguing as it has a completely different growing habit to the other one, has had very similar treatment and conditions and yet it has only now decided to bloom!
It has a much denser arrangement of the PBs - so dense that there is barely any space for the flowers...
The other Tenufloria, on the other hand, has much "looser" growth, with almost stem-like projections... It has a profusion of buds emerging now!
One things for sure, when all those buds open, the flat is going to have a strong smell of coconut!!
Early April 2015. Some months back, took down the NoID maxi from hanging basket and put it back in a less ventilated pot, moved it to a more shady location and it finally seems to be producing some buds! Doesn't look like it has much space to bloom though...
Four buds appearing on one pseudobulb!
Late August 2014. NoID Maxillaria. The change in location and potting was not very successful. While the plant continues to produce new growth, I did have to cut off some yellowing leaves and it doesn't look as happy as it was before. I may need to reconsider whether it should return to a pot rather than the basket.
As for the Maxillaria Tenuifolia, the pseudobulbs have shrunken considerably! This happened last summer as well and I am always very perturbed by it. However it seems to continue to produce new shoots and given that it recovered last year, I'm hoping that it will return to fullness when the weather cools.
May 2014. NoID Maxillaria. After consulting with members on the Orchidtalk forum, have decided to repot the unknown Maxi and hope that it will be happier and produce some flowers. Have hung it up in a slatted basket where it will hopefully get more airing and light...
26 April 2014. Maxillaria Tenuifolia. Lots of flowers now emerging and although they are not completely open, you get wafts of that amazingly distinctive coconut aroma whenever you are near the plant. I've had to bring the plant indoors because I'm worried that insects might be attracted to the scent and apparently if the flowers get pollinated, the whole plant dies!
20 April 2014. More buds are finally developing!
Early April 2014. Sadly, that flower bud did not open properly - it seemed to dry out - perhaps due to the cold windy weather we had in March.
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| Half opened and shrivelled flower :( |
However, I am hopefully that there are new flower buds beginning to emerge - it's hard to distinguish the flower buds from the new pseudobulbs forming but I think the following photos are buds... Time will tell!
In the meantime, the unknown Maxilaria is producing lots of new shoots or pseudobulbs but still hasn't produced any flowers!
March 2014.
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| March 2014 - Maxillaria Tenuifolia many new bulbs but no flowers :( |
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| March 2014 - "the unknown one" has also grown significantly but with no flowers |
After going away for the weekend, I was amazed to find the Coconut orchid had sprouted a flower!
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| Maxillaria Tenuifolia flower just opening (March 2014) |
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| This is the original one I bought at the Flower Show in March 2012 |
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| This is it in June 2013 - has grown significantly bushier but no flowers so far :( |
There is however a difference between the known Maxillaria and the unknown one - the Coconut orchid seems to have "branches" which separate the pseudobulbs whereas the unknown one does not, the pseudobulbs seem to just grown on top of each other... sadly, it hasn't flowered so far so I'm only working on the basis of what the leaves look like.
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| Coconut Orchid in May 2013 with lovely coconuty smelling flowers |
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| Shrivelled pseudobulbs |
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