Bloom Event - Epidendrum Plastic Doll

If ever there was a prize for a flower looking (and feeling) like it was made of plastic its this one. Epidendrum Plastic Doll is a primary hybrid between Epidendrum pseudepidendrum and Epidendrum ilense. Epidendrum pseudepidendrum is extrememly dominant in its hybrids, even after a few generations, so it comes as no surprise that Plastic Doll looks extremely like E. pseudepidendrum. I'm not sure E. ilense gets a credit in there at all, other than maybe providing some hybrid vigour. I've never grown either of the species before so I don't know how vigorous either of them are. At any rate, that's enough preamble. Heres a gratuitous photo of the flower.

I had a really difficult time geting a photo of this flower that looks anything like real life. Partly because the flowers are so....well......shiny. There is a really gloss finish to the lip which makes it almost impossible to take a photo without getting all sorts of unwanted reflections, especially if, like me, you are not the worlds best photographer and trying to take a halfway decent photo with your phone camera. The flowers are an inch or two in length, so a decent size. No scent on this one. Flowers seem to be produced in ones or twos (or threes, if you're very lucky) from the tops of the new canes. When the first few flowers go over, it might produce a few more. And so on. Then a node will activate on the flower stem and a few more flowers might be produced. I haven't mastered the art of persuading it to bloom from old flower spikes yet, but I'm almost certain that once the plant is older it probably will (many Epidendrum do).

It's a beautiful and unusual flower, I'm sure you'll agree. However, there is only the one flower. The plant itself is tall, lanky and only has a handful of leaves so its rather untidy. Most likely, a better grown plant will look more impressive.

Spider mite magnet alert!

Yes. Sadly, red spider mite seem to be able to smell this orchid from a hundred miles away. This is probably the reason the plant never keeps leaves for very long. Don't get me wrong - the plant seems to grow fine. It has put out a new growth in the past couple of weeks. Each pseudobulb, or cane, or whatever we're calling them, is significantly taller than the previous one, so I must be doing something right. I know, I know; spider mite is a sign of a lack of humidity. Well I have been making an effort to provide more water with a spraygun, and spraying with a soap solution to drown any critters. I guess we'll have to see how the new growth does. In the meantime, its an untidy plant that has very pretty flowers so for me, its a keeper.