ColinFraser
Masterpiece
If there's one thing I've learned in my lifetime with orchids, it's that there is no such thing as "THE" way to do anything. This is for two reasons.
First, If someone posted here "how do I get my tree to grow?", everyone would want to know what kind of tree at the very least, and probably also its size, what its potted in, etc . . . not to mention the environmental conditions. Take the variety of trees used in bonsai and multiply that by a thousand! Orchids are the largest and most diverse group of flowering plants on earth with nearly 30,000 species! That's more than double the number of different species of birds on the planet! Add to that the more than 100,000 registered hybrids and cultivars and you can see why orchid people might bristle at the question of how to take care of simply "an orchid" . . .
Second, just like with bonsai, there are as many ways to do things as people doing them, and the right thing varies with species, climate, effort, etc.
Finally, I'll point out that Trader Joes Phaleonopsis and Box Store Oncidiums are the "mallsai" of the orchid world
Sure, they may bring some people into the hobby, but the well informed tend to roll their eyes knowing that those houseplants are not representative of the truly amazing things that dedicated hobbyists are growing - just like with bonsai!
First, If someone posted here "how do I get my tree to grow?", everyone would want to know what kind of tree at the very least, and probably also its size, what its potted in, etc . . . not to mention the environmental conditions. Take the variety of trees used in bonsai and multiply that by a thousand! Orchids are the largest and most diverse group of flowering plants on earth with nearly 30,000 species! That's more than double the number of different species of birds on the planet! Add to that the more than 100,000 registered hybrids and cultivars and you can see why orchid people might bristle at the question of how to take care of simply "an orchid" . . .
Second, just like with bonsai, there are as many ways to do things as people doing them, and the right thing varies with species, climate, effort, etc.
Finally, I'll point out that Trader Joes Phaleonopsis and Box Store Oncidiums are the "mallsai" of the orchid world
Sure, they may bring some people into the hobby, but the well informed tend to roll their eyes knowing that those houseplants are not representative of the truly amazing things that dedicated hobbyists are growing - just like with bonsai!
