Orchid Culture - Questions & Answers from This Month
by Sue Bottom, from the St. Augustine Orchid Society Newsletter. Email us with any orchid question. If we can't answer it, we'll find someone who can! Send photographs too!
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Flower Coming Out of Seed Pod
Q. I know seed pods are usually useless but this one has a flower coming out of it. I’m puzzled about it.A. Actually the flower isn't coming out of the seed pod, the seed pod is coming out of the flower. The ovary is the part of the flower right behind the petals and sepals. After the pollen is placed on the stigma, the pollen tubes grow and the ovary swells into a seed capsule. (Oct-26)
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Is This Squirrel Damage?
Q. In a moment of inattention I’ve been attacked. What are your thoughts on this damage.A. It's either squirrels or rats most likely. I don't think much else could take a bite out of that Schomburgkia like that. I have rat traps scattered around, you can buy the bait stations at Lowe's or Home Depot and put the rat poison inside so cats and dogs can't get into it. (Oct-26)
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Psychopsis Sprouting New Flower
Q. My older Psychopsis blooms have a second bud coming out of the stem. Is this common when the initial bloom has had so many sequential blooms it’s about to give out?
A. It looks fine, it is a blooming fool! Actually, if you gently peel down one of the bracts on the flower stem, you can often get the flower stem to branch and sprout another flower.
(Oct-26)