Holds the flowers straight up, about 1/2 the height of the leaves.

Nick

Do you give your nitidum a dry winter?

Really nice! I'm going to have to look for that one!
Tucker

The second spike opened. Oops, it's got a brother from another mother! Jay Phal shows it with orange lip. My initial posting must be an alba variety. This spike came from what appears to be the same plant but when you unpot it, it's obvious there are 2 plants squashed together.

It's called spiking, putting 2 or 3 seedlings in the same pot in order to get a number of leaves that will allow it to go to market sooner. Works real well as long as you put in the same seedlings. Occasionally they mess up and here is an example.

Nick

I just noticed the question. No, I don't give it a dry winter. Dr Holger Perner says that many of the Chinese plants should get a dry cold winter then a very wet summer when they get their monsoons.

Here are the 2 plants.

Nick

Here is the alba in it's new pot.

Nick

And here are both of them. I'm not complaining although I don't like it when they do that. You sit there with what seems to be a large plant that won't bloom, when in reality you have 2 smaller plant that are not blooming size yet.

Nick

Hey Tucker. When I unpotted them, the one with the orange on the lip had a group of growths hanging there. Initially I thought there were 3 plants but then I could tell it was connected to the rest with the rhizome. Easy division though. If you want to trade for a piece of the orange-lip one, contact me.

Nick

Both are gorgeous. Thanks for thw cultural info.

I'd like to trade - you have so much more than I have that I'm not sure what I have to offer - I'll think about it, and if you have anything in particular that you're looking for, let me know.
Tucker