Agree!

Jane

I've been watching one of my leafless psychopsis. It is making several new growths. I was told new growths will be flat and bloom spikes will be a rounder shape. If my source is correct, I would guess spike. Anyone else heard this theory re. spikes vs growths?

Happen to see 'Hildos' the Butterfly Flower rider gracing your home at times too?

Elf/Fairey jockey riding my Pyschopsis Butterfly Orchid http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4422750/have-an-elf-jockey-riding-your-pyschopsis-butterfly-orchid?n=2

Yes is a growth. Spikes are smaller in diameter, mine blackish and grow 2' long. Do not cut them off unless become dead and light brown. I have flowers repeating for years on tbe same spikes. It's the best way to get multiple spikes with one flower each.

If growing but not blooming you might need more light. They like lots!

'Hildos' rides again!

Tall 5 - 6" flower Butterfly Orchid, long lasting, easy to grow an essentially pest free plant.

New Zealand Spaghnum moss medium lightly misted each AM let to dry between waterings. Grown quite bright in 1000+ ft candle of light.

I grow under bright lights T55 55Watt each Fluorescent and/or Sodium Vapor 150W each. With the latter in an growing inside a living space, add a dual T55 fixture with 3200K an6400K bulbs, so that the plants look more natural. The light bank pictured is ~660 W total.

Sodium Vapor lights are both energy and heat efficient, but hard to live near alone. 400 to 1000W are much too bright to sit next to, except for the cat who loves the focused radiant heat feeling.

In the space shown multiple 110W & 150W fuxtures allowed me to better balance light levels and more evenly distribute heat than if using larger fixtures. It also gives some backup WHEN (not if) a bulb or fuxture ballast go out. The 150W sodium vapor fixtures are 1/4 the size of the 2' long 110W two 55W fluorescent folded bulb fixtures, and hense easy to intermix

There are handy free SmartPhone light meters that help one position fixtures and plants, such as "Lux Meter". The light bank shown also blooms African Violets at 200 ft candles, 6 to 10' feet away.

Like drama?

I have cut back to 1' and overwintered Brugmania 'Maya', 'Snowbank' and others inside in large tubs placed in the back left corner . Some bloomed and reached the lights by Spring! Watch out for Spider Mites.

Brugmansia blooming inside and Hildos flying in the light canopy zone above, with passionflower vine running through and small fan assistance, is a powerful and incense-ing experience.

Hints: keep house at 58 F night temperature so you enjoy the radiant heat effect. The pillow zone is where wife, cat and self most compete to sit.

Watered largely by misting in AM with or without light foliar feed. Cement mixing trays with gravel manage the mini-jungle hydrology and natural bat guano replacement aspects ... with no odor or leaf salts build up.

Such fun!

How did my white cat, Casper get to Seattle when he was sleeping on my head last night in SC? LOL

Do they nibble on the plants?

No cat nibbling problems. That's why I like poisonous plants. Self correcting.

Just kidding! Hum ... Casper is a fitting name.

Again no problems.

Your cat looks like one I had in NJ but he and his sister died at about 9 years old they were silver shaded persians, very docile loving animals.

Yes ... my daughter's cat breed is a "Chinchilla Persian". They are mostly Persian and part Himalayan.

So there's Siamese genes in there too. Doll faced, no respiratory problems, quite playful and very smart. Unbelievably bullet proof calm breed.

Our Daughter's cat Odin travels well and loves to be brushed and right by you in the middle of things. Some urinary tract crystal challenge so needs a low ash diet food.

First saw him as a kitten. He wins an 'adorable kitty' award easily.

Odin really likes our little tabby playmate when she brings him over to visit.

Wonderful domestic picture. Cats, plants, comfy pillow zone. Love it!

Yeah ... toss a wonderful Wife and life partner in the mix too, kinda over the top. She's the one holding the kitten on the hammock.

I get up early in the AM. At 5 AM on a Saturday I got a knock on our front door. Her daughter had brought over a her new kitten 'Odin' to show her. Then daughter takes off for hours and leaves the kitten to play with us! The Tabby was a former gift from her to us when her former roommate got the cat and turned out to be allergic. We cat sit when she goes on vacation and they play. Odin's huge eyes always flash back to the cell phone camera flash. His eyes are slightly different colored and flash different retina colors too.

Below they are basking in the indoor Light Garden. They like the slight radiant warmth of the bank of T5 lights. It's not heat but a radiant IR that orchids, bromeliads and I like too. The favorite sitting place in the house is in the bright place near the plants. So the light garden makes indoor cats happy too. I mix 3200K and 6400K 55 watt bulbs, 1 each per 2' fixture to get a natural daylight feel, and good blooming. They are much brighter, make less heat per watt, and last longer than normal florescent bulbs. 150 Watt Sodium vapor are even better, but I still run some 3200K 6400K T5 fixtures to enjoy being in the space.

Sounds expensive but less energy cost to run than small greenhouse and less cost than another trip to Caribbean. We used to visit Cozumel or similar location every year or so and miss it in between. This removed that feeling and the bloom density and variety is higher at home than most places we've visited internationally.

We've cut down to 1.5' and overwintered 2-3 Brugmansia in the corner before. They grow and bloom there. One plant grew to 5' and started flowering at 4', 2' below the lights. As 5 or 6 flowers 'Maya' flowers opened, after the light timer went to night cycle, the fragrance was very powerful in the house. Best close the bedroom door and open a window there to sleep.

The cats did not touch the toxic plants or fallen leaves from these messy but beauriful plants.