Taking a leap, for the first time I ordered a very young yellow pine orchid (gastrochilus japonicus) and had it shipped to my home. The process was very simple and quick, with the young orchid arriving safely packaged in newspaper and a double plastic pot healthy and growing.
Since then, I have nervously been watching its progress as it acclimates here. We live in an extremely dry climate and despite running humidifiers 24/7, often my new orchids lose their aerial roots until they re-establish in a potting medium where I add more sphagnum moss to help with moisture retention. Most take a few weeks or months but send out new aerial roots thereafter.
This tiny pine orchid has been pampered with daily root misting, fertilizer and a prime real estate location near a window and under an LED lamp where I can keep an eye on it. And still, it’s a battle to keep those roots silvery green and plump. Not knowing what losing any roots might mean to a such a small orchid, I have really been keen to see this small plant get started with as many intact as possible.
Last week, I was overjoyed to see budding blooms appearing earlier than expected. The description of the shipped order indicated it might be 2-3 years before the plant was mature enough to produce flowers but it appears luck is shining on this tiny orchid as flowers are definitely on the way. Once it completes the blooming process, it will get a shiny new pot and medium all its own next. This one will be a joy to care for!
Life by Lens and Laptop 