Description

IMPORTANT NOTE: these plants are NOT IN BUD/BLOOM when shipped. PLEASE look at all the pictures in this listing so you know the condition/size of plant you’ll be getting.

One of the fun challenges in orchid breeding is naming a new hybrid cross. Some growers run out of creative juice, and simply name new stuff after the their city or nursery so you often see a series of dull names like ‘Maui Delight’, followed by ‘Maui Treasure’, followed by ‘Maui Grand’, etc. The dullest names are simply code numbers, like BS-321 that no one has bothered to revise into something better, and so the code sticks (it’s not an official registered name, but everyone just goes with it). On the other hand, some nurseries have an absolute gift for naming new crosses; the former Orchid Zone at its height was a brilliant example, with excellent names like Eat My Dust, Pacific Shamrock, and my personal favorite, Magic Lantern. A superior name not only promotes the plant and makes it memorable, but it captures its essence and evokes a feeling of wonder.

A great place to mine for names is pop music titles and lyrics, and a rich vein can be found in one of the most creative periods of musical history: the Eighties. Compilations of 80s hits were flogged constantly on late-night TV (when that used to be a thing) for 20 years after the 1980s, and you still hear 80s music in the background of movies, stores, and everywhere else, which tells you something about the staying power of the music from those days.

So this new Epidendrum cross just came over the transom, and the plants are EXCELLENT. Since this is a cross (and not a clone), each plant was grown from seed and is genetically distinct from its siblings, and while most will bloom out looking quite similar to each other, there will be some more distinctive ones in the batch.

These Epidendrums produce a sort of spherical spray of blooms, reminscent of the shape of a dandelion seed head. The blooms open up somewhat successively, with individual flowers about the size of a quarter. The colors on the ones that have bloomed are so vibrant and bright, you gotta wear shades (if you caught that reference, you may have had at one point a mullet, feathered hair, and/or a Members Only jacket).

So in my deep dive into 80s music for a great name, I re-discovered The Human League, a British synth-pop band that had some great songs (and music videos). In my ‘research’ (few jobs let you spend time nostalgically listening to 80s hits and calling such activity ‘work’), I discovered an interesting factoid: the frontman for Human League, Phil Oakey, was in dire straits (as in difficulties, not the 80s band), since three key members quit just two weeks before the band was to go on tour in Europe (this was before they reached stardom). So Phil went to a local disco, saw two girls dancing, and straight away offered them positions with his band. The girls, 17 and 18 years old, were best friends and immediately agreed, but it took some convincing by Phil to get the girls’ parents to consent. Now imagine a very tall, thin, pasty-white guy wearing mascara, make-up, and high heels(*) showing up at your door and asking if you’d allow your teenage daughters to tour Europe as back-up singers/dancers with a little-known pop band. These days maybe such, uh, attire, doesn’t seem so strange, but this was 40 years ago, c’mon, man! Somehow, Phil got the girls’ mums and dads to agree — the two young women did a great job on tour, and ended up becoming full members of the band, and adding their voices (and music videos, for which I am most grateful) to 80s history! One day you’re dancing the night aaway, and literally the next day you’re part of a rock ‘n’ roll band! Talk about being in the right place at the right time!

Well, a Human League music video came on at exactly the right time, just when I needed a name for this intriguing cross. Hence we present to you Epidendrum ‘(Keep Feeling) Fascination’, a very apropos name for this cross… And when these plants bloom for you (typically late spring), why not put on some Human League and keep feeling fascination with music and blooms?

(*) Several rockers of the 80s would easily fit this description: David Bowie (ok, he was mostly 70s), Ric Ocasek, all of KISS.

CAUTIONS AND CAVEATS BEFORE ORDERING:
– Thick, fleshy leaves MAY BREAK OFF during transit. Packages with any shipper can experience VERY rough handling while in-transit. Because the leaves of this orchids are very thick, they can easily break off if the box is treated roughly, despite our superior packing methods.
– Some leaves may have cosmetic damage due to snails as they like to feast on these leaves, especially when young/tender. Keep some snail bait (e.g., Sluggo) in the pots to minimize any problems you may encounter.

Epidendrum Keep Feeling Fascination

HOW TO GROW THIS EPIDENDRUM
This Epidendrum orchids are extremely easy to grow. They love light, and can handle high light conditions (although avoid direct sun for prolonged periods). When they’re getting almost too much light, you’ll see that the leaves will express a purple pigment, sometimes with spots. No, those spots are not fungi, viruses, bacteria — they’re pigmentation spots like freckles! These plants grow well in chunky orchid bark (fir bark typically), or thoroughly rinsed coconut husk. Avoid overpotting (i.e., putting the plant in a pot that is too big) — select a pot that is not too snug but also leaves room for growth. Make sure your pot has drainage holes at the bottom. Water twice per week, and fertilize lightly every week or so with any balanced fertilizer. For smaller plants, avoid frost; larger plants can handle near freezing temperatures, but do not leave outside if you grow in an area that gets snow. For blooming size plants (usually three growths/bulbs), allow the plant to experience cooler temperatures (in the 40s F) to set the bud the following season. Larger plants can handle bright light, but younger plants should be grown in bright shade or allowed to receive diffuse light.