Hey Smokey! ... ahhh, this Gongora is actually pretty dull, a few other's I've had were much more fun but unfortunately, they all ghosted on me! Gongora's outside their prime growing conditions can be difficult to keep, root rot seems to be the thing that catches up with them when in pots.... This particular cultivar of
rufescens seems to be more tolerant to cool conditions, a nice lady at a local club got it from her mentor many years ago, so maybe he collected it from higher elevations?
@Prescription Blend -- This is a Central and South American genus, part of the amazing Stanhopea family, all are head scratching weird and fascinating!
My avatar is Stanh. martiana, another rare find in that it's apparently cool tolerant. This one has done so well living inside/outside, I have divisions to sell-
... now if I could just find buyers!
Peru is absolutely loaded with orchid species, many I'd love to have but as cloud forest species, they are not tolerant of my conditions. Some of these you can't hurt with water -
- but dry them a little and they say
bye-bye.... I can only imagine that farmers collection, bless him for grabbing what he can!
tropical wildflower honey, what a treat -
...you may never taste the like again, they are all so unique in their composition!