Finally!! After countless blasted buds this beautiful, but finicky, Dracula is blooming for me and I am sooo excited! It has been trying to bloom for months now, but the buds have blasted one after one with about a week to go before opening. It has been both frustrating and heartbreaking, especially since I haven’t been able to put my finger on exactly exactly why. Although I have a pretty good idea… with Dracula is it usually lack of humidity or temperature.
Dracula barrowii is a cool to cold grower, so first I was pretty sure it was temperature related. But we have had nice and cool weather for a couple of months here in Sweden now which also means more stable cool temperatures in the vivarium. So, I figured it must have been the fluctuating humidity levels that was the culprit. I used to run the humidifier on an interval timer, basically guessing when and for how long it needed to be on. For most orchids this is just fine, but Dracula are very sensitive to low humidity levels and really requite 80% or better at all times, why they are hard to cultivate without a vivarium. So, after a few weeks of mailing snafus I finally received the humidistat that I had ordered to solve this problem. I installed it about three weeks ago and it actually seems to have done the trick.
What a payoff! It is a beautiful flower, about 2.5 cm wide by 8 cm tall with very nice definitions. It is said to have been collected in Peru and registered in 2002, but no collection data exists. It is also said that there is only one original plant of Dracula barrowii left in cultivation and it can be found at Royden Orchids which is run by Roy Barrow, the species namesake. But who knows, so little data on this orchid exist. I have seen photos of this species where it is more red than brown, mine is definitely leaning more towards a rosy brown with red-brown tails, and I just love it! I grow this Dracula potted in a mesh pot with EpiWeb substrate. It works fine in this case since the inflorescence grows suberect to horizontal, meaning the flowers are actually held up at leaf height rather than hanging out from the bottom as is often the case with this genus.
Wish I had just a bit more room for a few Draculas. The only one I grow is the mini D. lotax. This is lovely.
Thanks! I am really infatuated with Dracula so I am very happy I have the room to grow them, even though it is starting to fill up in there… Well, if you have to pick only one Dracula to grow then D. lotax is a very nice choice at least. 🙂
Beautiful! Congrats on getting it to bloom. I’m on my way to Dracula country (Ecuador) next Monday. I don’t have room for them, either, but I’ll take some pictures, I’m sure…
Thanks Duane. You have some fantastic photos on your blog, I just adore the little Trisetella gemmata (photo #5 in the series) looking like it is making a run for it, simply walking off the mount. 😉 I am looking forward to seeing the photos from your Ecuador trip, please do take photos should you see a Dracula in bloom… (By the way I added a link to your blog too, under orchid blogs to the right. Nice job.)
Oh, I love the Draculas, congratulations on coaxing it into blooming so nicely. We also have recently upped the humidity via a fogging system and it has helped bud viability and flower form and longevity a lot.
Christina
Thanks a lot Christina! I too cannot get enough of Dracula, I just adore this genus! Nice to hear that your investments in a fogging system is yielding such great results, makes me feel even better about my humidistat too. I have had fogger from the get go, but guessing the interval with a timer simply was not good enough – not for this prissy beauty at least…
Those are gorgeous flowers! I’m happy you triumphed over bud blast — that must have been frustrating. Fantastic!
Thank you Brian! Yes, it was incredibly frustrating there for a while, and I am soooo thrilled to see it blooming now. 🙂