Developing an Orchid Collection with Backbulbs: Dimerandra emarginata

What are orchid backbulbs?

Backbulbs are the older generations of growth that have been removed from an orchid. Often, when a plant is divided, older pseudobulbs are cut off to make the plant fit the pot better. These may be thrown away, but sometimes they are given as gifts to help a friend expand her collection, or sold when the plant is valuable.

That's what this blog and website are all about; being ready when that wonderful gift of a collectable backbulb comes your way. There is as much art as science in getting backbulbs started.

I subscribe to OrchidSpecies.com which is my primary source for orchid species information.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Dimerandra emarginata

Dimerandra emarginata - Plant photo by Richard Lindberg The genus Dimerandra (Dmd) contains 7 species growing from the West Indies down to Brazil at lower elevations.

Dimerandra emarginata grows from Mexico all along the east coast of South America down to Brazil. It is warm to hot growing and grows in low elevation rain forests, blooming through summer into fall.

This plant is mounted in coconut fibre. There are ten pseudobulbs and stands twelve inches above the medium. It was added to the collection from a trade with Alexix Pardo in February.