CARSON BARNES: ORCHID CONSULTANT Loma Mar, CA 650 207 6762 email here
*** Updated February 27, 2024 ***
A list of collector's items available to the discerning enthusiast; many are blooming size, some have bloomed already, not all flowers have been seen by us. This list isn't everything out there in the greenhouse, inquire if you don't see what you're looking for, I may have it, or know someone who does.
Since moving to the Atlanta area from California in 2012, nearly sixty of the plants I'd collected over the years have been awarded by the American Orchid Society; as divisions become available, they'll be on this list. I used to have a wholesale business and saw a LOT of plants. Every now and then one or two stood out, those are what's here.
There are also a lot of seedlings, both species and hybrids, in the works. Soon, Paphiopedilum platyphyllum, wilhelminae, moquetteanum, Cryptopus elatus; later, blue Cattleya mossiae and Renanthera citrina from our awarded ones. I also make a modest number of hybrids, two of those are among the awarded plants.
Shipping will be billed at cost, either by US Postal Service or by Federal Express. Usually the former, some plants in bud will go Fed Ex especially during the coronavirus outbreak - FedEx will pick up without me going into an office full of people.
Paph. philippinensis - we have a few different ones, nice blooming size division $50 White dorsal with mahogany/reddish stripes, red petals, mustard yellow pouch, 3 to 5 flowers per stem. This is one of the most attractive and easily grown multifloral slipper orchids.
Paph. mastersianum - Hard to find, near blooming size species from certain chains of islands in Indonesia. Shade, shade, shade, warm and moist. $50
Paph. philippinensis album - Green and white multifloral, just blooming size. $65
Paph. lawrenceanum hyeanum (album) - hard to find, I have one. $60 blooming size
Paph. wardii album. Orchid Inn line. BS but not bloomed. $45
Paph. rothschildianum. Orchid Inn lines. Small in 4". Should be terrific. $50
Paph. haynaldianum. Orchid Inn lines. Small in 4". Should also be terrific. $50
Paph henryanum. Just a couple. Orchid Inn lines. Small in 4". $35
Paph. moquetteanum - one of our HCCs x one of our AMs. Small in 4" $45
Phragmipedium longifolium fma. gracile 'Bronze Elf', AM/AOS. Divisions of this compact growing sequential blooming lady slipper from Panama in the 1960s $250. Photograph courtesy of Maureen McKovich; the plants I got as trades in 1989 from the woman who had collected them in Honduras in the 1960s. She told me the dwarf form occurs in among the big, shrubby plants of the species; in 6" they'll be able to do three spikes at a time for you as they do for me. This one has a flatter dorsal sepal than most.
Other clones of this dwarf form, divisions $60. They're actually quite rare and nearly as nice as the awarded one.
Phrag. richteri (syn. amazonica) - my plant was from Richard Topper, whose handwriting on the original label called it a "giant pearcei". Green and pink with characteristic crispy edged segments. Keep this one sopping wet. $75 divisions
Phragmipedium pearcei 'Klompen' small grower BS divisions $45. Just divided plants again, there are about five available. Keep this one wet and shady, it blooms in 4".
Mexipedium xerophyticum - I grow these in sand and gravel, they like this treatment. Modest size plants that throw runners, wider pots suit them well as they grow. Fairly dry winters, wet and hot summers. Seedlings $60, just a couple, one of which bloomed in its 2" pot.
Other slippers: inquire. We have a lot.
Vanda barnesii - yes, it's named for me. A friend who grew some out of flasks is offering to supply some near blooming size seedlings; if you're in a warm area, keep these shady. I grow them in a lot of light in front of the evaporative cooler, with mist that comes on when the cooler does - otherwise it will dry them out. White blooms, interesting contrasting lip with chestnut markings; these are seedlings of a selfing of the type specimen of the species, which I donated to the Atlanta botanical garden in 2014. Extremely rare. Inquire, I've sold all I had to sell but can refer you to some of the folks who bought flasks and likely have some to sell.
Arachnis (Esmeralda) cathcartii seedlings $35. Now growing well, and worth it. Keep these shady, moist, and warm. Deep gold background with vibrant concentric chestnut tigerstripes. Four or five leaves so far, about 4" span.
Vanda tessellata - blooming size, in a basket. Very fragrant, this is a variably colored species; this one is tan with pink lip, though as with all Vandas it will have darker colors if grown in more light. $50
Vanda luzonica 'Bianca', HCC/AOS - never cloned, the secret with this species is to bloom it in shade (yes, here at 33 degrees latitude it blooms in shade, three times per year). That suppresses color production and you get a startling chalk white flower with a pink lip. The plant has a rooted keiki that ought to bloom in a year or two. $150
Rhyncholaelia digbyana - seedlings in 4" to bloom in the coming year, $45. One bloomed last season, it was HUGE.
Cattleya (Laelia) purpurata - inquire, we have a few nice clones, several schusteriana (white, violet lip), some werkhauseri seedlings (white, slate "blue' lip); $25 to $50
C. Orglade's Grand 'Tian Mu', AM/AOS . White with fuchsia lip, 3 to 5 flowers when well bloomed (with five, they're crowded). Flowers up to 17 cm. across. A truly regal orchid. $400 for a large division of the plant that was awarded in 2018. Two available.
C. lueddemanniana coerulea - I have several, inquire; $50 - $300.
Cattleya warneri alba - pure white with a touch of yellow in the lip, large ruffly flowers that come in April to May. $50 blooming size division in 6".
Rlc. Oconee 'Mendenhall' AM/AOS - deep reddish burgundy, intensely ruffly, fragrant, a knockout. $60.
Laelia anceps - seedlings mounted on wood, these came to me as the blue form but the ones that have bloomed are typical coloration, hot pink. Nonetheless, a delightful and large flowered Mexican species. NBS to blooming size, $30
Cattleya amethystoglossa var. coerulea - while pretty, I've seen bluer ones than this seedling population. Small ones in 4" still, a couple of years to bloom, $35.
Cattleya maxima, highland form - vibrant pink flowers with incredible veined lip, small growing they seem to bloom in 4" pot. $45
Encyclia randii - blooming size in 4". $40
C. Leoloddiglossa 'Call That Blue', AM/AOS, division, not cloned, $500. Tan flowers with lilac overtones, light spotting, and "blue" lip, awarded 2014. This has C. loddigesii 'Blue Sky' as a grandparent, which we are told is actually harrisoniana; this would then be an unregistered cross. A robust grower, around two feet tall, the spike adds a foot to that when it's in bloom. In a big, heavy clay pot, divided a couple of years ago. Blooms in summer.
Guarianthe skinneri coerulescens 'Orchidglade' - this is still around! - I lusted after this in the 70s when I couldn't afford it (high school, you see); it's not really very blue-ish, more of a soft, pastel pink, clusters of 8 to 10 flowers at maturity. One division only, $75; will take the division off when you order.
Various blue forms of Cattleya intermedia, $45 - 65 division: one that makes a few, huge flowers ('Head Poncho'), one with petal flares (Aquinii), one with nice shape and more modest size ('Pui Chin'), one that's quite vigorous, with "blue" petals and sepals as well as lip ('Super Blue').
C. intermedia 'Aranbeem' AM/AOS $50 will divide on order. White with pink lip.
C. trianae semi alba coerulescens, blooms February into March, an interesting color form, $40 blooming size. I suspect this one is paler in color if flowered in less light, darker with more, as here in Georgia it is certainly not "semi alba" (white with darker lip) but is lilac with a darker lip. Pretty and a regular bloomer; it always makes just one flower per growth for me, but plenty of new growths.
C. trianae coerulea - one only - $60
Catasetum atratum 'Jiffy OK', AM/AOS, one blooming size division $350. Never cloned. SITF identifies it as atratum but some correspondents think it is a hybrid.
Catasetum expansum - vigorous green clone with bright yellow callus on lip, can bloom three times per season on lead growth. Delightful and variable South American species. $50. There's also one covered in blood red spots, same price.
Catasetum pileatum - a few different clones, white to gold, $45 per division. White, red, and other colors.
Bifrenaria harrisoniae 'Atravia' - the clone name might be misspelled, the plant came from the collection of a fellow in Santa Cruz, CA, who passed away a decade or more ago; this one is white with a touch of yellow in the fuzzy lip, a rare albino form of the Brazilian species. One blooming size division this year, $75.
Brassia arcuigera 'Cherry Vale' - greenish spidery flowers turn gold, then orange, over the course of about twelve days. Highly fragrant and reblooms any time of year. Divisions $45
Ancistrochilus rothschildianus - I have finally a few divisions I can sell of this creeping west African epiphyte. They go dormant but not always, while growing keep them wet and medium shady, warm grower; pretty pink flowers with an odd scent may come any time of year. $45.
Coelogyne mooreana ‘Brockhurst’ FCC/RHS 6” $35
Coelogyne lactea - I think; I had two to divide, they seem to be the same species but one came labeled flaccida and one labeled viscosa - many smaller white flowers $45
Drndrobium spectabile - the weird New Guinea species with twisted, chartreuse green flowers tessellated purple, somewhat fragrant; flowers last for months. Blooming size in 4", $45, but these will get up to about a meter wide by a meter tall, our adult plant has 18 spikes this year.
Dendrobium tangerinum rooted keikis $25. They can bloom some in 4"; at maturity the plants are huge and everblooming (around a meter tall and wide).
Dendrobium sulcatum - foxtails of gold in March and April, not long lasting but spectacular when blooming. $45 in 6"
Dendrobium densiflorum blooming size seedlings in 4" - pretty golden "foxtails". Flowers last about ten days only.
Bulbophyllum bicolor divisions $25. Quite pretty and not foul smelling.
Grammatophyllum wallisii seedlings in 4" - white to ice green with red speckles - uncommon in cultivation but the plants will get very large over the years. $45
Neobenthamia gracilis (now Polystachya neobenthamia) keikis $20 Grows to about five feet (messy, keikis all over), heads of white fragrant flowers with some pink and yellow in the lip come in late winter to summer.
Gastrorchis tuberculosus - I have one that's been divided, these don't bloom every year for me yet, keep them very warm, wet and shady or they will die. One of the most spectacular orchid species from Madagascar. Just one division. $125 I've recently read that these like cooler temperatures than I'd thought, so let's see what they do if kept cooler.
All text and images copyright (c) 2008 - 2024 Carson Barnes
*** Updated February 27, 2024 ***
A list of collector's items available to the discerning enthusiast; many are blooming size, some have bloomed already, not all flowers have been seen by us. This list isn't everything out there in the greenhouse, inquire if you don't see what you're looking for, I may have it, or know someone who does.
Since moving to the Atlanta area from California in 2012, nearly sixty of the plants I'd collected over the years have been awarded by the American Orchid Society; as divisions become available, they'll be on this list. I used to have a wholesale business and saw a LOT of plants. Every now and then one or two stood out, those are what's here.
There are also a lot of seedlings, both species and hybrids, in the works. Soon, Paphiopedilum platyphyllum, wilhelminae, moquetteanum, Cryptopus elatus; later, blue Cattleya mossiae and Renanthera citrina from our awarded ones. I also make a modest number of hybrids, two of those are among the awarded plants.
Shipping will be billed at cost, either by US Postal Service or by Federal Express. Usually the former, some plants in bud will go Fed Ex especially during the coronavirus outbreak - FedEx will pick up without me going into an office full of people.
Paph. philippinensis - we have a few different ones, nice blooming size division $50 White dorsal with mahogany/reddish stripes, red petals, mustard yellow pouch, 3 to 5 flowers per stem. This is one of the most attractive and easily grown multifloral slipper orchids.
Paph. mastersianum - Hard to find, near blooming size species from certain chains of islands in Indonesia. Shade, shade, shade, warm and moist. $50
Paph. philippinensis album - Green and white multifloral, just blooming size. $65
Paph. lawrenceanum hyeanum (album) - hard to find, I have one. $60 blooming size
Paph. wardii album. Orchid Inn line. BS but not bloomed. $45
Paph. rothschildianum. Orchid Inn lines. Small in 4". Should be terrific. $50
Paph. haynaldianum. Orchid Inn lines. Small in 4". Should also be terrific. $50
Paph henryanum. Just a couple. Orchid Inn lines. Small in 4". $35
Paph. moquetteanum - one of our HCCs x one of our AMs. Small in 4" $45
Phragmipedium longifolium fma. gracile 'Bronze Elf', AM/AOS. Divisions of this compact growing sequential blooming lady slipper from Panama in the 1960s $250. Photograph courtesy of Maureen McKovich; the plants I got as trades in 1989 from the woman who had collected them in Honduras in the 1960s. She told me the dwarf form occurs in among the big, shrubby plants of the species; in 6" they'll be able to do three spikes at a time for you as they do for me. This one has a flatter dorsal sepal than most.
Other clones of this dwarf form, divisions $60. They're actually quite rare and nearly as nice as the awarded one.
Phrag. richteri (syn. amazonica) - my plant was from Richard Topper, whose handwriting on the original label called it a "giant pearcei". Green and pink with characteristic crispy edged segments. Keep this one sopping wet. $75 divisions
Phragmipedium pearcei 'Klompen' small grower BS divisions $45. Just divided plants again, there are about five available. Keep this one wet and shady, it blooms in 4".
Mexipedium xerophyticum - I grow these in sand and gravel, they like this treatment. Modest size plants that throw runners, wider pots suit them well as they grow. Fairly dry winters, wet and hot summers. Seedlings $60, just a couple, one of which bloomed in its 2" pot.
Other slippers: inquire. We have a lot.
Vanda barnesii - yes, it's named for me. A friend who grew some out of flasks is offering to supply some near blooming size seedlings; if you're in a warm area, keep these shady. I grow them in a lot of light in front of the evaporative cooler, with mist that comes on when the cooler does - otherwise it will dry them out. White blooms, interesting contrasting lip with chestnut markings; these are seedlings of a selfing of the type specimen of the species, which I donated to the Atlanta botanical garden in 2014. Extremely rare. Inquire, I've sold all I had to sell but can refer you to some of the folks who bought flasks and likely have some to sell.
Arachnis (Esmeralda) cathcartii seedlings $35. Now growing well, and worth it. Keep these shady, moist, and warm. Deep gold background with vibrant concentric chestnut tigerstripes. Four or five leaves so far, about 4" span.
Vanda tessellata - blooming size, in a basket. Very fragrant, this is a variably colored species; this one is tan with pink lip, though as with all Vandas it will have darker colors if grown in more light. $50
Vanda luzonica 'Bianca', HCC/AOS - never cloned, the secret with this species is to bloom it in shade (yes, here at 33 degrees latitude it blooms in shade, three times per year). That suppresses color production and you get a startling chalk white flower with a pink lip. The plant has a rooted keiki that ought to bloom in a year or two. $150
Rhyncholaelia digbyana - seedlings in 4" to bloom in the coming year, $45. One bloomed last season, it was HUGE.
Cattleya (Laelia) purpurata - inquire, we have a few nice clones, several schusteriana (white, violet lip), some werkhauseri seedlings (white, slate "blue' lip); $25 to $50
C. Orglade's Grand 'Tian Mu', AM/AOS . White with fuchsia lip, 3 to 5 flowers when well bloomed (with five, they're crowded). Flowers up to 17 cm. across. A truly regal orchid. $400 for a large division of the plant that was awarded in 2018. Two available.
C. lueddemanniana coerulea - I have several, inquire; $50 - $300.
Cattleya warneri alba - pure white with a touch of yellow in the lip, large ruffly flowers that come in April to May. $50 blooming size division in 6".
Rlc. Oconee 'Mendenhall' AM/AOS - deep reddish burgundy, intensely ruffly, fragrant, a knockout. $60.
Laelia anceps - seedlings mounted on wood, these came to me as the blue form but the ones that have bloomed are typical coloration, hot pink. Nonetheless, a delightful and large flowered Mexican species. NBS to blooming size, $30
Cattleya amethystoglossa var. coerulea - while pretty, I've seen bluer ones than this seedling population. Small ones in 4" still, a couple of years to bloom, $35.
Cattleya maxima, highland form - vibrant pink flowers with incredible veined lip, small growing they seem to bloom in 4" pot. $45
Encyclia randii - blooming size in 4". $40
C. Leoloddiglossa 'Call That Blue', AM/AOS, division, not cloned, $500. Tan flowers with lilac overtones, light spotting, and "blue" lip, awarded 2014. This has C. loddigesii 'Blue Sky' as a grandparent, which we are told is actually harrisoniana; this would then be an unregistered cross. A robust grower, around two feet tall, the spike adds a foot to that when it's in bloom. In a big, heavy clay pot, divided a couple of years ago. Blooms in summer.
Guarianthe skinneri coerulescens 'Orchidglade' - this is still around! - I lusted after this in the 70s when I couldn't afford it (high school, you see); it's not really very blue-ish, more of a soft, pastel pink, clusters of 8 to 10 flowers at maturity. One division only, $75; will take the division off when you order.
Various blue forms of Cattleya intermedia, $45 - 65 division: one that makes a few, huge flowers ('Head Poncho'), one with petal flares (Aquinii), one with nice shape and more modest size ('Pui Chin'), one that's quite vigorous, with "blue" petals and sepals as well as lip ('Super Blue').
C. intermedia 'Aranbeem' AM/AOS $50 will divide on order. White with pink lip.
C. trianae semi alba coerulescens, blooms February into March, an interesting color form, $40 blooming size. I suspect this one is paler in color if flowered in less light, darker with more, as here in Georgia it is certainly not "semi alba" (white with darker lip) but is lilac with a darker lip. Pretty and a regular bloomer; it always makes just one flower per growth for me, but plenty of new growths.
C. trianae coerulea - one only - $60
Catasetum atratum 'Jiffy OK', AM/AOS, one blooming size division $350. Never cloned. SITF identifies it as atratum but some correspondents think it is a hybrid.
Catasetum expansum - vigorous green clone with bright yellow callus on lip, can bloom three times per season on lead growth. Delightful and variable South American species. $50. There's also one covered in blood red spots, same price.
Catasetum pileatum - a few different clones, white to gold, $45 per division. White, red, and other colors.
Bifrenaria harrisoniae 'Atravia' - the clone name might be misspelled, the plant came from the collection of a fellow in Santa Cruz, CA, who passed away a decade or more ago; this one is white with a touch of yellow in the fuzzy lip, a rare albino form of the Brazilian species. One blooming size division this year, $75.
Brassia arcuigera 'Cherry Vale' - greenish spidery flowers turn gold, then orange, over the course of about twelve days. Highly fragrant and reblooms any time of year. Divisions $45
Ancistrochilus rothschildianus - I have finally a few divisions I can sell of this creeping west African epiphyte. They go dormant but not always, while growing keep them wet and medium shady, warm grower; pretty pink flowers with an odd scent may come any time of year. $45.
Coelogyne mooreana ‘Brockhurst’ FCC/RHS 6” $35
Coelogyne lactea - I think; I had two to divide, they seem to be the same species but one came labeled flaccida and one labeled viscosa - many smaller white flowers $45
Drndrobium spectabile - the weird New Guinea species with twisted, chartreuse green flowers tessellated purple, somewhat fragrant; flowers last for months. Blooming size in 4", $45, but these will get up to about a meter wide by a meter tall, our adult plant has 18 spikes this year.
Dendrobium tangerinum rooted keikis $25. They can bloom some in 4"; at maturity the plants are huge and everblooming (around a meter tall and wide).
Dendrobium sulcatum - foxtails of gold in March and April, not long lasting but spectacular when blooming. $45 in 6"
Dendrobium densiflorum blooming size seedlings in 4" - pretty golden "foxtails". Flowers last about ten days only.
Bulbophyllum bicolor divisions $25. Quite pretty and not foul smelling.
Grammatophyllum wallisii seedlings in 4" - white to ice green with red speckles - uncommon in cultivation but the plants will get very large over the years. $45
Neobenthamia gracilis (now Polystachya neobenthamia) keikis $20 Grows to about five feet (messy, keikis all over), heads of white fragrant flowers with some pink and yellow in the lip come in late winter to summer.
Gastrorchis tuberculosus - I have one that's been divided, these don't bloom every year for me yet, keep them very warm, wet and shady or they will die. One of the most spectacular orchid species from Madagascar. Just one division. $125 I've recently read that these like cooler temperatures than I'd thought, so let's see what they do if kept cooler.
All text and images copyright (c) 2008 - 2024 Carson Barnes