A local orchid society member has been so kind over the last few months to gift me pieces and keikis of her collection. She has over 200 plants. I’ve been looking for a while now for a nice plant to give her as thanks, and was so excited to find this oriental smile butterfly. I immediately grabbed it up, it’s perfect for her in all ways!
I got halfway home when I realized, of course she‘d love it, she already has one – and even gave me a keiki from it months ago. It didn’t register at first because I don’t believe hers flowered this year. she didn’t think it was happy where she had it and has since relocated it.
I‘m now unsure of how to proceed. I could return it which seems a shame since it’s so pretty, and have also thought of seeing if any orchid society members might want to trade me for a plant she doesn’t have. Or perhaps she might still enjoy is, especially since hers didn’t flower this year. but I did truly want to thank her with something unique 😮💨
update: I ended up asking her if she wanted it, and saying that i could return it for a different plant. apparently this is one of her favorite varieties, she doesnt have any flowering right now, and she wanted to have it. So it all worked out!
by Flying_Snarf
6 Comments
It’s a beautiful plant (I’ve seen/smelled them in person, and they’re popular for a reason), but: they’re pretty common. Being a newer orchid grower and orchid society member myself, I’ve occasionally felt like I should try to reciprocate when I’ve been gifted plants from other members. I’ve found it can be a bit tricky, though, because even though I think my burgeoning collection is pretty nice, it generally pales in comparison to the collections of folks who’ve been at it even a couple of years longer than I have, and I often have nothing on hand that they’d likely want. Plus, most of the folks I know seem perfectly happy to buy themselves whatever plants they want.
If you don’t want to keep the plant yourself but are able to return it, I’d exchange it for something more out of the way. Do you know what this person likes to grow? Maybe they’re more into unusual species, or had their eye on a new hybrid that’s not in wide circulation yet? Or even a nice piece of unique pottery for them to grow a special plant in, if they’re into that? I bet you could gather that sort of information from them with a bit of friendly inquiry.
If I had this plant already, I’d add it to my current one and have a giant double plant 🤷♀️
Oh this a good justification to get myself a new orchid 😂
But it is a lovely orchid ! Perhaps you can keep it, or tell her and ask her what she wants to do. It’s a lovely gesture in a any case !
I have the same dendrobium! Same colors of flowers too. Mine does not have any fragrance though.
She will be happy to receive another one!
What area are you from? I’d love to have 1 or 2 more Orchids, mine did so well for me when they were given to me as rescues from the dead
https://preview.redd.it/z53ucwa8cmvg1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b699931f7395d887bd7fed60883a5ada9557ab4
!