New Plants - Phalaenopsis species

Good grief, it feels like aeons since I last put up a post on here, even though it must only be a couple of weeks. Rest assured, I'm not abandoning my dear readers, I've just been here, there and everywhere with visiting family, allotments, holidays and work. Last week, I spend some valued time in the tranquil peace and quiet of lovely Cheesewring Farm on the southeast corner of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. The weather could, franky, have been better, but I rather fancy I did better than many parts of the country and there was plenty of 'useable' weather. Anyway,  I'm sure you don't come here to be regaled with stories of my holidays, so suffice it to say that on the final day I made sure I paid a visit to Burnham Nurseries over in Devon. I was in two minds whether to visit or not because I only visited them in Early May and got new plants then, but I'm glad I did because they had been to the Malvern Show and had got quite a lot of new plants; seemingly just for my delectation.

They had quite a few Phalaenopsis species at fairly reasonable prices for reasonable sized plants, so I picked a few up, along with a couple of other species.

First up is Phalaenopsis schillerana. I've wanted one of these for quite some time but had only found a hybrid at a price I was willing to pay. It is with trepidation that I now take the species into my collection as it has somewhat of a reputation as a bit of a diva, liking warmer conditions than the average living room, especially at night during winter when many warm growers can suffer. Hopefully it'll do fine in my growroom - there haven't been any winter complaints yet! Phalaenopsis schillerana is a gorgeous species which bears long branching spikes of anything up to 200 fragrant flowers on mature plants. I think my plant has a way to go before it produces that kind of show, but it does appear to be approaching flowering size. I particularly like the mottled leaves and the flattened roots. It is little details like that that are missing from the hybrids and which make the species so endearing.

Second we have Phalaenopsis philippinensis. Some authorities seem to have this one down as a hybrid between P. schillerana and P. aphrodite. I don't know whether this is true or not, but I would doubt it based on my own observations of this particular plant. If we compare it to Phalaenopsis schillerana which is both described above and visible on the above photo, there are quite obvious differences in the shape, colour and patterning of the leaves which doesn't make sense for it to be a hybrid with P. aphrodite. At any rate, the flowers are white or pale pink and again, seem to be generously produced on mature plants. There are two plants in this pot (that's why I picked this one) so I might leave them together or divide them. I haven't decided yet.

Next up is Phalaenopsis violacea. I have been on the lookout for one of these at a reasonable size and price and finally I have found one. I am hoping it proves to be as easy a grower as the couple of its hybrids I am already growing. This species likes deep shade (hence the very broad leaves) and high humidity. Flowers are produced on short spikes a couple at a time and are extremely fragrant. This species is often used to introduce scent into more complex hybrids. You can't see easily on this photo but there is a flower spike already which has previously bloomed so hopefully it will do so again. This species is smaller overall than the very similar Phalaenopsis bellina which hails from Borneo (violacea comes from Sumatra) but is easier to hybridise with. I very much look forward to seeing (and smelling) this one bloom.

Above is Phalaenopsis luddemanniana var. deltonii. I did get hold of a Phalaenopsis luddemanniana a year or so ago on eBay but the plant was very sickly (root mealybugs) and eventually ended up on the compost heap in the sky before it spread its bugs onto the rest of the collection (first rule of orchid growing - know a lost cause when you see one). I'm glad to have found a healthy plant. This one is a year or two away from blooming I'd say. It is a relative of P. violacea and is broadly similar to it. Its flowers have a pale background (white or yellow depending on variety) with a bold overlay of neon pink. Fragrant, to boot. Flower spikes should be left for as long as they are green (something I do with all orchids if I think there's a chance of more flowers) I'm told this one has a tendency to produce keikis so I look forward to some free plants in future.

The last Phalenopsis species is P. cochlearis. This is a new one on me, I've not seen it before, but I couldn't resist it once I saw the flower. Not that there is a wealth of information out there on this species, but I have read that it is a bit difficult to grow. From what I can gather it grows on limestone outcrops in its native habitat so I wonder if it might benefit from some limestone chips in its potting mix (not that there's any in there at the moment or that I have any to put in - I suppose crushed eggshells might do the same job). It doesn't seem that widely grown but there are a few hybrids of it out there, and the flower markings are quite variable, too, with some plants having much more brown markings in the centre.

The above is just a better view of the flower. Look at that lip. I can see how it got its name.

The first of two plants not to be Phalaenopsis is Vandopsis gigantea. Yes, I know its not exactly gigantic at the moment, but it'll get there. Eventually. Seriously, this one gets to be huge. My plant is clearly quite a lot of years away from blooming size. I don't usually buy seedlings as I haven't the patience to wait for them to grow, but this one wasn't expensive and seems a nice healthy plant. It is also the only way I'll be able to get this species at a reasonable price. In fact, I don't think i've seen a flowering plant, like, ever. Google this species and you'll see the gargantuan size it reaches. Go on, I dare you.

Lastly is a species from a genus almost totally unknown to me (aside from the one(s) that grow native here in the UK). This is Liparis nutans. It produces sprays of small red flowers from the top of its pseudobulbs.  From what I read it will grow cool or warm, so hopefully it'll do OK. As I always say with new plants, I prefer to see new growth before flowers, so I can be sure the plants are settling in. Watch this space.

Bloom Event - Coelogyne salvaneraniana

I get so lost in the spelling of that name I've no idea whether its right or not. I picked this up from Trey Sanders of Orchid Botanics (link to the right) at a show last year sometime. I have a soft spot for Coelogyne as many of my readers will notice and I have quite a lot of them. This one seems to be one of the slower growing species; it has taken the new growth months to get to flowering point. That's not to say that its been a difficult grower, there's been no problem with roots or black leaf tips, it just doesn't do anything fast. This species is uncommon as yet in cultivation as it has not long been described.

Pretty, isn't it? It's not the biggest flowered member of the genus by any stretch but it does have a dainty charm (as it were). Flowers are produced from the centre of the new growth before the leaves have emerged. The whole plant is quite small, that's a 12cm pond pot its growing in, to give some idea of scale.

The flowers are a little on the small side to get a decent close up of (I really need a camera with a decent macro lens), but I have made an attempt with my phone....

The brown and white on the lip do make a nice contrast. The flowers could really do with a couple of days more to open up properly but I'm going away for a week soon and I might miss them altogether if I don't post now. If they are still open when I return, I might remember to post again. It's rather a pity that this blog doesn't come with smellyvision because this species has the most amazing scent. It kind of reminds me of Dendrochilum glumaceum or Chelonostele sulphurea but even nicer.

As you can see, I have it in a pond pot like several of my Coelogyne species (and quite a few other orchids too) This seems to be a nice clumping species and will remain easy to accommodate by the look of things. Hopefully in future it will produce more than one new growth at a time and so more than one flower spike, too.

Garden Orchids in Bloom

Just to prove that I am actually aware of plants existing outside, and that I can't be good at everything.... I have experimented with hardy orchids in my front garden for the past few years with, it has to be said, very little success. I planted a few Cypripedium (don't worry, I got them cheap) but they didn't thrive at all. A couple are still alive, but they never bloom and appear to be diminishing year on year. My soil is way to acid for them, I guess that's the problem. I also planted Spiranthes cernua. That died straight away, probably for similar reasons. In a garden setting, especially in the cottage garden style as mine is, there tends not to be areas of bare soil or low growing vegetation that the orchids might like to grow through so they get overshadowed by other herbaceous perennials and occasionally shrubs, too.

My strategy is to change what I try to grow and where. This year I found Dactylorhiza foliosa in a trusted hardy plant nursery for really not much money so I thought I'd give it a go. I have planted it in the lawn among my Daffodils so the grass won't get cut until the Daffodils have died down and the Orchid has bloomed. It has put up a flower spike and is very nice indeed.

Dactylorhiza foliosa comes from Madeira and is reputed to be one of the more robust garden orchid that one can grow into a sizeable clump after only a few years if it likes your conditions. Hopefully I have planted it somewhere it will like and where it won't get overshadowed; robust as it is, it still needs well-behaved neighbours.

 

I really hope this one returns next year and that it starts to multiply so I can spread it round the garden. Although I've never grown this species before, I am quite familiar with Dactylorhiza species as quite a few of them are native to the UK. In fact, one appeared in a pot outside my front door last year and produced flowers. Only leaves this year, so I guess we'll see what happens next year. ID can always be a little tricky on our native species, but I think its a southern marsh orchid. Dactylorhiza seem to prefer acid soil or are possibly not so fussy. They are common on grassland and regularly appear in people's lawns. Here's hoping D. foliosa will perform well.

A few years ago, when I was more into plant sales than I am now, the supplier of tropical orchids I was dealing with had a few species of hardy and half-hardy species in stock. One of the species I got hold of was Bletilla striata, the Chinese ground orchid. I had real trouble selling them, so I planted quite a few of them in my front border and left them to their own devices. The area is periodically weeded and shrubs are kept under control so competition isn't too much of a problem there although the soil is very stony. The orchids very quickly established themselves.

The flowers are sort of past their best, but this is more down to the incessant heavy rain than it is the longevity of the flowers. In real life they are a very striking magenta and really stand out in my front border. I can't praise these highly enough. Don't get me wrong, they'll never be the stars of the show, but they return every year and appear to be gradually increasing. The young leaves are partially variegated as well.

I would have expected the slugs and snails to have jumped on these, but they leave them well alone. Also, the plants appear to be completely hardy. They disappear completely during autumn and emerge in around April or early May. Below ground, they form a kind of thick rhizome (it looks a lot like a kind of ginger).

I do have a few plants available, for either sale or exchange. If you fancy a go and you live in the UK, leave a comment below.

Bloom Event - Phalaenopsis 'Sweet Kizz'

I still haven't made up my mind whether I like this flower or not. I got it at Christmas from the sale bench at Burnham Nurseries. It had some marks on the flowers but other than that there was nothing wrong with it, so I bought it out of interest more than anything. At any rate, it flowered for months but when it finally stopped I cut the flower spike back to a node and it has now produced two branches, both with several flowers.

Notice that the lip is modified to almost resemble the lateral petals. It resembles a form of pleorism (in 'normal' peloric flowers the lateral petals are modified to resemble the lip), but kind of the opposite. I have no idea whether this is an effect that has been bred in to the plants to create a fuller flower or if it is simply a sport of one flower that has been artificially propagated by meristem. There appear to be a few of these on the market; I've seen a few grossly overpriced plants in garden centres and the like. There is actually no reason for them to be any more expensive, they are just as easily propagated as any other fancy Phalaenopsis. I can't find a great deal of information out there on these types, but I imagine they will become increasingly common.

I asked at the nursery whether the mutation was stable and was told it is. Sometimes on peloric plants, the modified flowers can revert back to their original form and the pelorism seems to be a result of cultural practises. I once bought a so-called peloric Phalaenopsis that had cupped flowers that looked almost tulip-like. The flowers lasted for months on end an the plant then produced a second flower spike of completely normal flowers. The plant looked very odd with one spike of peloric flowers and one spike of normal ones. I don't know what happened to that plant; it was quite a few years ago now.

It is a pity with this one that the flowers aren't quite perfect. The petals are a bit raggedy round the edges and the lip isn't quite symmetrical. Also, to my eye at least, the colour is a bit dirty. I know, I know, I'm being very critical. If I find a better one at a price I'm willing to pay, I'll probably invest in another one.

On a more positive note, it seems almost perpetually blooming, its quite pretty (from a distance) and its slightly unusual. It also seems a vigorous grower with a nice upright habit (quite often Phalaenopsis have a tendency to lean to the side and eventually climb out of the pot).

You can't really tell from this photo but this plant has at least ten leaves which is a substantial amount for a Phalaenopsis. Also, the roots tend to stay inside the pot so the plant stays tidy. All in all it appears a good plant. My criticisms of it are minor, really.

UPDATE - According to the oracle that is Google, these types are the result of a Taiwanese breeding program and are called 'Big Foot' Phalaenopsis. It seems it is still early days and my plant looks like a pretty poor example compared to some of the photos I saw. I look forward to seeing more of them in the next few years.

Bloom Event - Miltonia Goodale Moir 'Golden Wonder'

I'm rather annoyed as I've just typed all this out and added the pictures and lost the lot due to computer user stupidity. Oh well, here we go again.

I'm rather surprised to see this flower as I only got it in February from the Quinta da Boa Vista Orchid Garden on Madeira. The plant was just about blooming size, but there is a big difference between 'blooming size' and 'adult'. At any rate, I was pleased to see a flower spike on this and there is one coming on the M. clowesii I got at the same time. I'll post on that one separately when the blooms open in a few weeks time.

At first glance, this on is superficially similar to Miltonia Sunset, but I think I prefer the colouring on this one. The yellow is deeper and I like the white lip with just a splash of colour. I haven't detected a scent, but I wasn't particularly expecting one. This is a primary hybrid between M. flacescens and M. clowesii so I'm actually growing both its parents. I haven't bloomed M. flavescens yet, so hopefully it will bloom at some point.

I was rather surprised to see flowers so soon; I might have expected blooms on the next growth to be produced, so these are a bonus. There are only two on the spike, but that's better than nothing. I might consider these two flowers to be a preview.

As you can see, the plant is still in the 10cm pot I put it in in february, but it has produced an nice new growth and it is this its flowering from. You can also see that I'll have to pot this on again once new growth is produced. This was quite deliberate as I wanted the plant to grow some nice new roots before I put it in a bigger pot. Miltonia as a rule (and this one is no exception) aren't well suited to regular size and shape pots as they have short roots and long rhizomes. I knew that no sooner this one was established in this pot it would need a bigger one.

I have yet to find a supply of appropriate shape and size pots for a lot of the orchids I grow and I don't want to start cutting pots up (sharp edges). I think I will start experimenting with clay bulb pans as they are wide and shallow. The pond pots work fairly well, but even they are too deep, really. Also, Miltonia have rather fine roots and they need to stay moist.

I think this one has potential to be very impressive when it grows up and I look forward to seeing it bloom more fully next time.

Bloom Event - Vanda Kanchana 'Lavender Mist'

There always seems to be some Vanda or another in bloom, even though I've drastically reduced the amount of them I grow. They are increasingly turning up without names in garden centres. As I've said before, I have no actual problem with no ID plants, but all Vanda hybrids have a name and it seems pure laziness to me to not include them with the plants. Vandas are stately, beautiful orchids and to me it demeans both them and the people who took the trouble to breed them to not bother to provide their proper names. I know that where Vanda are concerned they can mostly be grown under the same conditions, but still. There are still subtle differences between them and it still helps to know which species are in their background.

Most modern hybrids have at least a proportion of Vanda coerulea in their parentage. This is a good thing because V. coerulea is a good reliable bloomer, easy grower and is tolerant of lower temperatures and lower light levels than many other species. These traits all pass to its children through several generations and have produced a range of colourful, easy to bloom and compact hybrids.

The particular hybrid I'm blogging about today is Vanda Kanchana 'Lavender Mist'. This is a very distinctive hybrid with a nice light colouring and very delicate tesselation on the flowers, courtesy of V. coerulea. The flower shape is very reminiscent of the species, especially with the lateral petals tendency to twist to horizontal (easier to see on the below photo, flower on the right).

This is one of those orchids that I see bloom and I always think 'could do better'. The plant is fully leafed to the base, but always seems a bit floppy. I have it potted in a deep rose pot with coarse bark chips at the moment, but I think I will try and root out a large pond pot to put it in once it is done blooming. It tends to produce five flowers per spike, and this is no exception, but I'm sure its capable of better. Hopefully, it'll settle down once I've re-potted it (again).

Believe it or not, this plant was given to me a couple of years ago, along with quite a few others, including a truly HUGE Vanda (post coming in the next few weeks) that must have cost a fortune. He was adamant he couldn't look after them and that he didn't want anything for them. Still, most of the plants he gave me have done very well. This particular one has bloomed several time since then so it must be fairly happy.

Bloom Event - Paphiopedilum no ID

With the exception of the ubiquitous Phalaenopsis, there are getting very few plants in my collection that have no name. This isn't as snobbish as it sounds; I just like to do research into my plants to make sure I get the best out of them. If I don't know what a plants background is, I might grow it too hot or too cold (less likely); it might need a dry rest, or extra water - there's no way to know for sure. At any rate, I only have two Paphiopedilum with no name. One is a multi-bloomer that doesn't bloom (too hot, I'm sure), and the other is a delightful complex hybrid that does very well indeed for me. It is so nice both in bloom and as foliage and growth that I'm sure it must have a name and I really should make some effort to find out.

From talking to some people who know more of Slipper orchids than me, it seems that it probably contains some P. tonsum somewhere in its background, and probably some P. maudiae too. As I keep on saying, I'm not a big fan of slipper orchids as a rule, but this is a real favourite of mine. It blooms very regularly, at least twice a year and this time there are not one but two flowers. Now normally I wouldn't bore you with two flowers off the same plant but this time I have to make an exception because the second flower has turned out a bit.....weird.

Notice the spotting is heavier than on the other flower but only on one side. Ditto with the purple cast on the right hand lateral petal. I knew there was something funny going on as soon as the bud emerged from the crown because one side was purple and one side was green. I should have taken a photo, really, but I kind of expected it not to open.  I'd love to know what has caused this,  but I suppose I never will. It will be interesting to see whether the new fans coming up from the one that produced this flower will show the same mutation or whether they will come up normal. If they come up like this, I'll divide the plant and grow it on separately as a curiosity.

One of the things I like about this plant, apart from the pretty flowers, is that the foliage is very nice and always stays clean. It doesn't drop leaves or get brown tips so it always looks in tip-top condition. I wish more orchids performed like this. It also seems very willing to clump up and produce more than one flower at a time as well as not having a specific season to bloom.

The only thing it is missing is that name.

Bloom Event - Bratonia Shelob 'Tolkien' (2)

I hadn't realized quite how different the two (well actually three, but two of them are divisions of the same plant) of these would be. I have to say I'm very impressed by the one that has just opened. The flower is larger by about an inch, more neatly arranged on the flower spike, and they seem to be better coloured as well on a robust stem. There are eight flowers. The overall plant dimensions are larger, too, though it is a somewhat 'dirty grower' and always seems to be covered in black marks (probably a trait inherited from its Brassia parent; my Brassia seem to be always marked as well).

I think you'll agree the form is much better than my original plant (don't worry, I'll post a photo of the two together further down). As this plant has a varietal name 'Tolkien' I would imagine that there are other forms of Bratonia Shelob but I've never seen or heard of any.

a gratuitous flower close-up. I assume the third plant will be the same since they are divisions. More of these seem to be turning up in garden centres these days. When I first heard of it, plants were very uncommon and sold on eBay for silly money; now you can pick one up for £10 or less. I don't know if they were too expensive in the past or whether they are too cheap now. There are a few going on eBay as I type this so I might as well hang on to my plants.

The plant seems to have larger dimensions than my original plant. I had thought it just needed to do some growing but I don't think this is the case. The newer one shows more willingness to break double, and the third plant has two growing points.

Here is a side by side shot so we can compare the two. My original plant is on the left, the garden centre plant on the right. I think it is pretty obvious which one is better. There's really not a lot more to say about these, but I thought it was worth comparing the two.

Bloom Event - Bifrenaria aureo-fulva and Bulbophyllum falcatum

In case anyone was wondering, I am still here. It's 'that time of year', and there are a lot of demands on my time, my allotment(s) being the largest one. As it happens, this coincides with a comparative dry spell, orchid wise, so it works quite well. There are quite a lot of things in the pipeline, plenty of orchids coming into spike, and one or two updates to plants already featured.

For today though, I thought I'd highlight a couple of species orchids that have bloomed for me but that I haven't had the time to write a post for. They are both a little uninspiring for the casual orchid grower (if such a thing exists), but still both quite beautiful to me.

The first of these is Bifrenaria aureo-fulva. Apparently, this one can't decide which genus it lives in and bounces between Bifrenaria and Stenocoryne. The poor thing must be confused. I have always known it as Bifrenaria however, and that is how I shall always refer to it. When talking about Bifrenaria to someone who has a passing interest in orchid growing beyond the usual Phalaenopsis, the species B. harrisoniae is the usual one that gets talked about because of its long lasting, showy and very fragrant (chemical to my nose, but what do I know?) blooms. Unfortunately, this species is also a pig to grow and I long ago gave up on it. Bifrenaria aureo-fulva, however, seems a different story. I got the plant in an exchange with a friend back in February. I won't lie, I took the plant with some trepidation after my experience with the beautiful but ghastly B. harrisoniae. I needn't have worried though, as it almost immediately put out a new growth and a flower spike.

Not what you'd expect from a Bifrenaria, is it? Yes, the flowers are pretty much fully open. I read that they are reputedly fragrant, but I can't say I noticed and it is my habit to have a good sniff at any open flowers, a habit I often regret with stinkier species. The above is the best photo I could manage (another reason I have hesitated before including it here), as the flowers are held on what I consider to be an unreasonably long flower spike either for the size of the plant or the size of the flowers so they are forever waving about in the slightest waft of air. You get the general idea, though. In many other plants, flowers of this sort of colour and shape indicate bird pollination (as does a lack of scent; birds can't smell very well). I would be very interested to know whether this species is bird pollinated, but I don't know for sure and Google doesn't seem overly forthcoming with information on this species.

The plant is compact, and growing happily in a 9cm pot with still room to spare. I rather like the angular shape of the very solid pseudobulbs and they have an interesting rough texture, too.

It was very difficult to get the whole plant, including flowers, on one shot without showing you all the rather unattractive underside of my cupboards in the growroom. The growth to the left is the newest. All in all, this seems a good little grower, though I won't say it is truly settled in until it has been with me for 12 months. Apparently, this species needs a dry winter rest to flower well, so we'll see how we get on.

The second species I have to show you in this post is another of my fairly recent acquisitions, from my Mayday visit to Burnham Nurseries, Bulbophyllum falcatum. You will remember me saying at the time that the plant had a flower spike emerging, so I can't take any credit at all for the flowers. I suppose you'd say this one possesses what you might call 'botanical interest'.

The blooms are tiny and held either side of a flower spike that is flattened into the shape of a propeller blade (hence the name falcatum). I will admit now that this isn't the species I thought I was buying, but that doesn't matter. The species I had in mind when I picked this up was, I think, Bulbophyllum purpureorachis which has a much bigger upright, flattened and twisted flower spike that puts me in mind of one of those pointless dangling wind ornaments that twists in the breeze. Nevertheless, I was pleased to see this flower, and it is quite pretty though you have to get very close, or really magnify them to see the flowers well. Sadly for my readers, it is way beyond my photographic skill (or the budget required to get a camera capable of decent macro shots) to get a decent shot of something that small. So you'll have to take my word for it at present. Many photos of this plant show a green flower spike rather than the attractive reddish purple we have here. I think it sets of the yellow flowers much better than a green one would have. I couldn't detect a scent, but it would have to be pretty powerful on a flower that small for me to pick it up.

The plant hasn't really done anything since I got it except for put out those flowers. It appears to be bifoliate which is different to the other Bulbophyllum I have. I read that it is a hot grower so it should do well for me, providing I can keep it well watered. Once it puts out new growth and roots, I will stop worrying about it.

Bloom Event - Bulbophyllum Valley Isle Queen

Me and this orchid are still in our courtship phase - we haven't really got to know each other properly yet. I only got it a few weeks ago and it is really still settling in. It is a bit of a monster plant compared to many Bulbophyllum species and hybrids, and now that it is in flower I see that holds true for the blooms too. I have been watching this bud growing.....and growing.......and growing for a couple of weeks now, wondering when it was going to finally open. I had read that it would be a big flower and that wasn't wrong.

Bulbophyllum Valley Isle Queen is a hybrid between Bulbophyllum Jersey (itself a hybrid of B. lobbii and B. echinolabium) and Bulbophyllum echinolabium. This is a hybrid from the Eric Young Foundation on Jersey, and it has a lot going for it. I have read conflicting reports on whether this hybrid is scented with some saying it will 'scent' the entire room (meaning stink to high heaven) and others saying there is no scent at all. The flower was only open this morning, so it is a bit early to comment on scent but there isn't anything as yet. I suppose I should hope it stays that way although I can't deny I'm a little disappointed.

The flower itself is intricately marked on the petals and has the characteristic rocking lip of Bulbophyllums. I don't know how long the flower will last yet as I'm not familiar with Bulbophyllums, really. There are so many of them that I can't expect them all to perform the same.

You can see the detail in the flower a little better in this photo. It is quite thick textured so I'm hoping it'll last for a week or so. Notice that there are more buds developing from the spike. This hybrid is a sequential bloomer so hopefully the flowering period will be quite long. There are more spikes coming, too. Three more, at last count. 

Once the plant has put out new growth and matured that, I'll feel more confident about growing this one. There's no reason it shouldn't do fine, of course, I'm probably just a bit paranoid about it because I'm not so familiar with the genus. Clearly once new growth commences it'll need a bigger pot. Or at least a wider one. Bulbophyllum tend to be rather shallow rooted so there's little point in putting them in a pot with any depth to it.