Leptotes is a very small orchid genus of only nine species from Brazil, Paraguay or Argentina. Five of the recorded species have been described as late as this millennium, so perhaps it is not so strange that they are quite rare in cultivation. But still I cannot help wondering why this is such an under appreciated genus.
Leptotes bicolor is a lovely epiphyte from the subtropical rainforests and […]
This lovely Dracula has been blooming for me non-stop since last summer. The four flower spikes just keep on producing new flowers one after the other. You can see the next bud on deck behind the flower in the photos. I really love the classic Dracula “monkey face” along with the spiky hairs of the flowers… they look like icicles or tiny stalactites. The […]
This amazing creation has been well worth waiting for… I have been watching the scary looking buds swell for weeks now and finally the amazing, fleshy and brutal creations have opened! It is something straight out of an H.R. Giger painting …or perhaps Little Shop of Horrors – and I love it!! I knew what the flowers were supposed to look like when I […]
It is not hard to see how this Masdevallia got its name. The elegantly compressed sepaline tube is very distinct and somewhat reminiscent of a swan’s neck. Although I find the shape curiously intriguing, what is most impressive about this species is the sheer size of the flower in comparison to the plant. The flower is held well above the leaves and the long and […]