Orchid blog
This blog is dormant at the moment, but it is still getting a lot of visitis so I will keep it up for you guys as a resource. My future adventures will be published on my new blog, hope to see you there!
My focus… if pressed to name favorites it would have to be orchids of the Pleurothallid Alliance. But a Paphiopedilum was the first orchid I ever fell in love with so slipper orchids will always be close to my heart, and while we are on the subject I might as well disclose a love affair with Neofinetia as well.
Almost the smallest orchid in the world
Platystele microtatantha is one of the smallest orchids in the world. The flower is not much bigger than the tip of a pen at about 2-3 mm or so, I admit it is a bitch to measure... The whole plant, even though it is quite a healthy specimen, does not measure more than a couple of centimeters across. The worlds smallest orchid ever found (to date) was actually not discovered that long ago, and it [...]
Bulbophyllum pulchellum
Such a beautiful and exotic looking orchid.... this is one I am kind of holding on to even though I don't really have the space. I have bloomed it sucessfully on the windowsill, but I get one, perhaps two flowers. In the warm/intermediate vivarium I get about 5 flowers per bulb, and all the bulbs bloom. So I grow it in the very, very small vivarium (really meant for minis) even though I cannot really [...]
Trichosalpinx orbicularis
This is one of several types of Trichosalpinx orbicularis, a warm to intermediate growing epiphyte from Central- to nothern South America where it grows at elevations of 180 to 1500 meters. I just could not stop photographing this fantastically photogenic species, such amazingly showy and voluptuous flowers. They measure about 2,5 mm. each and are held like a bunch of 9-10 grapes under the leaf. The coloration feels somewhat vintage, and just perfectly harmonious and looks perfectly edible like [...]
Sigmatostalix costaricensis
This fascinating looking species hail, as the name suggests, from Costa Rica. It produces a remarkable display of flowers with an uncanny resemblance to a flock of birds resting on a wire. A fairly forgiving species, a strong grower both in the shade and in brighter conditions. Apparently it can produce multiple inflorescences per pseudobulb, but mine has produced but one with twelve flowers this year. That is still about double the output from last year, so I [...]
Neofinetia falcata
I am really enjoying the Neofineta season this year... I have had one plant after the other releasing each other since this summer, filling the orchid room with the lovely scent of vanilla and spices. This is the regular white variety, but a fairly recent acquisition ('Hisui') with a nice yellow hue is coming up next, the buds are about to open any day now. Something to look forward to. I grow this, like all my [...]
Ascocentrum garayi
Vandas on summer vacation usually pays off in a big way. Here is one of this season's vacationers that is blooming right now. Such a lovely mini, the flowers measure no more than 2 cm across but the sheer amount make up for any shortcomings in size. The the intense orange color shine like a sun in the fall gloom of rain and darkness, and I appreciate it immensely! It makes me smile every morning when [...]