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.
Cattleya – a photographic study of sensual perfection
This lovely creation is blooming for me right now. You would have to look hard for a more sensual and lushious flower! The shape, the color, the sweet pearls of glucose excretion... oh it's getting hot in here...! I bought this plant from Marita Åkesson a year and a half ago. The shoot this year grew twice as tall as the previous year, I got two large flowers instead of just one, and they are much deeper in color. [...]
Vanda baby swim
After picking up two more vandaceous orchids last weekend I had to invest in a larger bathtub. You see, this alliance has special needs. They are best grown in bright light, bare root and with good circulation where they can dry up quickly after each watering. Not in stifling large glass jars - I foresee a lot of dead Vanda's thanks to this trend. But they also love water. During the cooler, darker part of the year I water them every [...]
The haul from the orchid show at Sofiero last weekend
The Sofiero orchid show came with sunny blue skies and nice spring temperatures this year. Dear husband and I set out early in the morning to get there when they opened at 10 am. Well, we made it by 10:45 but who's counting. The whole Sofiero park was in bloom, and the castle by the ocean looked almost like a fairytale in the morning dew. Waaait a minute!!! You really think I noticed the dewdrops and fairies [...]
Vanilla ice cream and cotton candy with a diaper chaser…
Let me introduce you to the lovely Phalaenopsis floresensis. This sweet confection of an orchid looks a little bit like old fashioned vanilla ice cream with a tongue dipped in pink cotton candy. Add that to 3 spikes with 9 flowers in total and you got yourself a party! Granted I bought this one already in bud from Marita a few weeks ago so I cannot really take the credit for the flowers - but I will anyway, why [...]
Voila!! The Phalaenopsis bellina has arrived
After a long courtship since I first discovered the flower spike back in march, the Phalaenopsis bellina flower has finally opened up. And wow!! It was really worth the wait. She makes good by her name and then some. Absolutely gorgeous shape, stunning colors, and very fragrant to boot! I must almost say that it might be a good thing that she lives in the vivarium, or the fragrance might almost be too overpowering. As it [...]
Budthroscopy: Cattleya intermedia var. orlata
It's time for a budthroscopy again, this time of my Cattleya intermedia var. orlata. You can see that she is dishing up two flowers this time around. Oh what fun! You can se the last budthroscopy of a Prostechea cochleata here. Ms. Cattleya is feeling shamefully good this spring... the new shoot is nearly twice as big as the ones from last year and she also is producing a lot of excess glucose. The little glittering drops seen both on the cane and on [...]