Restrepia is one of the more flamboyant genera in the orchid world. The colors and patterns found in these species are just incredible. I think Restrepia brachypus is right up there with the most beautful ones with its striking bright yellow and rust striped lip and purple antennas. It is a cool to cold growing epiphyte from the mountains of South America where it can be found on altitudes from 1180 to 3200 meters. Flowers measure […]
An incredibly beautiful Lepanthes and a strong grower in my collection. It has been blooming continually since early summer and is still going showing no signs of slowing down. Flowers measure about 3 mm and the name refers to the reflexed dorsal sepal. I love the shape, severe and graceful all at once. The leaves are beautiful as well. This species really has it all, everything that makes Lepanthes great. See the cool illustration on […]
Oh you guys already know about this one. I have mentioned it before and I finished building it this summer, but here comes the photo evidence finally. The third vivarium in my very small growing space, but I make it work. It is nowhere near as large or as technically complex as the cool vivarium, but it does the job. It is an intermediate vivarium dedicated to vandacesous orchids, primarily Neofinetia but a few Vanda, Ascocenda […]
This is new to my collection. I bought it in bud from German grower Karge in September as I just cannot seem to resist anything Neofinetia, pure or not… This is a very nice Neofinetia cross called Ascofinetia Peaches, a name obviously inspired by the lovely color. Ascofinetia is an intergeneric hybrid between Ascocentrum and Neofinetia. The seed parent of this particular cross is Ascocentrum curvifolium, with the pollen parent Neofinetia falcata. Much of the shape is clearly Neofinetia, but […]
The princess… a very nice vandaceous hybrid known for its gentle temper and willingness to bloom in less than ideal conditions. Ascocenda Princess Mikasa is a cross between Ascocenda Royal Sapphire and Vanda coerulea. This is the fairly new white variety, known as ‘Tayanee White’, where the alba form of Vanda coerulea produce this lovely color. This particular […]
A small, warm to hot growing, calcicoles terrestrial species from Southeast Asia where it grows in shaded limestone fissures from sea level up to about 200 meters. This is, in my opinion, the most beautiful species in the lovely Brachypetalus subgenus, a group of Paphiopedilum priced for its beautifully mottled or tessellated leaves. In the case of Paphiopedilum niveum the snow white flower is complemented by stunning blue-gray mottled leaves […]
I am so happy about seeing this wonderful species blooming. I got this division from a friend earlier in the summer and it did not take long before a bud started forming, and what a result! The flower is quite large in comparison to the plant and the flower is covered in little hairs making it look as if it was made out […]
I just adore Paphiopedilum micranthum, but I have not managed to keep my pure species plant alive, so instead I have to “settle” for the offspring in the several primary hybrids with micranthum that I grow, this being one of them. Paphiopedilum Magic Lantern is a very successful cross between P. micranthum x delenatii. Sweet and easy to grow (yet slightly boring… sorry) delenatii taming micranthum making […]
A wonderfully fragrant Phalaenopsis species from Malaysia and Sumatra where it grows at an altitude of about 150 meters. It is a warm growing pendulous epiphyte with nice waxy flowers of light violet hues on a cream base. Some say the fragrance is a mix of bubble gum and cinnamon, but I think it smells more like Lilly of the Valley with a hint of Jasmine […]
The summer is approaching. Two more weeks of work before some needed vacation time. The temperatures have been mercifully low for the season, making the cool vivarium easier to manage. This lovely Lepanthopsis floripecten is one of the lovely ochids in bloom in there at the moment. I love the long lasting flowers, looking like a delicate string of pearls glowing like gold moving […]
