Off to a new month of flowers. Feel free to post photos and comments here. I'll start us off with Bulbophyllum rothschildianum.
Edited to add we're coming from here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1223355/
This message was edited Nov 1, 2011 5:52 PM
Gotta love Bulbos. I noticed I have one in bloom asa well.
Blooming now is Bc Little Stars. First, the plant.
Jim
Now a closer look at the flower.
Jim
Encyclia 'Green Hornet' is almost always in bloom.
Jim
This is a good time of year for NOID Dendrobiums.
Jim
Here is another.
Jim
And another.
Jim
And yet another.
Jim
A few dancing ladies always brightens up the lanai.
Jim
Finally, Vanda Princess Blue X V. Kasem's Delight.
Jim
Wow, Jim! The bloom force is definitely with you these days. What a nice Dendrobium collection you have. It's so nostalgic to see some of these orchids that I remember from shopping together. Ahh, those were the days before I was chained to the house and 'chids (with no support). Which Bulbo is blooming for you now? It seems most of mine bloom now or in Spring but not in summer. I've got others coming on as well.
I'm going to post a few more of Bulbophyllum rothschidianum 'cause it's so neat. This was from a fat cutting and a first time bloom. Ideally it should have five or six flowers on that umbel. Here's the plant.
The color is off in this photo but I wanted to share a close up of the flower structure. The little "dingles" (my term) in the middle of each flower are the lips, or labellum. They are hinged. If I walk across the floor near the flowers they bobble. I have to wait and stay very still in the greenhut 'til they calm down in order to photograph them. I don't know the purpose of the "hairs" surrounding those upper sepals (I think those are the sepals) but the flowers are pollinated by flies. With that in mind, it's no surprise that they smell like rotten meat. Not bad like some other Bulbos. Still, the beautiful flowers are worth it.
A photo of the flowers from further away but with more true color and the hairs showing well.
Last photo of this to show the flowers from the rear. When the flowers open the tails cross, like crossed legs. The petals fold over on themselves in the front and become recurved.
Yesterday's Psygmorchis pusilla looked like this. Today's flowers are open. I've not had time to photo.
Cleisostoma discolor becomes more colorful as the flowers age. Some orchids, like people, reach their prime late. This one has a long way to go. You can see how the newly opened flower is pale compared to the other two opened earlier this past week. Vandas do this too.
Lovely pics, you two. Laurel those bulbos look like some sort of tropical sea creature!
Jim, I love 'Little Stars' and got one last month at Tropiflora. How much light do your Brassavolas get? I have the two Ladies, plus Little Stars and Yellow Bird inside the pool cage against an east facing wall. They get some peeks of early sunlight through the oak tree, but are in full shade all afternoon.
Elaine
Thanks, Elaine. I've got other Bulbos coming. Bulbos can be so exotic looking. That has spurred a huge interest in Bulbo hybridizing. My interest is mostly species and some of the primary hybrids. That's not to say I'm a snob about it. There are incredible hybrids out there. I've got one coming into bloom now.
This one's for Ted. It's Platystele orteziana http://www.orchidspecies.com/platortiziana.htm That's probably a better photo than I'll ever get. Mine is from a grower in Ecuador. It's in a two inch pot and you can see it's swimming. There are something like five miniscule spikes on it. Too bad orchids aren't sold by the pound. That's a twenty dollar plant.
I know, I know, most of you that last photo looks like nothing but I get so excited when I see the tinies thriving. In that pic you can see the plant and some of the dried blooms from previous blooms. Here you can see one of the spikes coming. These are very difficult to capture considering my amateur photography skills.
Bulbo 'A-dorible Anna Roth' is in spike.
Brassavolas get just slightly less light than Catts. Generally, I give my orchids more and more light until they object, then back off a tad. They tend to adapt over time and more light equals more blooms. It sounds like your Little Stars could use a little more light. My Stanhopeas and Phals get the most shade, followed by the Dendrobiums and Bulbos. Vandas get the most sun followed by the Catts. Epidendrums seem happy most anywhere.
Jim
Oh, I have a different A-dorible cross. Don't think it's doing anything. I have Bulbo. hirtum in spike but I've had the spikes fail on this one in the past. It grows differently than a lot of other Bulbos in that it needs some cool weather and a semi-drying out.
I'm up at Maypop today and took no photos in the greenhut before leaving. Instead I mowed miles of grass when we got here and worked on the flower beds. SO cut down a twenty foot trash tree that was blocking light on my fruit. There are three other small figs to plant and lots of perennials before we dig in for winter.
Thanx Laurel. I just love it. My P. misera has been going non stop since we got it this past July. But it does not do the clumps of blooms, just a string of single blooms on each spike. And for you, Sophronitis cernua is in spike. Pix as soon as I can. Noticed it this morning. Just love these little guys. We had some Santa Ana winds by us today and things are a mess. Knocker over a few plants, but only one paph got blown completely out of the pot. Anything by you Carol?
Hi, Ted! Winds were pretty mild here. I'm tired of this crazy weather! Fog was dripping off everything this morning, but everything was getting crispy this afternoon. I'm going to have to turn on the soakers in the morning...the predicted rain for Fri. isn't going to be enough to do any good....if it happens at all. Getting about time to put in new furnace filters and fire it up in the mornings. Doesn't seem right to heat the house in the morning, then turn on the cooler in the afternoon...sigh.
Same marine layer thing going on here too. You're right, crazy weather. Going to work it's turn on the heater to get the chill out and use the A/C on the way home. Starting tonight and for about the next 2 weeks our lows are going down to the mid to high 40's to low 50's. Now, since I am from Chicago originally, I know those temps would be a blessing in some parts. But here that's cold. I have never brought my orchids in unless it was going into the 30's and that is pretty rare. And even then the big cym's under the magnolia tree are too big to move. This past year I have picked up some new plants that say, like from Andy's, that it should not be lower than 55 for them. So it's in the house for awhile with about 5 plants. And thankfully they are the small ones. Do you bring in anything when it gets in the 40's?
I have in the past, but they don't thrive in my house, sooo this year I'll find out what will make it outside. I've got a roof over them, so they won't rot from the rain, but no walls to protect them from the cold winds. None of mine have thrived this summer anyway with this rollercoaster weather. Orchids don't like temps to go from 100 on Wed. to 67 on Sun., I'm told....
The TV station has posted at least a part of my morning news spot on you tube. Go here if you want to see it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH4nyBdbHOA
Jim
That's great, Jim. You are becoming a terrific educator and proponent of tropicals. If you do decide on a broadcast career you've gotta loose that mid western accent. It's Florida ya know. Youv'e got to hold up your plants and say something like, "This Mejazelbebian cicad is FABULOSO!" Or maybe just say "it's hot". Trust me, I'm a native Fladin. That's the way we talk.
Ted and Carol, sorry about your prevailing wind problem. That does sound funny though. As for the orchids, I don't leave anything out under fifty degrees if I can help it. Most of the plants can survive but it often affects bloom and growth cycles.
We're off to Aiken, S.C. and Steve Arthur Orchids greenhouses very early tomorrow for a day of drooling and maybe a purchase or two. It's about a three hour drive mostly east and then a little north of Atlanta. Supposed to be a beautiful day so I'm really looking forward. It's a pot luck and green growers visit for members of the Atlanta Orchid Society. Forget buying shoes. I'm bringing a baggy of left over toll quarters. lol
We just arrived back in Atlanta a few hours ago. I'll try to get some photos before we leave for Miami.
I'm glad to hear you are taking some fun time to shop orchids. Enjoy, as you've earned the break.
Jim
Thanks. It'll probably be Monday before I have new photos. Hope some of you have orchids to share.
Yeah, Jim. You could become an orchid people instead of swamp people in Louisiana.
You could say "yeah, that orchid is some kinda good plant to have".
I had a drink of Tecilla (spelling ???? not at this time). Otherwise, you would never hear me say something like that. I am gearing up for the LSU vs Ala. game on Saturday. Cajuns start early.
That's been my experience. Enjoy the game.
I'll be watching as well. It should be a good one.
I don't think this Cabernet I'm sipping is going to give me enough push to do that accent. :>)
Jim
Ha ha! I was thinking Jim's mid-western accent was getting just a bit southern! It was a nice piece though.
Andy's recomends 50 degrees for bringing the orchids in too. I have decided that I A. don't have the room, and B. am getting too old (no body will want them when I'm gone), so this is about the strong surviving. Who knows, maybe the weather will be better next year. Ted is 1 Sunset zone up from me...better for tropicals....obviously. One would have to have lived here to understand the effect the topography has on the growing climate. I have reached an age where I'm accepting the things I cannot change. In the meantime, I'll still do my best to keep the local growers in business!
I need to think like you, Carol. I practically need to be medicated when I lose an orchid. That or I have a tantrum! Lol
Yup, even down here in Flah-dah we are getting down into low 50's tonight. brr! I was going to let the strong survive, like Carol, but . . well . . my four little phals sort of followed me into the house tonight.
I have sweatpants on this AM!! Enough cold weather-- I want to go back to warm!!
I didn't know there was an orchid seller in Aiken- I'll have to push to do another horse show there soon. We leave on a cruise in 2 weeks and the only downside to a cruise is bringing plants back into the country. I won't incriminate myself, but it is a bit dicey.
I should have 4 orchids blooming just when we go on the cruise, and then another batch between Christmas and New Years. I fertilized yesterday with a hand sprayer and that was easy-- I'll report back on how it works(like the one the woman uses in the text message ad, but larger)
I was going to plant my $1.00 impatiens from Lowes this morning, but it has to warm up first! Love that 90% off rack!
Debi
It was 56 degrees at the Tampa airport this morning and 59 in the lanai with the windows open. Maybe I'll close the windows tonight just to see the difference. I need to fine tune before things get serious.
Jim
Elaine and Debi, are either of you interested in going along with me to meet Laurel in Apopka? No firm date yet but the 16th or 18th are good guesses. I don't mean to leave anyone else out so Dmail me if you want to go.
Jim
I would love to go, Jim, but I have family in town that week, so am stuck to the ol' homestead.
Next time, for sure! Elaine
Jim:Would love to go as well but am leaving for 10 day cruise on the 18th. We will be in Ocala the first and third weekends of December and coming back south on the 5th and 19th. We could detour and go that way-- anything for new orchid places!
Debi
