September's Back to School Orchids

That's a beauty, Bree. Any fragrance? I have one similar that I got last summer, but I potted it up in too big a pot, and it's done nothing but make leaves since then. Good news is it has reached the edge of the pot already so I have hopes.

Mj, if SO builds you that pergola . . you could hang his Den pets permanently, then throw frost cloth or plastic over it in winter for more 'greenhouse' space? I saw one with slanted boards spaced over the top like louvers, strategically angled so they let the sun in when it was low in winter, but shaded out the overhead sun in summer. Clever, and very attractive.

yes smells like a typical orchid but with honey undertones.

I spent the entire day manning the MG desk at the Extension Service and it was as busy as it could get. I'm exhausted.

Jim

Opening for me today is B. nodosa X C. netrasiri 'waxy'.

Jim

Also open is Onc. Butterfly.

Jim

Ooo, I love that B. nodosa cross! I'm just partial to that graceful flower form.

I wonder if the petals keep that rosy color or fade to orange like some of mine do? Update us with pics if it changes?

Elaine

I was bounced out of bed by tremendous thunder claps and a pounding rain at 4:30 this morning and it just kept coming. I went to church in the rain and came home in the rain and it is still misting at 5:00 this afternoon. The back 40 is once again a swamp. This has been one wet rainy season and to think my aunt and uncle lost their corn crop to drought in Indiana.

It is hard to take pictures because the camera lens keeps fogging up but I discovered Brassavola cucullata in bloom this afternoon. I am thankful for the OC as I'm sure I would be fighting major root rot without it.

Jim

The ever faithful Pshchopsis butterfly is back at it.

Jim

I feel like I'm talking to myself again.


Out in the OC, C. Lueddemanniana, var. alba X self is beginning to open:

Jim

I just discovered Lc. George Baldwin X C. Trithena is in bloom. The spike came out the back facing the windows and I never noticed it. This orchid is an over achiever.

Jim

I'm listening! Love the last two you posted. It's been pretty quiet here; just need to repot some of my orchids when it decides not to rain.

Melanie

This message was edited Sep 10, 2012 3:23 PM

Here is an update on B. nodosa X C. netrasiri 'waxy'.

Jim

I'm glad you're still alive, Melanie. I was about to call 911 to go look for you. :>)

And another update on Bc. Mermaid 'Janice:

Jim

Last one for today is Blc. Golden Tang which is still in bloom and is sending out a new spike. It's been blooming for months.

Jim

I like the netrasiri "waxy" orchid. I have one that is a cross with that but I can't remember what the other parent is. I just know I liked it; it's a deep red color and has that waxy look.

Oh, there is something going on - I'm going to the Lakeland orchid show this weekend! I can't wait to be orchid rich and money broke.

Melanie

I'm still lurking, and enjoying your pictures too, Jim. I've been sewing, since it's been so wet outside. First grand-daughter expected in early November will have a designer wardrobe at the rate I'm going.

I have nothing new to post, since my Blc. Mem Hans Graf X Blc Edisto is still hanging fire! As Charlie Brown would say "Arrgghh!" Looks like four buds coming along!

Another agony, I am once again fighting off the black plague - one of my little experiment orchids has lost all but two leaves. All the chids I left out at summer camp are fine. It's going around the ones inside the pool cage!

Magenta spathoglottis are coming on strong.

My local nursery sold out of their spathoglottis but is getting a new shipment in tomorrow or Wednesday. It's for the best as the ones they had were orange but the ones they're getting in are yellow and purple. I wanted a yellow one anyway and purple is my favorite color. Thanks to everyone who posted a picture of their spathoglottis - now you made me want one!

Melanie

Still here Jim, and enjoying the pix. Everything here is drying out. I have another bud on my Psychopsis and Carol's Gerberara has new spikes and flowers, but not much else happening.

Nothing new for me today except this little NOID Dendrobium which just opened the first on a long bloom spike. I bought it for $4.00 in Apopka when I was up there with Elaine. It has no papers, so to speak, but I love the soft colors.

Jim

Hi All! Catching up on the wonderful world of orchid photos. Jim, love your cucullata. It is their time to bloom. Mine is doing nada this year.

I'm still in the process of trying to catch up after months of wedding preparations. The orchid to-do list is very long and cold weather is not so far off. Like Elaine, I have been busy with sewing. For me it involves quilting the piecework table toppers I made for DD's wedding party into a wedding quilt. That might keep me busy for a few years.

I have this old $1 Lowes rescue, a three way cross, Pot. Immaculate Heart 'Hilo Red' x Blc. Jeremy Island x Slc. Wendy's Redstone. First time in bloom. Pretty floofy for me. Well, the colors in the photo are accurate.

Bc. Richard Mueller x C. aclandiae is on its last of three bloom spikes. At least this time I got the pair of flowers.

Like Jim, I too have Bc. Little Marmaid 'Janet' starting to open. That is not a misspelling. It was registered out of Japan as Marmaid. I got this orchid at least four years ago as a "baby in a bag". It has never bloomed before. I potted it last year in chopped wine corks (see last photo). It has three spikes and seven flowers its first time out.

Goodness! I just figured out you can highlight all the photos you want to post at one time and load them all! What a time saver. :)

These photos do not do this Beallara Tropic Tom justice. This has been a reliable bloomer for me.

Jim's Pholidota imbricata from a few days ago. It's much more open today but photos will have to wait.

Such beauties, Laurel. The Pholidota is really interesting.

Have to wonder where they came up with "Marmaid" though - not a mermaid and not a barmaid . ... LoL

That big purple Catt of mine still hasn't opened.

Jim, Thanks for keeping us in pics! We're all lurking here, but as Ted said, just watching things dry up in this part of the country. I've got a couple of blooms, but they are being verrry slow to open, and what has opened is pretty pathetic. We got a break today...78 with 58% humidity at 3:oo pm ! Supposed to go back up to 90 by Fri., so I'm enjoying a break from the watering today. I'll try to get a couple of pics, if I can between breezes.
Laurel, good to see you back! Hope your Pholidota doesn't smell as bad as the one I have!

Elaine, Marmaid is just the way the hybridizer registered the name with the Royal Hort.Society. The orchid was hybridized in Japan,the movie was popular at the time, it happens all the time. I mean, isn't the American version of voila "walla"? BTW, I cringe when I hear that.

A big shout out to Jim who has kept this forum going through thick and thin.

This message was edited Sep 11, 2012 6:13 PM

Anybody see the bit on the news about Will and Kate at the Botanical Gardens in Singapore? They had an orchid named for them, and also saw one that was named for Diana. Neat thing, all around, but the plants are simply magnificent! It's not up on YouTube yet, but soon, I'd imagine.

Yup, the Princess Diana orchid sure was beautiful. I'm glad Will and Kate got to see it.

Melanie

Jim, better put a guard dog out in the OC....I'm on my way down to steal that B. nodosa X C. netrasiri 'waxy' !!
Then I'm going to have to make a trip up to Laurel's for that Beallara Tropic Tom
Two more for my wish list for sure !!

Elaine, .if my darn boarders would quit breaking things in the barn, and we could get some of these other farm projects caught up we could maybe finally get to building the pergola or at least a structure of some sort to supplement the greenhouse. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr LOL....,.

Christensonia vietnamica x Vanda cristata....I have two of these and they bloom different colors, unfortunately the pic of the other one got lost when I had all the computer issues so will have to wait for it to bloom again.

What a pretty little green guy, there Mj! I'm sure you'll get your pergola eventually. Then miraculously it will fill up with plants . .

Finally! I have a big purple flower today. Color washed out just a bit in the bright morning light.

Plus a lady brought in an orchid to the Extension help desk for ID last week, turned out to be Monk's Orchid, Oeceoclades maculata. She was so grateful for the ID and prompt reply, she turned up at the desk again yesterday with 6 of them as a gift for me! Now, I'm in a quandry as to what to do with them. They will naturalize beautifully out there under my oak trees, BUT the article we found with lots of great info on them has them classified as a Cl. 2 invasive weed! The fellow writing the article disagrees with that classification saying that although they do re-seed themselves quite readily, they do not form a monoculture and choke out other plants like most invasives. http://www.flnativeorchids.com/natives_gallery/oeceoclades_maculata.htm

I'd sure appreciate all your opinions on this, and also if anyone would like one, I'll be glad to share. I have 7 nice starts at the moment.

This message was edited Sep 12, 2012 11:58 AM

I would love to have one. I have been looking for one since I know they grow in S. Florida.

Wow, I went to choir practice last night and missed all of this action. Great show, Laurel, and it is nice to have you back. I am especially fond of the Bc. Richard Mueller cross. No sign of a bloom spike on my rattlesnake yet but it is her season. And thanks for mentioning the Brassavola cucullata. I think it is the best orchid I posted this month and it got passed everyone.

MJ, the best guard dogs I know about are in Apopka and Laurel will confirm that. I adore your Christensonia vietnamica x Vanda cristata. Very nice!

Elaine, I'll take one of the monk's orchids and grow it in a pot in the OC, thanks. I also have to scratch my head when I read the official Florida invasive list. I have a well behaved Black Surinam cherry that is always labled invasive. It produces enough cherries to feed me and the critters and I say it stays.

Also, thanks everyone for the kind words. I think this is a good site where I have learned a lot and made some friends. Let's work together to keep it going.

I have another new one that opened last night. This is L. tenebrosa X Blc. Chinese Bronce 'Marco Polo'.

Jim

C. Lueddemanniana, var. alba X self has opened up a little more to give me a better picture.

Jim

Miltassia Aztec 'Toni' is just covered with blooms and spikes. It's a great plant.

Jim

That C. Lueddemanniana, var. alba X self is my kind of plant! Pretty, pretty!

I called the nursery today and they only got in orange (my least fave color) spathoglottis so I'll see if I can find one in a different color this weekend at the Lakeland show. Or any other orchid that jumps into my arms, LOL! I'm sure there will be plenty begging to come home with me.

Melanie

I will keep an eye open for one, Melanie.

Jim

Melanie, orange is one color of spathoglottis that I don't have - and I love it! Which nursery did you see them at?

If you're there any time soon again, would you snap a picture of the orange ones for me, please?

Btw, the trick at those orchid shows is to walk all the way around the displays once before you let yourself buy anything. That way you don't see the one plant you REALLY wanted after you've spent all your money.

The orange spathoglottis are at Duncheon's Nursery in Land O' Lakes. I will take your advice about the orchid shows - I only have a few must-haves on my list so I think I can manage to do one loop before the cash comes out!

Melanie

This just opened its even better than my Blc. Mem Anna Balmores x Lc. Melody Fair thats still open(pic 2). Ill have to go look whats its name is though.