Time for our new thread for May. We came from: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1305186/
Please join us in posting our May orchid blooms.
I'll start out with Enc. fowliei, a small plant mounted on a piece of cypress. Experts have told me that this plant needs humid wet conditions but it seems perfectly happy on its mount.
Jim
Since we are in Encyclia season down here, I'll continue with Encyclia cordigera, var. rosea. Too bad I can't send along the wonderful fragrance of this one.
Jim
Dendrobium loddigesii is a small plant but it is full of flowers.
Jim
Blc. Frank Fordyce 'Waiakea Uka' is still blooming nicely.
Jim
For those who like red, Epi. Pacific Sizzle 'Flameout X Epi. Pacific Pepper 'Mulligans' is a winner. It is a nice tall read stem Epi.
Jim
Finally, Dendrobium crumenatus, sometimes called the "Pigon Orchid".
Jim
That red Epi is "WOW". I bet the color is even richer in real life. I like the Encyclia cordigera; I'm still glad I picked one up for $5 at Palmer orchids. Now I just need to mount it; Dad cut me a couple of cypress boards that would work well.
Melanie
Encyclia cordigera is a very nice orchid to have and the mid-day fragrance is wonderful.
Jim
Went outside (in the rain) to pick milkweed for the piggies (Monarch caterpillars) and decided to check on the orchids. Oncda. Pacific Pagan ‘Kilauea’ just started its blooming. I got it as a raffle plant at one of the first meetings I attended. I think it looks even better a year later. Hopefully, that means I'm doing something right! I also took a couple more pictures of my newly acquired Lc. Llory Ann 'Paradise' (Lc. Memoria Robert Strait x Lc. Jungle Flare). I took a picture of the whole plant and then a picture of the blooms. It also has more buds and a sheath coming up on it! And it was half price! (Yay!!!)
As much fun as it is to buy blooming orchids, I have to say it's been a lot of fun watching them rebloom. Watching the whole process as it happens has been educational and fun - and it builds confidence in this amateur grower!
Melanie
Nice blooms, Melanie. It really rained a lot today and it is the middle of the dry season so I cherished every drop. The garden is looking great.
Jim
Oncidium leuchochilum is a spectacular orchid. This is a small specimen that I've had since a seedling with a three-plus-foot spike and only its second time in bloom. Very fragrant.
I agree, Laurel, that Oncidium leuchochilum is a beauty. Out in the OC I found a couple of new bloomers. First is Max. tenuifolia. It is a small plant with just the one flower.
Jim
Also, old reliable Encyclia Green Hornet is blooming:
Jim
My Orchids better be appreciating all the humidity & rain drops coming in thru the screening. +8" and still POURING.
Here is a nice Encyclia randii that has not only survived but blooms being out all year with months of neglect. I love orchids. Encycla tampense is also tough as nails and it going into bloom now.
Nice blooms and welcome JP. Yes, it is Encyclia season in Florida.
Jim
I'd like to join the Encyclia club too. Several of mine are coming in to bloom. You Floridians can't lay claim to all the Encyclias! This is Encyclia alata. The spike is over two feet long.
I had to replace my camera last month. Still trying to figure things out. I'm not good with this kind of technology.
This is a favorite. It was Epilaelia Little Nuggets 'Mendenhall' but then a name change made it Procyclea. The color is intense and changes with the light. It gets more mustard colored as the flowers mature.
Tolumnia Popoki 'Mitzi' and Tol. Golden Sunset 'Paprika Dust' hanging out together. 'Paprika Dust' is just beginning to open this new spike and blooming for the second time this season. My Tolumnias got hit with scale this past winter.
All four spikes open on Ascocentrum curvifolium now. However they are paired two and two and difficult to see individually.
What is considered a red form of Maxillaria variabilis. There is also a yellow form. This was a seedling gift from Steve Arthur and now that I've seen lots of them this one has fantastic color.
Another few shots of Maxillaria tenuifolia and a not so clear photo of Max. variabilis to the left for comparison.
BTW, now that about two thirds of the orchids have been moved outside (and I was feeling so guilty about being weeks late with getting this chore done) we're about to get several inches of rain. Then the temps are going down to the forties.
I agree about the fantastic color of the Max. variabilis. That's a beauty. The Epilaelia, aka Procyclea, is a winner as well. Nice show, Laurel.
I just found this Zygo Cynosure 'Blue Birds' blooming:
Jim
This is Epi Mabel Kanda 'Miyao' X Cordigerum 'Paradise'.
Jim
Continuing to bloom is Den. antennatum.
Jim
The last one for tonight is Enc. cordigera 'Chocolate Violets' x Epi. atronecium 'Mother's Day'.
Jim
Here is Enc. Gay Rabbit, Epy. Serena O'Neill 'Hawaii', Epicyclia Mabel Kanda X Enc. Cashen's Brown Sugar
Enc. cordigera 'Chocolate Violets' x Epi. atronecium 'Mother's Day' is another good one, JIm
Maxillaria variabilis is on the list, Laurel. Great color
Sedirea japonica Nagoran.
I'm afraid if I move mine outside the squirrels will eat the buds & flowers.
Ted, I like that Sedirea. Very different and cool!
My little Tol. Orchidom Natalie put out another spike. And my Oncda. Pacific Pagan ‘Kilauea’ is continuing to open its blooms.
Melanie
Sekkoku Dendrobium moniliforme, with a great fragramce
Nice Encyclia, Ted, and that Sedirea japonica Nagoran is a good one as well. I'm not familiar with the Sekkoku Dendrobium moniliforme but I like it and will look it up.
It looks like Melanie, the Catt Lady, is fooling around with Oncidiums. What's that going to do to your reputation? :>)
Woohoo! I just got off of the phone with Andy and pre-ordered five orchids to be picked up at Redlands.
1. Paphinia posadarum
2. Cym. tracyanum
3. Aerides houiettiana (mine up and died for no apparent reason)
4. Epi. parkinsonianum
5. Caularthron bicornutum
This is going to be fun! I'm also trying to line up a palm that I have been looking for forever.
Jim
Nice list. A couple of sizable flowers with Paphinia posadarum and Cym. tracyanum
Seed Engei is the name of the grower. They are at all the shows here, but are usually too expensive for my taste. A lot of neo types. I have seen Neofinetia falcata the size of the division I gave to Carol go for $80. Their pot was nicer, but not $80 worth. Both the Sekkoku Dendrobium moniliforme and the Sedirea japonica Nago-ran were on a side table and marked at $15 each. Both were in bud. Just could not pass them up.
Ted, that was a really good buy!
A couple of new blooms opened last night. First up is Carol's Florida Geberara Snow Ballet:
Also back in action is Blc. Golden Tang.
Jim
I can still be the Catt lady if I didn't actually buy the Oncidium, right? I won it in a raffle, I swear! LOL!
I'm hoping my Vanda Pure Delight stays pretty so I can take it to the meeting later this month. If not, I have another Oncidium in spike that I might take. And my Wilsonara Pacific Lust 'Pretty in Pink' has another spike coming up, too!
Here's Vanda Pure Delight full length and close up.
Melanie
I wish I could grow Vandas. Just so dry here.
Golden Tang is always a great pic, Jim. Love yellow flowers
Ted, did you see how pathetic the Vandas looked at the show? I saw the lady in charge of that booth getting ready to mist them with her little spray bottle, and just walked away quickly..
Love the Vanda Melanie!
They were bad. Fortunately I did not see any being sold. It's a shame that either a vendor has to bring plants like that to a show because of whatever, or that some innocent will be taken in by 'What it WILL look like'
