Friday, June 11, 2010

Winter colors - Cattleya Orchids



































Here in AU we are in the beginning of winter with cold and rainy weather, at times experiencing strong icy winds from Antarctica and our beautiful and lush tropical gardens look a bit muted, waiting for a spring time when a new growing cycle will start it's magic in our part of the world, however it's great anticipation time for orchids growers and collectors since Cattleya orchids are in flower at the moment, giving us much needed color infusions.

My Cattleya's just started flowering and with the names like "Sweet Valentine", "Tokyo Girl", "My Blue Heaven", "Firewalker", "Pink Angel" - who can resist these flamboyant beauties!

Cattleya's are one of the most popular orchids with orchid hobbyists as well as the general gardeners and these days have many spectacular varieties and forms. They are the easiest of all orchids to grow, being very tolerant of poor conditions and neglect.

This species are widespread in the American tropics, mainly in costal Brazil and the Andes. There is also significant Cattleya occurrences in Mexico and other Central American countries.
These orchids are quite easy to grow and in our climate need light shade during summer, lot's and lot's of water during hottest part of the year and a bit of a shelter during colder months. They are quite forgiving plants and store their energy in large bulbs, which means that even inexperienced orchid novice will be able to grow them, since they recover very quickly from any neglect.

Right at this moment it's raining quite heavily outside, cold with strong winds sweeping everywhere, dark clouds with a bit of thunder somewhere close - I am off to the greenhouse for much needed color therapy with my Cattleya's and their magical blooms!

10 comments:

  1. I can see how tending these beauties would be so therapeutic during a cold dark winter ... they are beautiful! Up here in the north our winter is very different ... it's the best time to be out in the garden.

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  2. What beauties. Cattleya are very popular in the UK as they grow so well. Summer here - at last.

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  3. Love to grow those but I live in a zone 11 coastal area in Ajman UAE.

    Your winter is starting & here we are into mid summer season :)

    All the best.

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  4. Lovely photos! What beautiful orchids. I'm going to enjoy visiting your blog to see the pics. Thanks!

    Nanina

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  5. Thank you everyone for allowing me to share with you these magical blooms.

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  6. The cattleya orchids are the ones I really love - there is a fabulous image of them buried in my blog in archives - 18c oil painting w hummingbirds. If you are interested let me know and I will email it to you .

    Found you through Blotanical.

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  7. I like your saying of getting your much needed color therapy. That's what makes orchids so special. Thanks for the photos and the education information.

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  8. Hi nice pics of nature based. love to see more .
    news

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  9. Wish we could get colorful flowers like that outside during the winter. The best we can do is snow.

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  10. Nice orchid pictures....the post as well.
    I dream to have an Australian Orchid, but cannot find here in Malaysia.
    Happy gardening.

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