Odm. Yellow Tiger

One of my odontoglossum orchid currently in bloom - odm. Yellow Tiger is complicated hybrid of close related genera and it flowers with these beautiful, relaxed blooms. The color is deep yellow with nice bright red markings  and it have wonderful herbal/spicy scent that lingers around for a long time.

Like many other odm. orchids Yellow Tiger is a bit temperamental - many specific conditions have to be met before it graces me with it’s flowers. Moisture, humidity, light, temperature, gentle breeze - all of these have to be just right for it to flower and now and then it will reward me with it’s beautiful blooms. Many moons ago I figured out that some orchids have “an attitude” and Yellow Tiger constantly teaching me patience.

Oncidium orchid - Sum Lai Woh “Geyserland”

Oncidium orchid - Sum Lai Woh “Geyserland”

This beautiful oncidium orchid showing off it’s beauty in full at the moment. It flowers with long flower spikes and multitude of medium size perfect flowers - there are so many of them that they hang about all over the place. This is just from one flower spike, and there are  a few new one’s forming already, giving a long display of color that lasts a long time.

This orchid been with me quite a few moons and each season at about this time I look forward seeing it in flower.  “Geyserland” never disappoint - year after year it bursts out with an explosion of perfect blooms just like a geyser.

Dendrobium canaliculatum orchid

One of my miniature dendrobium orchids just started flowering, it's native to northern Australia, the islands of Torres Strait and southern New Guinea. The common name for this orchid is Tea Three Orchid because in nature it always grows in melaleuca woodlands and forests. There are a few variations of colors of this orchid - I have seen some lighter, almost pristine white,  and some darker forms .

In it’s native habitat it likes long dry season during winter and spring so mine spends half of time in the greenhouse and another half outside under the trees - that seems to bring it to flower every season. It’s a beautiful native orchid that quite easy to grow in any home situation  providing it’s not over watered since it dislike soggy condition around it’s roots. Other than that, it’s very low maintenance orchid with beautiful, unusual flowers.

Orchids Oncidium Twinkle varieties - “CT Flamingo” and “Pink Profusion”

Onc. Twinkle CT Flamingo

Onc. Twinkle Pink Profusion

Couple of my onc. Twinkle orchids in bloom at the moment - they produce masses of tiny fragrant flowers on long flower spikes. The Twinkle varieties are  some of the great oncidiums of all times - they are easy to grow, , compact with many color variations. There are pure pristine whites, yellows, pinks and deep reds to suit any grower and collector.

Twinkle is a hybrid between Oncidium cheirophorum and Oncidium ornithorhynchum and was created by  W Moir of Hawaii back in 1958. They are easy to grow, can be flowered next to a window and very popular for their generous flowering habit and heavenly scented blooms.

They don't like direct sunlight so partial shade is perfect for them and should be watered just before they dry out, other than that they are easy to grow rewarding with beautiful scent of vanilla, cherry, fruit and herbs and many many miniature size blooms.

Odm. bictoniense x Wils. Bonne Nuit

This beautiful orchid finally decided to bloom this season, it's complicated cross between closely related genera and been with me for a number of years, yet this is the first time I've seen it's flowers. It went backwoods on me a few times, but each time somehow revived itself.

It's not an easy orchid to grow - because it seems to require constant moisture, but not being soggy, bright but indirect light, dislike extreme temperatures, loves high humidity yet needs gentle breeze. If any of these conditions not met it's just not flowering and I am forever learning with this one.

I love colors combinations, the big showy blooms, the heavenly scent that reminds of many exotic spices and delighted finally to see it in flower.

Rare orchid discovered on the Council’s rooftop

Tiny green-winged orchid was discovered recently by Islington Council workers on the green roof of the Household Reuse and Recycling Centre  in Holloway, UK. Very unusual situation because for this orchid to germinate and produce flowers all the right conditions have to be met - and here this rare orchid decided that rooftop of the Council is the best place for it to grow.

This discovery got all orchid specialists and enthusiasts very exited, since this particular orchid specie haven't been seen or spotted in the area for the past 100 years, it take number of years to germinate and was first recorded by Charles Darwin in London area.

This specie went to decline because it require hay meadow habitat that has been lost due to agricultural intensification, yet somehow Nature decided to give it another chance, on Islington's Council rooftop.

Long Live and multiply Anacamptis morio ( it's Latin Name)  !!!
(Photo - Islington Council)

Cymbidium Tathra Dark Beauty

Cymbidium Tathra Dark Beauty

This beautiful cymbidium just finished it's flowering season and as usual, delighted with it's vivid, special color. Tathra Dark Beauty is a cross between cym. Yowie Flame and cym. Terama and this cross been around for quite a number of years, each season presenting bold, intense deep red with white fringe lip blooms.

In our climate it's late flowering cymbidium, showing off it's beauty well late into the season when there is a gap in blooms and the eye demands some color therapy, it also have long extensive blooming cycle.

This orchid been with me many many seasons and never disappoint - love it's striking, spectacular, confident, uncompromising energy that brings smile to everyone who see it.

Dendrobium thrysiflorum in bloom

This dendrobium orchid just finished flowering - usually it flowers with a couple of flower spikes, but this year it gave 12 flower spikes, all perfectly formed - masses of flowers hanging everywhere!

Cyrtopodium Rustic Surprise

Cyrt.Rustic Surprise 1

Cyrt.Rustic Surprise 2

This beautiful orchid just finished it's flowering season, showing off it's special, luminous blooms.

The specie native to Florida, West Indies and Central America to Argentina and most of them have yellow and cream coloring sometimes described as "drab colors" in orchids publications, but I always wanted to try to grow more intense colors of cyrt. and this one did not disappoint.

The blooms are quite large and luminous and perfectly formed and the plant is of medium size. It's relatively easy to grow in our climate, however need a dry, cool resting period in our winter - "back of the bench" material for about 3 or more months and then as the weather warms up increased watering routine.

Cyrt. Rustic Surprise beautiful orchid that delights with it's colors, textures and slightly herbal scents.

Some of my flowering dendrobium orchids

These beauties just finished it's flowering season, all of them of the nobile variety and they all bloom with masses of colorful scented flowers.
They are one of the popular cultivated orchids and in nature can be found in the area of the Himalayas from India to southern China in deciduous forests, mostly in moderate altitudes. It's a widespread specie with many forms and varieties.

My plants don't get any special attention, all of them grow under the shade of the trees, with occasional watering during hot summer months, they like free draining situation and in our climate they bloom in late spring well into the summer. The flowers are long lasting, up to six weeks with beautiful scent and I love seeing them at the time when majority of my orchids are resting.

Maxillaria tenuifolia

Maxillaria tenuifolia

Being one of the popular orchids for cultivation this maxillaria orchid also been one of my favorite for many years - it's very easy to look after and have the most amazing coconut scent.

In nature it grows in rain forests at low altitudes from Mexico to Nicaragua and hangs from tree trunks forming large clumps. It loves humid weather and in our climate it always blooms at the beginning of summer showing off it's beautiful red coconut scented blooms.

Oncidium Jiuhbao Gold “KBR”

Oncidium Jiuhbao Gold “KBR”

 

 

My Oncidium Jiuhbao Gold blooming right now. It's a beautiful orchid with huge flowers and very nice clear colors. It always produce these large, flamboyant blooms at the end of our winter.

Oncidiums one of the largest genera in the orchid family, currently contain more than 600 species and as far as I remember there have always been name changes in the oncidium alliance, but this of course does not deter orchid growers and collectors - with such multitude of species there are many grown and enjoyed around the world.

There are also many handsome hybrids and varieties made with the species of this and closely related genera and my Jiuhbao Gold "KBR" one of these varieties that have bold, huge blooms that enjoyed by everyone.

Zygopetalum Ocsa Platinum Surprise

Zygopetalum Platinum Surprise

One of my zygopetalum orchid flowering at the moment, it's Platinum Surprise that been with me for quite a few years. It have huge pale color blooms and heavenly scent and flowers lasts a long time.

Zygopetalum orchids are ones of the easiest orchids to grow, they have very minimal requirements in our climate - they like plenty of moisture during the year and then a dry period after they finished flowering. During hot summer they appreciate a bit of shade and I grow mine under the trees.
They are native to Brazil, Peru and other South American countries and grow in moderate altitudes in wet forests. They are very fragrant, delighting with their large, showy blooms.

NOID - Cattleya Orchids

Majority of my cattleya's started it's flowering season, they always bloom during our colder time of the year when it's raining and dark and windy and cold and they always delight with their flamboyant colors and textures.

Most of my catleya's don't have any name tags - they were collected by me over the years from friends who gave them to me when they finished flowering, some were purchased from the back benches of nurseries and garden centers in rather poor states at discounted prices not suitable for quick sales, other found me through neglected gardens. It's interesting that personally I find that cattleya's one of the easiest orchids to bring back to flowering - they just need a bit of shade in our hottest time, plenty of watering and a sunny bench in winter and they recover from any neglect very quickly.

Here are some that are currently in bloom, delighting me with infusion of colors during our colder months -

Dendrobium bigibbum in flower

One of my dendrobiums currently flowering, another name for this orchid is Cooktown orchid and its Queensland's state floral emblem. It's native to northeastern Australia and PNG and many variations of color and form exists for this specie - from pure pristine white to dark purple this orchid delights with abundance of blooms during it's flowering season.

My Cooktown orchid white with many purple stripes at the end of the petals and always flowers at about this time of the year. These orchids are easy to grow for the beginner, not fussy, they like plenty of light and reduced watering in winter. The blooms are long - lasting and new flower spikes are forming during it's growing season giving recurring wonderful display of perfect, beautifully formed blooms.

Cymbidium orchids - new flowering season

Cymbidium orchid "Lucy"

Cymbidium orchid "Orange Gem"

Now that our hot weather well and truly over, some of my earlier cymbidium orchids started their blooming season. Interesting, the first one's to flower were these two purchased by me couple of years ago as small unflowered seedlings with hope of seeing something unusual in color or structure of the blooms. They have spent all this time at the back bench growing and maturing and this is their first flowering season.

Until they flower, one does not know exactly if the seedlings will mature into beautiful orchids and I always hope that I will see special blooms, adding to my ever increasing collection. These two did not disappoint - love the vivid colors, the masses of flowers, the structure of the lip. the plants robust heath - great addition to my cymbidium clan.

Brassia arcuigera

brassia arcuigera

One of my brassia's just finished it's flowering season, again rewarding with masses of delicate, slightly perfumed flowers.
This plant native to Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Peru and like to grow under a light, filtered shade. In it's native habitat it grows in wet rain forests and in home situation it's very easy orchid to grow.

The flowers have slight jasmine scent and last for several  weeks and the plant tolerate normal garden conditions quite easy - it needs plenty of water during growing time and shady situation for most of the year, making it an ideal orchid to grow for the beginners. It also flowers twice a year during spring and early autumn, putting up quite a show of delicate, spidery blooms.

brassia arcuigera1

My stanhopea tigrina var nigroviolacea

Stanhopea tigrina var nigroviolacea

At the moment we are experiencing hot and very humid weather here and not many of my orchids currently in flower, however there is a group that enjoy's this kind of conditions and it's stanhopea orchids.

My stanhopea nigroviolacea flowers opened up this morning and I was able to take this picture as the blooms were unfolding. It have the most magical scent - heavy chocolate mixed with strong vanilla and the smell very forceful and lingers for a long time.

Unfortunately, the blooms only last a few days and then it's all over for another season which will be next year - these orchids are not for an impatient grower, however they have their own unusual beauty and many people appreciate their uniqueness. I find them easy orchids to grow - they need open bottom planters so that flower spikes can push thru, they appreciate shade for most of the year and plenty of watering. Then what's left is just to enjoy them and marvel at Nature's creation.

I can't say enough about stanhopea's and their special beauty, but Barney Greer, one of first Australian experts on this genera documented and described them this way:

"...I couldn't believe my eyes. It's huge savage beauty, it's uninhibited perfume, the incredible sculpture of the lip! The way the buds exploded into life, flaunted their brazen charms like Can Can dancers and then fell in a heap! This was an ORCHID. I was hooked..." B Greer

Dendrobium aemulum "Star Shower"

This beautiful native been with me for quite a few moons, originally purchased as a discounted plant in rather sorry condition yet recovered fully in it's first growing season. Every year it rewards with long spikes and massive displays of scented creamy flowers and usually blooms when all other orchids resting filling the gap nicely.

In it's native habitat it grows in moist areas of eastern Australia and loves plenty of watering especially at the beginning of it's flowering season. Other than that, it's very easy to look after and tolerates most conditions, in winter I grow it in a greenhouse in a sunny spot with some other natives and then take it out under the shade of the trees for the rest of the year.

"Star Shower" is a beautiful orchid, appreciated by everyone for it's masses of scented blooms that reward year after year.

Dendrobium aemulum "Star Shower?

Back to Orchids... Back to blogging...

I've taken a break from my blog for a while and recently decided to get back and start sharing again information about the beautiful orchids that I love.  I needed a break to deal with drama's of life , to travel and to attend to some pressing health issues, to learn and to experience many new concepts and understandings.

I am forever grateful for all messages that I received via this blog and happy that I was able to share with you all my love and fascination of orchids and hope that I will be able to continue to do same in the future.

Here are some pictures of my travels where I tried to capture the mystery and the energy of the places, to learn and to apply the magic of the places and the plants that native to them and to glimpse at the world that is so close to us yet so mysterious.