AboutOrchids

No long orchid name to battle here! Adas announce themselves with brilliant color. This mass of orange petals contains multiple flowers, and looks somewhat like a mound of shredded carrots. Fortunately, a solitary blossom also stands out for the camera.

Related to Odontoglossums and Oncidiums, this Ada species is native to the Andes. It lives as an epiphyte up to 8200 ft. (2500 m) in the mountains of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela,. It’s an easy grower if kept in cool, moist, breezy conditions, and requires a winter dormant period.

These small, tubular flowers open just slightly. Each bloom is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. While they may not readily reveal themselves to human eyes, they’re each perfectly shaped to fit a  hummingbird bill. They share their beauty and hardiness, but not their short name, with Ada hybrids like Brassada, Adaglossum, and Kriegerara.

Explore posts in the same categories: Cool Growers, Dormancy, Photos, Watering

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 4th, 2011 at 9:45 pm and is filed under Cool Growers, Dormancy, Photos, Watering.

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