What’s My Favorite Orchid?
What’s my favorite orchid? My answer to that question has always been “whatever’s in bloom right now.” Of course, there are special ones, but I can’t narrow it down to a single winner. Instead, I’ll invent a few categories to help out.
Favorite flowers – Masdevallias are my favorites, but it was a tough call to choose just one. It’d be easy to pick Masdevallia coccinea or Masdevallia veitchiana, but I’m going to say it’s Masdevallia chaparensis. My plant was a gift from a friend. Its charming spots look like they could belong to a purple jaguar.
Favorite fragrance – Dendrobium x delicatum is an Australian hybrid. Its flowers aren’t big or colorful, but they have a rich, sweet honey perfume. Mine grows outdoors all year, reliably blooming for a couple months each spring. I can often smell it from halfway across the garden.
Favorite overall plant – Paphiopedilum venustum var. album is a showstopper, boasting dramatic green and white flowers. The beautifully mottled leaves guarantee this Lady Slipper is attractive even when out of bloom.
Favorite for sentimental reasons – I don’t even remember when or where I got this big pink Cymbidium hybrid. It must have been during the 1990’s. I don’t know its name. Dave and I repotted this enormous plant a couple years ago into a 2-foot (61 cm) wide pot. Sometimes it stays in bloom for 11 months, only taking a short break before it begins again.
Favorite for toughness – My big red Epidendrum has flowered constantly outdoors for over 20 years, enduring heat waves, hail storms, powerful winds, cold spells, and raccoon mischief. Unusually, it readily grows from seed in the garden. It may be Epidendrum x obrienianum, but I’m not sure. I’ve shared its keikis with many friends and neighbors over the decades.
Favorite that I’ve lost – The original white Moth Orchid that got me hooked on orchids was a gift from a friend who later died. It bloomed regularly for over 20 years, but I sadly lost it to a virus. Fortunately, I still have photos and memories.
Explore posts in the same categories: Fragrant Orchids, Misc, Photos
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