When you think Zygopetalum, think purple. There are dozens of Zygo species and hybrids, and every one I’ve seen has great purple color. The hybrid Zygo in these pictures has a spectacular purple lip, but that’s not its only distinction. The 3 inch (8 cm) flowers can last for months, and have a strong fragrance. […]
No, this Dracula orchid doesn’t bite your neck or sleep in a coffin, but this miniature is interesting in its own right. Dracula means “little dragon” in Latin, and the botanist who named this genus thought that the flowers looked like dragon’s teeth. I think they look more like orange bells, but I’m grateful for […]
This mini Masdevallia relative, with a flower smaller than a pea, has a long name, Scaphosepalum. Despite its diminutive size, it’s capable of staying in bloom for months or even years at a time. The new flowers emerge in succession along a lengthening spike, while the older flowers fall off. Several years ago, this orchid […]
Related to Miltonia, Oncidium, and Odontoglossum, this charming mini species is an easy orchid. Cochlioda vulcanica is frequently used in hybridization, cross-bred with orchid relatives to pass on both its hardiness and its beauty. It lives in tropical cloud forests at high elevations in the Andes, where it is pollinated by hummingbirds. The side view […]
Cymbidiums are popular orchids, and here on the California coast, Cymbidium blooming season has started. This yellow one, possibly Cymbidium Golden Elf ‘Sundust,’ is a hybrid of Cymbidium ensifolium, which has traditionally been grown in China, Korea, and Japan for centuries. To grow these beauties with their sweet, richly scented flowers, you need to provide […]
I’ve heard orchid growers say that if nothing’s dying, then you’re not learning anything. True to form, when I kill an orchid, I try to figure out what went wrong so that I don’t repeat the mistake. With my coroner’s hat on, I’ll show you these pictures from happier times, before this orchid kicked the […]
Say what? You don’t need to be able to pronounce Myoxanthus to enjoy its funky flowers. If you do want to pronounce it, say “MY-oh-zan-this,” rhymes with “try go Kansas.” This orchid is a relative of Masdevallias, and enjoys high humidity, cool temperatures, and constant air circulation. Its native home is Peru and Ecuador on […]
Labellum is the Latin word for “lip,” and the labellum of an orchid flower is a modified petal that is often its most ornate feature. This Paphiopedilum features a prominent labellum shaped like a cup. These Phalaenopsis flowers have a labellum with a yellow center surrounded by 3 lobes. Usually, an orchid labellum is at […]
There are a few of days of spring left, so it’s still repotting season. It’s best to repot orchids in the spring, and I have lots of orchids, so I always seem to be trying to catch up with this gardening chore. Doing this in spring, just as most are starting a cycle of growth, […]
Well, a little sub-tropical heat wave, anyway. We’ve had almost 3 weeks of fog-less days, unusual weather for this time of year in San Francisco. For the past few days, it’s stayed in the 80’s or 90’s F (27-37C.) That’s warm for us, since the fog bank usually starts to air-condition the coast in spring. […]
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