If you’re welcoming today’s summer solstice by enjoying some time outdoors, it’s always a good idea to keep your eyes open for whatever surprises nature can offer. Some can be so petite that they’re easy to overlook, but I find it’s often worth the effort to be observant. Case in point: these delightful Orchis flowers, […]
With cool, foggy weather here in San Francisco, and even some unusual late spring showers this week, it’s the perfect climate for Masdevallias. No wonder that we have 3 different kinds in bloom at once. This first set shows a great purple hybrid with typical Masdevallia traits, like the triangular shape and bright colors. The […]
This unusual orchid is a Pterostylis. If you don’t enjoy trying to pronounce Greek scientific names, you’ll be happy to know that Pterostylis are nicknamed “greenhoods” in their native Australia and New Zealand. The bug-eaten pair of flowers in the first set of photos shows the unusual flower shape, including a slightly twisted flower lip […]
Spring is in full swing with a heat wave here in San Francisco, setting record highs yesterday and today. While yesterday we reached 93F (34C,) today there are some high clouds than are keeping it down to a more manageable 87F (31C.) Since most people here, including me, don’t have air conditioning, stinking hot is […]
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 […]
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