AboutOrchids

Given the right growing conditions, some orchids can flower for a really long time. I have bragging rights for a few reliable and consistent plants in my collection. Pictured in the first row of photos above, my grand champion is the red Epidendrum which has bloomed continuously for 23 years. Living outdoors, it endures strong […]

Pleurothallis orchids don’t have the largest or most colorful flowers, but they can be fascinating. These two species exemplify their charms. In the photos above, the first is Pleurothallis viduata, a miniature from Ecuador.  I bought it at Orchids in the Park this past July. Its white and purple flowers bob in the breeze on thin, […]

Being an orchid geek, one of my favorite things is blooming a species for the first time. When this unusual Stenia pushed out a single flower bud, I was excited. Over several weeks, the bud fattened up, and finally opened to reveal a fascinating blossom. Stenia vasquezii has a spotted flower with a lip folded […]

When is a rose not a rose? Maybe when it’s an orchid that smells like a rose. This mini orchid has small flowers with big fragrance. I’ve blogged before about this beautiful Caucaea species. It’s an easy cool grower with a delicious rose scent. Last autumn, this plant’s blooms were damaged during a windy storm. […]

For years, I’ve needed glasses to see small things. Despite that, I bought this lovable little Lepanthes orchid at February’s Pacific Orchid Expo. I knew that its blossoms would be tiny, colorful specks. A month after bringing it home, it popped open a flower, then another, and another. It’s kept going ever since. The charming […]

This brilliant pink Cochlioda orchid has been a reliable bloomer for years. I bought this charming miniature almost two decades ago, and it flowers every autumn. Each of its spikes can hold over two dozen blossoms which open sequentially, so the pink keeps going for three or four months. This fall, it’s already been in […]

A newly discovered orchid has been named for Sir David Attenborough. Lepanthes attenboroughii from Peru joins the list of living things named in honor of the famed British biologist, author, broadcaster, and environmentalist. Lots of species already bear his name, including a butterfly, gecko, snail, pitcher plant, and even a dinosaur. I believe that this […]

Our Pacifica garden is finishing up the summer with radiant orchids. There are lots of great colors, small blossoms and large, and a swelling seedpod on my Prosthechea. It must be have been pollinated by a busy little Anna’s Hummingbird. The fruit has been growing for over two months already, its wilted flower still hanging […]

This Caucaea was a great find at a San Francisco Orchid Society sale last year. It’s a cool-growing miniature with a strong, sweet fragrance. Caucaeas are in the Oncidium family, and they’re named after the Cauca region of the northern Andes. Caucaea is pronounced “kaw-KAY-uh.” This species is Caucaea phalaenopsis, named for its resemblance to […]

Blue is a rare floral color, but the vast orchid family doesn’t disappoint, so it is possible to find true blue orchids. Some feature brilliant tones, while others have subtle hues. There are also imposters. Blue Moth Orchids in the supermarket are actually white blooms which are injected with dye. Many orchid varieties with “blue” […]