Archive for the 'Mini Orchids' Category
Tuesday, October 6th, 2015
Orchid casualties are inevitable in any collection, even for experienced growers. My latest loss was this adorable mini Oncidium species, a victim of some devilish raccoons. I bought this plant many years ago, and always grew it outdoors. It’s been a stubborn species, and only bloomed for me twice. A couple weeks ago, I found […]
Categories: Cool Growers, Mini Orchids, Photos, Problems
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Wednesday, September 16th, 2015
Orchids grow all over the world, not just in the tropics. High in the mountains, canyons, and plateaus of Southwest Colorado, many remarkable native orchid species thrive, despite the harsh conditions. Dave’s mother lives in the Four Corners area of Colorado, and, like her son, has a great photographic eye. She and her hiking pals have […]
Categories: Cool Growers, Mini Orchids, Orchids in the Wild, Photos
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Thursday, May 28th, 2015
Tiny Lepanthopsis astrophora has a name that’s bigger than the plant itself. This miniature orchid species is an eager bloomer, with lots of flowers resembling little purple stars. Fortunately, this small Masdevallia relative is easier to grow than it is to pronounce. It’s a challenge to get pictures of these mini blossoms, which seem to […]
Categories: Growing, Intermediate Growers, Mini Orchids, Photos
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Tuesday, January 13th, 2015
Cynorkis fastigiata is an unusual orchid from some unusual islands. It would be easy to mistake for a couple blades of grass, except for its strange flowers hovering above. This small species is native to Madagascar and nearby islands in the Indian Ocean: the Seychelles, the Comoros, Mauritius, and Reunion. This species can grow as […]
Categories: Dormancy, Intermediate Growers, Mini Orchids, Photos, Warm Growers
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Saturday, July 5th, 2014
These unusual flowers belong to a fascinating orchid. This species has beautiful blooms, a pleasant scent, and a hard-to-pronounce name. Eurychone is Greek for “broad funnel,” which describes the wide, round flower lip. To pronounce Eurychone, say “you-rye-CONE-ee.” Eurychones are native to equatorial rainforests in West and Central Africa. They are related to the Angraecum […]
Categories: Fragrant Orchids, Growing, Mini Orchids, Photos, Warm Growers, Watering
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Thursday, May 29th, 2014
Meet Mexicoa, a sunny, fragrant mini orchid. I bought this plant a few years ago, and it’s been a reliable bloomer so far. These cheery yellow flowers have been a welcome harbinger of spring. As the name suggests, this species is native to Mexico. It can handle warm daytime temps as long as it has […]
Categories: Fragrant Orchids, Intermediate Growers, Mini Orchids, Photos
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Saturday, May 17th, 2014
What do the Ghost Orchid and Darwin’s Orchid have in common? Besides their sparkling white blooms, they are also night fragrant orchids. They have no scent during the day, and turn on their perfumes when it’s dark. The six photos below represent just a fraction of night fragrant orchid varieties. I’ve included a few more […]
Categories: Fragrant Orchids, Mini Orchids, Photos
Comments: 3 Comments
Monday, April 7th, 2014
Every now and then, I’m reminded of the adage that you’re not an orchid expert until you’ve killed your weight in orchids. I passed that milestone long ago, and while I kill fewer now, occasionally a weight is added to the scales. For example, I lost this Myoxanthus over the past winter. It died after […]
Categories: Cool Growers, Fragrant Orchids, Mini Orchids, Photos, Problems
Comments: 2 Comments
Tuesday, September 17th, 2013
These magical gems are Pleurothallids, a large, diverse orchid family from Central and South America. They’re popular with orchid growers who enjoy their brilliant colors, fantastic shapes, and compact sizes. Many have names which seem larger than the plants themselves. Masdevallias are the best known Pleurothallids. The first row of photos below shows just a […]
Categories: Conservation, Cool Growers, Growing, Growing Orchids in San Francisco, Intermediate Growers, Mini Orchids, Photos
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Friday, September 13th, 2013
Considering its tiny flowers, this unusual Domingoa can really put on a show. Its thick, speckled leaves produce long stems with tiny purple blossoms. This plant can stay in bloom for more than two months, putting out successive flowers over late summer and early autumn. I’ve had this Domingoa growing outdoors and blooming well for […]
Categories: Dormancy, Growing, Intermediate Growers, Mini Orchids, Photos, Watering
Comments: 4 Comments