If you’d enjoy having a pet bird, but don’t want the noise, smell, and mess, this little orchid may be your solution. Named Ornithophora, its flowers look like little birds with head, beak, long neck, and wings spread out behind. As an added bonus, it has a light, sweet scent. I’ve been growing this reliable […]
When it comes to the all-time record holders for blooming orchids, look no further than the Epidendrum family. The 3 varieties pictured here share the admirable distinction of staying in bloom all year in our garden. The red ones have been blooming continuously for over 6 years, persisting even in our cool, gray winters. They […]
From the equator to the poles, today the entire planet has 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. As the seasons cycle on, our garden is still in full swing. We’re enjoying these sunflowers, passionflowers, and amaryllis. The amaryllis originally came from Dave’s garden in New Orleans, where it bloomed during the summer […]
The phrase “stiff upper lip” usually describes the resolve of the British people, but it’s also an apt description for this Cyrtochilum. This orchid is an Oncidium relative from high-elevation cloud forests in the South American Andes, and it looks like it has teeth. The white “teeth” are actually part of the flower’s lip. It […]
The most popular orchids sold today are Phals, or Moth Orchids. Since their blooms can last for months, and they grow in the same light and temperature ranges of our homes and offices, their popularity is easy to understand. It’s no wonder that orchid growers have concentrated their attentions on this genus, and created thousands […]
As promised, here are some additional photos from our trip to San Francisco’s Conservatory of Flowers. I’ll start with more warm growing orchids, like these 2 gorgeous Paphs, followed by 2 colorful members of the Oncidium family. Among its thousands of tropical plants and flowers, the Conservatory has a resident gecko population to help with […]
Millions of tourists visit San Francisco every year to see the sights, but since Golden Gate Park is across town from most hotels, a lot of people miss it. That’s a shame, because the park has plenty to see. The Conservatory of Flowers is a stunningly beautiful building, both inside and out. It’s a quick […]
If you didn’t know better, you might think that these flower buds look like the very hungry plant Audrey II, from the classic film and musical Little Shop of Horrors. Fortunately, this orchid doesn’t have teeth and doesn’t eat people, so there’s no danger. Once the buds open, these flowers lose their threatening facade, and […]
This little beauty belongs to the enormous Bulbophyllum genus of the orchid family. Its bright orange flowers have dark red spots that inspired its scientific name, Bulbophyllum pardalotum, which means spotted like a leopard. The small flowers are 3/4 inch (2 cm) across. This species is native to the Philippines, where it’s a neighbor to […]
Mini orchids have all the charms of larger plants, but you can fit a lot more of them in the same space. With small leaves and tiny flowers, this Oberonia certainly qualifies as a mini. Each flower is only the size of a grain of sand at 0.06 inches (1.5 mm.) I tried to count […]
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