Archive for the 'Warm Growers' Category
Tuesday, July 13th, 2021
Vanilla is a very delicious orchid, and it’s one of the most expensive flavorings in the world. The majority of vanilla beans are grown in Madagascar, and the USA imports a lot of them. Scientists are working to establish a vanilla industry in South Florida’s hot, humid climate. A plant geneticist at the University of […]
Categories: In the News, Warm Growers
Comments: Comments Off on Cooking up Winning Recipes with Florida-Grown Vanilla
Monday, June 7th, 2021
My indoor orchid shelves don’t have much room to spare, so if I buy a warm grower, it’s got to be a miniature. At the 2020 Pacific Orchid Expo, I spotted this little charmer for sale. Leptotes pohlitinocoi has a name that I can’t pronounce, but this small Cattleya relative is definitely worth the shelf […]
Categories: Fragrant Orchids, Growing, Mini Orchids, Photos, Warm Growers
Comments: Comments Off on A Lovely Little Leptotes
Thursday, February 11th, 2021
Daisy Orchids, or Cirrhopetalums, earn their nickname from their resemblance to daisies. However, with Daisy Orchids, what looks like separate petals of one large flower are actually separate flowers, each magnificently complex. These blooms are arranged in a circle or semicircle around a center stalk. Many varieties have long, tapering sepals, adding to their charms. […]
Categories: Growing, Intermediate Growers, Photos, Warm Growers
Comments: Comments Off on Circling Around Daisy Orchids
Friday, January 29th, 2021
Vanda orchids are a great remedy for a chilly winter. These happy purple blossoms are shining through our gray and rainy days. They’re the epitome of tropical, and the blooms last for weeks. Each flower is over 4 inches (10 cm) wide and tall. Last year, I blogged about how to grow a Vanda in […]
Categories: Photos, Warm Growers
Comments: Comments Off on A Vanda Hybrid in Glass
Tuesday, July 28th, 2020
Taiwan is trying to save its native Moth Orchids. The tropical island nation has two Moth Orchid species, Phalaenopsis aphrodite, with white flowers, and Phalaenopsis equestris, with pink or red flowers. Taiwan also has one of the biggest orchid industries in the world. The mass-grown hybrids which begin life in Taiwanese greenhouses are sold around […]
Categories: Conservation, In the News, Warm Growers
Comments: Comments Off on Taiwan’s Conservationists Trying to Save Its Orchid Species
Wednesday, June 17th, 2020
Sparkling white flowers make Angraecums look like shining stars. This fascinating genus is native to Madagascar, tropical Africa, and islands in the Indian Ocean. They are sometimes called Comet Orchids, because thin nectar tubes hanging from the backs of their flowers inspire thoughts of comet tails. The most famous is Darwin’s Orchid, Angraecum sesquipedale. It’s […]
Categories: Conservation, Fragrant Orchids, Growing, Intermediate Growers, Photos, Warm Growers
Comments: Comments Off on Angraecums, the Shining Stars of the Orchid World
Thursday, May 7th, 2020
When Dave visited Singapore last year, he found lots of green spaces filled with lush, tropical beauty. The nature park at Gardens by the Bay was one extraordinary example, with plants on the ground, and also up in the air on Supertrees. As epiphytes, or air plants, orchids are well-suited for living up high. Many […]
Categories: Photos, Warm Growers
Comments: Comments Off on Singapore’s Supertrees Take Gardening to Great Heights
Sunday, March 29th, 2020
As we continue to shelter at home, it really helps to be surrounded by our indoor orchids. A few of my plants have been putting on great spring shows. The Mexicoa species in the first row of photos above has already been blooming for two months. Now, it’s put out five new spikes of brilliant […]
Categories: Fragrant Orchids, Intermediate Growers, Mini Orchids, Photos, Warm Growers
Comments: Comments Off on The Delights of Orchids Indoors
Monday, January 27th, 2020
Vandas are orchid royalty, but they can be challenging to grow. They need sun, warmth, regular water, high humidity, and lots of space for their long, dangling roots. Since they don’t like being potted, they’re usually grown on mounts or in baskets, with their roots hanging freely. That makes them difficult for home growers, who […]
Categories: Fertilizing, Growing, In the News, Photos, Warm Growers, Watering
Comments: Comments Off on Vanda Orchids in Glass
Friday, November 29th, 2019
One post from Singapore’s National Orchid Garden certainly wasn’t enough, and here are more photos to prove it. With so many brilliant, tropical varieties growing outdoors in the sunshine, Dave took lots of amazing pictures. Colorful Vandas, Dendrobiums, Cattleyas, and Renantheras all competed for his attention. The blooms include many historic hybrids. Some have won […]
Categories: Botanical Gardens, Photos, Warm Growers
Comments: Comments Off on More from Singapore’s National Orchid Garden