While we were visiting the Big Island of Hawaii, Dave and I took a trip to Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. Located north of Hilo in a real tropical rainforest, the garden is a lush paradise of exotic plants from rainforests around the world, including lots of orchids. We spent half the day soaking in the […]
The Big Island of Hawaii has perfect growing conditions for many tropical orchids. One type frequently found there is Spathoglottis plicata, or the Philippine ground orchid. Unlike most commonly cultivated varieties, it’s a terrestrial, meaning that it grows in soil. This orchid is native to a large area of south Asia, stretching from India through […]
I’m not quite sure what I did right to coax this Ionocidium into bloom, but I’m not complaining. This hybrid is a cross between 2 kinds of closely related orchids, an Ionopsis and an Oncidium. The lip of the flower is light yellow when it starts to open, and then turns white after a couple […]
Moth orchids, or Phalaenopsis, love warm temperatures. But one trick used by orchid experts is to give Phals a few weeks of cool nights in the fall. This can trigger the Phals to start growing a flower spike within a month. Normally their nighttime minimum temperatures should be about 65 F (18 C.) By giving […]
Think small for these Maxillaria uncata flowers, which are only 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) long. With reddish-purple stripes, yellow petals, and a white flower lip, these little tropical beauties appear translucent. This Maxillaria species is widespread from Mexico south to Brazil and Peru, where it survives in a wide variety of conditions. It’s a tough […]
Orchid care changes with the seasons. As fall approaches, it’s time to adjust water, fertilizer, light, and temperature. If warm growing orchids have been kept outside for the summer, it’s time to bring them indoors. Phals, Cattleyas, and Vandas should be checked for pests, and then brought inside before nighttime temperature become too cold. Orchids […]
One of the most common questions I receive about orchids is how to force them to re-bloom ahead of their natural schedules. There is only one method I know to accomplish this, and it only works with Phalaenopsis. As soon as the last flower fades, cut the flower spike (the stem that holds the flowers) […]
Labellum is the Latin word for “lip,” and the labellum of an orchid flower is a modified petal that is often its most ornate feature. This Paphiopedilum features a prominent labellum shaped like a cup. These Phalaenopsis flowers have a labellum with a yellow center surrounded by 3 lobes. Usually, an orchid labellum is at […]
In the early 90’s I received this Phalaenopsis orchid as a gift from a friend, and it’s been a reliable bloomer ever since. It usually starts to bloom in the spring, and continues through the fall. The large flowers can last for months. Each flower is about 5 inches (12.7 cm) wide. The photo below […]
To welcome the longest day of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere, that is,) I have some cheery pink Epidendrum flowers. Happy summer! Here in San Francisco, it’s a hot one, 94 F (34 C) in the shade at 1:00 in the afternoon. Where’s that cool SF fog when I need it? This Epidendrum lives […]
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