http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog Basic Orchid Care for Beginners Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:23:22 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Phals, or Moth Orchids, are the most popular orchid varieties in the world. One of their fascinating traits is that healthy Phal plants can rebloom. While some Epidendrum and Oncidium varieties can bloom again from broken flower spikes (the stems that holds the flowers,) this process is most reliable with ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/07/29/forcing-phals-to-rebloom/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=forcing-phals-to-rebloom This tiny orchid's name is bigger than the plant itself. Lepanthopsis astrophora is a Masdevallia relative, and it's easier to grow than it is to pronounce. Its species name translates from the Latin as "producing stars," and since this orchid can bloom for months at a time, it certainly earns ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/07/24/little-purple-stars/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=little-purple-stars Summer has been heating up the northern half of the planet, and it's important to remember that orchid care instructions are always subject to change. If you follow a too-rigid watering schedule, then you may notice your orchid suffering about now. On hot summer days, orchids need extra water. ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/07/18/summer-watering/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=summer-watering A keiki is a baby orchid that grows as an offshoot of its mother plant. Keiki is the Hawaiian word for baby or child, and it's pronounced "kay-kee." Besides their Hawaiian name, they're sometimes called aerials or plantlets. By growing keikis, orchids can reproduce without flowering and seeding. Some orchid varieties ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/07/13/keiki-a-baby-orchid/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=keiki-a-baby-orchid While the rare and elusive Ghost Orchid can pop up in some unusual places, the most reliable spot to see one in bloom is the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples, Florida. This July, one happy plant is again visible from the comfort of their boardwalk. With 14 flower buds that ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/07/10/super-ghost/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=super-ghost With a small deck and backyard garden, Dave and I have a limited amount of green space in our San Francisco apartment. We make up for lack of square footage with plant density, and in our mild climate, there's always something growing and blooming. But our urban jungle really comes ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/07/05/urban-jungle/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=urban-jungle Winter in the Southern Hemisphere brings lots of orchid shows in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Orchid lovers in the USA and UK may need to look a little harder, but can still find some summer shows to scratch that orchid itch. July 1 - 3 Alfred County Winter Orchid ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/07/01/july-orchid-shows-3/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=july-orchid-shows-3 As summer begins, this news article describes wild orchids blooming across Northern California. There are photos of the Stream Orchid, Epipactis gigantea, growing in the wild, and info about other lesser-known, but still fascinating, Golden State species. The article includes a good summary of orchid care basics for more commonly ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/06/28/wild-orchids/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wild-orchids If you saw a Thunia without flowers, you be forgiven for thinking it was a cornstalk. When it's in bloom, however, there's no doubt that it's an orchid. Thunia flowers look like Cattleyas that haven't opened completely. The 5 inch (13 cm) wide blooms hang in clusters, pulling down the ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/06/25/thunia/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=thunia To honor today's summer solstice, here are a few sunny-looking Masdevallias. While we enjoy long hours of daylight in the northern half of the planet, plants enjoy the ability to photosynthesize a little longer. Incredible flowers like these are the result. Even if you're having a hectic Monday, I hope ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/06/21/summer/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=summer