Here are the last pictures of my Blc. Copper Queen. These were taken this AM, and one last bud was just beginning to open. By noon, the last one was fully open. There are now 13 beautiful flowers to enjoy. The only time I bring my plants inside is when they are in bloom, so the plant is now on a flower stand in our great room.

It's just magnificent, Ken. Do the flowers have any perfume?

They look a lot more yellow now, is it just the light, or have they gained color as they matured?

Hi Jim! Thanks for the update!

Ken, what a beauty! That is a great performer!

Such a delicate Brassavola bloom, Elaine.

Very nice Ken and Elaine. Currently sailing north along the west coast of Denmark. Temp is 54 degrees with a 17 mph wind. Will be in Copenhagen tomorrow.

Jim

Say hello to the Little Mermaid for me!

The yellow-orange color is getting a bit darker, but some of the difference is due to the indirect light of early morning sun. There is only the slightly of fragrance. Since this is its first blooming, I am interested in seeing how long-lasting the flowers will be. The first flowers are now four days old and looking good.

Have fun on your cruise, Jim. When my wife and I were in Copenhagen a couple of years ago, the Little Mermaid was out on loan to some country (can't remember where) and there was only a picture of her on display. Copenhagen, and all of western and northern Europe is very interesting with a lot of history. Are you going to go through the Kiel Canal?

Oh, brrrr! I sure hope summer comes to the Baltic before your cruise is over, Jim. You're going to be glad to get back to the sauna that is Florida, I'm thinking. It's hit or miss up there, we were in Sweden in June a few years ago and had lovely warm weather.

I never go to BC to visit my family until August or September. By then it's usually warm enough for me.

Found a couple of things open this morning.
Laelia pacavia opened the first of two spikes, and I could use some repotting suggestions. The grower just moved it to larger pots.

Sobralia mirablis 'Pinky' skipped last year, but has lots of buds this year
Maxi. tenufolia has been blooming for a month, but I didn't get a picture until today
Noid Phal still looking good

I love the Laelia Pacavia! You could gently dislodge it and pop it into a basket ( with or without fresh medium) or depending on your watering practices, move it bare root to a good size clay pot. Those roots probably attach easily to the latter in one season. Or simply leave it alone and hang it up/let the roots run rampant. In that case I have on occasion removed the bottom of the pot, so the old medium eventually washes out.
But, I am not a good "re-potter", so let others step up here please....

The Sobralia is a beauty! Is that a big plant?

Carol, how are you holding out. Only 92 here with 44% humidity. 120 out in the desert.

My Maxi. tenufolia started blooming earlier this week.



Plants are starting to bloom. Lot's of buds, too. Here is a Lycaste hybrid that I am still trying to get the name on



Ornithocephalus-iridifolius-x-zygostatus-alleniana







Platystele misera. It's blooming but I can't seem to get a pix . So here is one from last year

I assume the Lycaste is deciduous? How about some x with consobrina or aromatica? It sure is pretty!

My Max tenuifolia was done weeks ago!

Platystele misera is so teensy, it is tough to get pictures of those minis! Cute.

Doritaenopsis Black Butterfly '02



Den. Sea Marian, this plant gives me tons of blooms in the spring. Then here in late June and sometimes again in Aug I'll get half a dozen blooms. Weird.

It is deciduous, Ursula. And I know one of the parents was Aromatica, which I also have. Great aroma

Platystele misera did not do to well last year, but now it is exploding. At least 8 spikes so far. Maybe if I can get them all in the same picture, we might be able to see something

Here is a shot with a potting shovel behind it

The problem is that the flower is so small, that the macro focus on the camera does not see it and focuses on the mount. I have great pics of a piece of wood

By the way all, I have seen all your great plants and pictures. Just been real busy at the shop and, well...gotten make money for that next orchid show!!!

All's well here, Ted. I was thinking you probably had a break from the shop, due to the heat. The weather has been so perfect for orchids here. Even today, it started to get hot, but then those clouds came in from the south, and cooled things down and kept the humidity up. Good breeze all day, every day. My ''chids and I are happy! Only thing I have to complain about is the $200 a month rent raise, but I suppose after 25 years here, with no rent raise, I can't complain too much Hang in there Ted! It's supposed to cool down a bit.
Love that Doritaetonopsis!
Ursula, Thanks for the input. I'll have to study it awhile before I do anything. I know it will pout for a while if I disturb the roots, but it's in it's third pot, and getting pretty lopsided, with lots of old pbs.

Had to go out this morning. It was 91 at 11:30 when we left. And it was 84 when we got back at 1:30 pm Those clouds made one heck of a difference

Just my 2 cents worth on the re-pot for the lovely Laelia, Carol. Since Ursula suggested it, I'd vote for the clay pot option.

I've tried just about every type of pot and mount in the last few years, and for this humid climate of ours, most of my orchids like the cedar baskets. But I use a clay pot for plants that like more moisture, or cooler temperatures because not only does the clay 'breathe' it also cools the roots a bit as the water evaporates through it. All my Cymbidiums are in clay pots now, and they really seem to be doing better this summer than last. They're under the roof overhang so they don't get rained on, but I spray the pots to keep them cool. Same with the Phals.

For you, where you have the nasty dry heat in the spring and fall, I'd think the clay might help keep up the humidity for the plant as well as keeping its roots cool.

Carol on yourLaelia pacavia, id unpot and trim a few old bulbs off if they dont have any good roots and them you might fit it into a smlilar sized pot or go one bigger but try keeping it shallow. Looks great!

I love the Dendrobium Sea Marian, such delicate coloring!

It is July already - off to start the new thread...

Here we go, please join us in July
The thread "Our Orchid blooms in July 2013" in Orchids forum