I am happy to see 2 blooms on my Lc Irene Finney 'Chicago' this month! I had 3 large Lc Irene Finney plants, beautiful and really gorgeous in bloom. ( one 'Chicago' and 2 'Spring's Best' I think) Somehow they all three kicked the bucket within a year or so, due to black rot while outside in Summer. But I was able to save a small piece from one of them, it survived, but still looks terrible and it is now blooming!! I really really hope to bring this small plant back to health and proper size.



My Cattleya schilleriana had a similar story, black rot! I grew this one for a bunch of years, it did best bare root in a Bonsai dish in full sun and daily watering. It was a really nice plant. Then a couple of years ago outside in Summer, it dropped leaves after leaves, it was not happy. I mounted the remaining piece on a good piece of driftwood from the Aquarium store and made a mental offering to the Orchid gods. The plant recovered and put on really good growth this Winter with lots of excellent roots.
In sunlight



and showing the roots


And Potinara Fairyland is still happy

Good save on the C. schilleriana! Great flower!

The petals seem to be doing the Schomburgkia twist.

Jim

I think the Orchid Gods answered your prayers! Still loving that Potinara Fairyland, by the way. Just gorgeous colors on it.

Crispy Bacon on the schilleriana petals? The blooms are really fragrant, I forgot to mention.
The Potinara is nice and compact, perfect for windowsill growers.

Everything around has crispy petals right now!

Oh dear!

Just keep safe from all those fires, Carol. Btw, check out Amazon for swamp coolers under $100! We'd hate to see you losing orchids to that dry heat.

Alternatively, hang all your old towels out there, soaking wet. I was doing this in my daughter's guest room last week in Utah, and I had the windows fogging up nicely. That dry air doesn't do my sinuses any good, either.

Another rainy day here but I'll take all I can get in the middle of May.

Lots of buds out in the OC so it should be a productive summer. As I was misting this morning I discovered (C. Gene May X Lc. Spoz Tabee Splash) X L. briegeri 'Corpusles' is blooming. I look this one up and the crosses have still not been registered.


Also of interest, both spikes on Psychopsis mariposa 'Green Valley' are blooming.


Jim

Cute little spotty!
And I think I need another Psychopsis, they are so graceful.
Mine bloomed and bloomed and bloomed and never added new growth. It was truly done by then.

My Psychopsis adds one decent sized leaf per year, it seems. No sign of a bloom stalk yet . . but I've only had it 2 years. Guess it has to get up to speed to build a pseudobulb big enough to send up a bloom stalk.

Jim, do yours still add new leaves as well as blooming? May we see the plant, too please, just for reference?

OK, I have three Psychopsis plants. Here is a look at the one I just posted, mariposa 'Green Valley'. Note the new growth on photos 2 and 3. If you want big flowers, this is the one.


This one is Psychopsis Mendenhall 'Hildos'. It has the fancy leaves and is the largest of the three plants I own. Lots of new growth here and a pretty plant.


Finally, Psychopsis Butterfly, alba form. The smallest plant of the three but a nice blooming spike. It's hard to point out the new growth but the plant looks healthy.


Jim

Yours look healthy, Jim!
I had the Mendenhall 'Hildos', I loved those patterned leaves too.

I have that same one, but it was a small plant when I got it, and as I said, has only put on two leaves so far . . Gonna feed that puppy like crazy this summer!

Thanks Jim, great photos.

We've just had two brief downpours today, so it seems most of the rain went north of us. Back into brilliant sunshine now!

Same thing here, Elaine. Two brief downpours and back to sunshine. It does feel a little cooler and/or less humid.

Jim

I treated myself last year to another Laelia purpurata to hopefully replace the nice one I lost a few years ago to a Spring time full of Slugs and wet chilly weather.
This beauty came from Silva Orchids and it is a roxo x russeliana. (I wanted one with a nice dark lip)
Two spikes!



And the Neofinetia falcata are budding and this one is open this week - Neofinetia falcata Gekkeikan.

Memphis Orchid Society Show is this weekend at Goldsmith Garden Center. I found out that Russ Vernon from New Vision Orchids will be there and will bring Lycaste and Odont crosses, among other things he has been busy hybridizing. I don't know the other vendors yet because their website is not working properly on my I Pad, will post pictures this weekend.
My sister dug out a box of supplies she had lost track of years ago and gave me 3pkg of unopened Osmunda!! WOW the good stuff! I m busy soaking and trying to get the dirt out now, just what I need for my Vanda's.

That is one of the prettiest purpuratas I have seen, Ursula. Good choice!

Jim

Oh, Ursula the Laelia has lovely colors, but I think the Neo is a real star! Wish you could post the scent of it. My tiny one isn't showing any signs of flowering yet, guess I need to earn my flowers for another year, maybe . .

I did score a new baby at Trader Joe's just now, will post it in 'I just bought' tomorrow when I can take a picture of it. The 'chids I've bought there usually have tags, but this one doesn't so I need some guesses at an ID.

Here's my little spotty Phal finally open, it was a bargain from IKEA a couple of years ago, so every flower is a bonus. Phaius Octoberfest still opening, it has even a darker lip than that lovely Laelia.

Bert, you like the Osmunda fiber? Which Orchid will you be using it on?

Thanks, Jim and Elaine! I am lucky not to live too far from Silva Orchids, they have a whole bench of different Laelia purpuratas (amongst lots of other good stuff) to pick from. I am very happy with this one.

I like the nice variegation on this Neo.

Elaine, I saw a ton of good Orchids today at Trader Joe's, I am so curious what you picked. I was so tempted!
I love the Phaius!