Good story and it just goes to show you that you never know what will come back from the dead. I have a compact Den. that looses most if not all their leaves starting about a month before blooming. They look dead. But then they bloom, sans leaves, and the flowers last a month or two. After blooming, they begin to grow new canes, new leaves, and new roots. It is one of the deciduous Den.

That's a pretty picture, Gigi. I like that you have blooms on your Plumeria even when they aren't Plumeria blooms.

Was just reading last night about how many different types of Den there are. (I got Mr. Motes' book about general orchid growing in Florida as well as the Vanda book - no such thing as too much info, right?) There are the deciduous ones like Ken's, that lose all their leaves in the winter then bloom on bare canes, then there are some that like a rest in winter but don't lose their leaves, then some lose their leaves every 2nd year, and some are warm growers that keep their leaves and like to come indoors and be given the 'spa treatment' along with the Vandas . . . it's very confusing. Especially if you buy 'bargain' orchids like I do, without tags on them, it's nearly impossible to tell what you have unless they bloom, and if you don't treat them right through the winter, they won't bloom. I fell asleep thinking "no wonder I have trouble with my Dendrobiums".

I do think I'm going to try attaching a couple of my Dens to my one good sized Plumeria though.

The star of my orchid show these days is the big NOID Catt that now has 4 spikes opening. Just went to get pictures, as the light mellows out and both my phone and camera are out of electrons, it seems.

I wish I could just attach some Orchids to the trees here!! Oh the pleasures of living in a warm climate!! In less than a month I will be carrying my stuff back into the house. We are having a wonderful warm Summer here so far!!

Tell me about it, Ursula.

I bring my dwarf plumerias in my covered Patio when it gets cold too. So it saves me one trip since the orchid is attached to my dwarf plumerias or compact plumerias that are grown in pots. Both the dwarf and the compact are almost 4 years old and they were 28 inches the last time I measured them.

There you go, Gigi. Not only is it practical but it also is time-efficient.

Hmm, do I read dwarf and compact? That sounds enticing!!

Yes, I have mine on Dwarf Pink Singapore, mine is probably smaller and shorter than your Adenium. I also have them attached on my compact Divine Plumeria. As you can see from the photos, some of my Den blooms are taller than my plumerias.

Yes they are and they all look great!

Something like that might look great in my sunroom.

Ken, I'm thinking your sunroom will be full in short order.

Jim

Don't forget, Jim, my wife has graciously given me 20% of the space. I will have to beg to put plants in her 80% space.

Here are the pictures I missed out on posting last night. The first spike on this big guy is nearly done, but the rest are just opening. The flower thrips got to a few of the blooms, but I broke out the Spinosad spray after I got home from my trip, and no signs of damage on the last flowers, at least.


Lc. Renate opening a second spike while the first one has faded the yellow sections almost to white. I haven't seen it do this before, so I wonder if it's the heat?

Elaine, these are gorgeous! Whew, you're making me

Elaine, that big orange one does stimulate the salivary glands. If that one was one of your TJ's or Lowe's finds I might even cry.

Elaine, they are both gorgeous!!

Great color in your lanai, Elaine. Good growing!

Jim

all. I just love the blazing colors on that big guy.

Alice, it came from Tropiflora and I paid a lot for it when I was first starting to collect orchids. Unlike some other later purchases, that one has been well worth the investment. (even though I drastically over-potted it in its first year, and had no blooms for 2 years after that . . . beginner's luck).

The little Renate was a lucky bargain from the old fellow who closed his business along the street from me, though. It's a real trooper, blooms at least 3 times per year.

I'm drooling too Elaine! It looks so pretty having so many in one pot. I bet next year you will have more blooms in one pot.

Yes beginner's luck. I divided my first Catt after it was done blooming thinking I could propagate it right away. 6 years after it hasn't bloomed, still alive but looks more like a miniature Catt since the babies are smaller than the mother plant.

That one is overdue for re-potting now, Gigi. I'm dreading it a little bit but the ceramic pot it's in is already broken, since the whole plant fell onto the patio in the spring. Now I just need to take a hammer to the rest of the pot, and hopefully just plunk it kit and kaboodle into the biggest cedar basket I can lay my hands on.

As I told Ken before, I'm really more interested in having one big specimen plant than in propagating it. So no surgery for the big guy until he outgrows the new basket. There will be no messing with success here.