Next year I will keep an eye out for those Caterpillars. They usually chomp the leaves on my variegated Brugmansia, almost impossible to see. But I keep this one in front of the house , nowhere near the cage. At least my Paradise fish enjoyed them after tossing them around a bit.

I love that color, Ursula. Would that be called a "black" or perhaps a "blood-red/dark-burgundy"?

Whatever you call it, it's striking.

Just a thought about the caterpillars eating your Brugs, Ursula. All parts of Brugs are poisonous, so if the catts have been eating that, I wouldn't throw them to the fish. Now, your orchid flowers are most likely not poisonous of course.

Truly an amazingly dark color, I'd go for dark burgundy, but most people would call it black. It's about as black as any flower gets. I have seen pansies that look very black, but even they fade to dark red as they age.

As every year in November , my Dendrobium nobile is full of blooms

Oh wow, this is gorgeous!! Just wonderful, Ceci!!

I would think those blooms are almost black with just a hint of burgundy.

Elaine, good point regarding the poisonous Brugs. In this case, I had figured there was no way the same caterpillars which dined on my Brugs would have walked all the way to the cage in the backyard. But this is something to think of! You would think those Caterpillars are getting high.....

I am not so sure that just because caterpillars dine on "poisonous" plants, they would be poisonous as well. Perhaps someone knows the answer to that question.

I guess it just depends if you are susceptible to the particular toxin that is in the plant. Obviously the caterpillars are not, but the fish may be, so it probably isn't worthwhile to take the risk. Birds can also eat seeds that are highly toxic to mammals, something to do with their digestive systems being unable to metabolize the toxins.

Just read up the Wiki on the toxins in Brugs, which are alkaloid hallucinogens including scopalomine - the so-called 'truth serum'. Your rascally fish will be unable to lie to you for a while, at least, Ursula.

Now that is funny!

How is this color? Looks similar to Chia Lin, I would think!
On my IPad the color is dead on and the scent is to die for.
This is Rlc/formerly Blc Rugeley's Mill 'Mendenhall' and a first time bloomer in my hands.
The four blooms opened a bit crowded, so the orientation of the blooms is mixed.

Oh, what a beauty that one is! My Chia Lin is leaning a bit more towards purple, but very similar in shape for sure. I noticed mine is finally flopping this morning, darned hot weather we've had. If it had been cooler, the flower would have lasted longer.

Guess I shouldn't complain though, about a longer growing season, at least. My Vandas are loving this extra warmth, growing like crazy but again I'm looking for the first "cold" front to maybe see some spikes!

Wow , Ursula...that Rugeley's Mill 'Mendenhall' is gorgeous...decadent ...rich.....and fragrant too...WOW!

I've got a couple of new flowers this morning..


Grt. Why Not just beginning to open the first of many buds




and Blc. Liu's Joynce is blooming the first of 2 spikes

Everyone's blooms are gorgeous! Ursula your dark red Catt is gorgeous and if it is very fragrant that is more appealing. My dry sheats on red no ID (possibly Chia Lin) is starting to balloon so hopefully there is a bud inside.

I have more blooms on my no ID Dendrobiums. This is the clearance I bought for $5 a couple months ago, it's been blooming for a few days now.

Wow, lots of lovely flowers today. Lindsay, you're going to just love the Why Not, it's such a generous bloomer.

My turn. I was emptying my last "tree-shelf" and found this plant in bloom. I have been so busy moving all my plants inside I did not even know the flowers/buds were present. There are two more stems loading with buds. It looks like there will be a nice show and fragrance for a long while.

Looks really pretty, Ken! Nice surprise!

Lindsey, I agree, Why Not blooms any time of year, which makes it an attractive Orchid. Looking good!

Nice Dendi, Gigi!

Got a name for that pretty red bloom, Ken? I love the patterned lip on it.

I'll bet your wife doesn't mind having that one visit in "her" sunroom. Speaking of sun, how's it holding up through the rain - any leaks?

Right now the name is 'Kathryn's Honeysuckle Rose'. The fragrance is honeysuckle and rose with a hint of pear. That's what our expert "nose" tells us.

The bottom ridge leaks but we are still waiting for a defective panel to be replaced. That bottom ridge hasn't been sealed because of the delay with Florian replacing the panel (four weeks!). We have that trench-drain, so any rain that drips inside goes into the drain. No problem there.