No complaints here either!

Tomorrow, our orchid club will be on a field trip to Selby Gardens in Sarasota. Lindsey and I will ride together so we can stop at Tropiflora and check in with Rafael at El Plantio La Orquidea. Elaine and perhaps Patty will meet up with us hopefully so it should be a fun day.

Jim

I'll be coming, Jim but I haven't heard back from Patty yet. Looking forward to at least a short visit with you and Lindsey up at Plantio. I have a tree service person coming to give us an estimate so somewhat unlikely I'll make it to Selby before you leave there.

No rain today so I did get to spray my biologic fungicide All the orchids as well as the fig tree, plumeria, cannas and daylilies got a dose. So far the rusty fungus that is usually so prevalent on those "other" plants is notably scarce. There is a little bit here and there but nothing like what I usually see by now. I'm pretty darned impressed with this stuff! What have I been thinking all these years ??

we had a pretty good line of weather move through here yesterday...( I had sprayed fungicide...and that always brings the rain!) my life lines held everyone onboard..but I lost ALOT of rather large branches from my less than favorite Chinese Tallow tree over the bench and the Elm trees in the front. but no damage to the bench or it's occupants. I do have some kind of pathetic citrus tree that is positively LOADED with fruit right over the middle bench..and my task this week is to harvest or prune the big branches that will cause the most damage to the orchids when the fruit drops.
That new Phrag. I posted a picture of the other day is changing...the tendrils on the sides are growing longer..I will try and get a picture tomorrow when I get home or the next day.....it's pretty cool! Maybe by then my Schombo Catt and another plant in bud will be in bloom!

Take a picture of everyone together for us!!

The Chinese Tallow is a no no around here, it is crowding out native trees. We have removed several thousand now on our island. On a tiny neighboring island with only 8 homes they took out 2800. They are not easy to get rid of.

Chinese Tallow is an invasive exotic here too, Alice. Here's the UF sheet on it:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag148

Unfortunately, Lindsey's probably depending on that tree for some shade and protection for her orchids . . .

Here's something different, at least for me. This is an old, really old Dendrobium NOID. It blooms several times each year. The first two photos show what the typical flowers have always looked like. I took several divisions in May, and I moved this division into the solarium. It was just starting to flower and the flowers looked like their usual selves. Now look at the almost alba flowers after 14 days in the solarium. I have a lot of plumeria, and with them, heat and sun brings out the most intense colors. What's happening with my Den.? By the way, do you find this alba-form appealing? This is the only Den. I have ever had.

It's lovely, Ken but then I'm a fool for white flowers anyway. The others are beautiful too.

Did the white flowers start out with some pink on them and fade?

Thank you, Elaine. Nope. They bloomed as you see them.

Wow! That doesn't even look like the same flower. The petals appear more pointed and wavey than the original. I'm not usually big on white, but in this case, I prefer the white form.

Love that white one.

Thank you all. You know, even though I thought that these alba flowers were nice (from a distance), until I photographed them and blew those photos up, I never realized just how gorgeous they really were. They almost remind me of birds in flight. This is the first division to bloom. Now I wonder whether all the divisions will show this alba-form?

Only time will tell!

You know, just when I think I sort of understand plants and their genetics, I get whapped beside the head. Divisions are by their very name, identical to the "mother" plant, right? The genetics can't be different, right? So explain these gorgeous, completely different, alba flowers.

How many stems in that particular division are blooming white? It might be a sport and all the rest of the plant will be pink.

Daisy, there are three canes on this division, and two of those canes have flowers, one with one stem and one with two stems. None of the other divisions are in bloom. All the flowers on those two stems are identical. I wish I could have other "sports" if I get this sort of change.

Amazing! Btw I really like that white form!

Doesn't Jim have a Dendrobium too with two different colors?

I just finished watering everything, a full hour chore. I notice another one of those Den. divisions is growing an inflo. I will look forward to seeing what the flowers look like.