Yes, interesting cultural notes on the Bletilla?

We had a wonderful, almost Spring-like day today. I rearranged some plants in the greenhouse to allow access to the deck again. We actually managed to sit a bit outside reading.

My Lc Rojo continues to open some nice spikes, it will take some weeks. 4 spikes this year.


My Potinara Red Heart 'Neptune' didn't look so hot last Fall. I tried to save a piece, but it kept on declining. I picked up another plant ( in bud) at Silva Orchids open house. I am glad I did, my old plant gave up its soul a couple of weeks ago.
I am not taking credit now for these gorgeous blooms ( fluorescent dark hot pink color), I just want to share! I love it! Hopefully this one is a keeper!


Pleurothallis restrepioides grows like a weed, but it needs a cool spell to bloom. 2 spikes this year in the works.


The Baptistonia echinata looked so cute in the sun, I had to take another picture. A little Bee swarm.


And Oberonia toppingii continues to open the little "fox tails".


Laelia lundii x Epi longipetalum - I had split the plant last Summer and both are blooming.
Here is the larger of the two.


Psygmorchis pusilla starts up again.


I am really happy I had picked up the Dendrobium smilliae last month. What a nice performer! I took some more pictures to highlight this great plant.
Edited to add - the credit for this plant in bloom goes to Lois Duffin!

Ursula: What great blooms! I love them all but I think my absolute favorite is that Laelia lundii x Epi. longipetalum ... it's really beautiful! And, I can't get over that Dendrobium smilliae ... so different ... and so pretty!

Glad you like them!

That wonderful Den smiliae is what drove me out into the streets looking for one and I came home with the alba. I'll have to post another pic of it now that it has matured. I also adore the Laelia lundii x Epi. longipetalum, so much so that I may be forced back into the streets. Great show, Ursula.

Jim

Thanks Jim. Life is good.

I believe Laelia lundii x Epi. longipetalum is a hybrid of Brennan's. Now just slip on the buying shoes, Jim....
http://store.brennansorchids.c...

Kathy: Thanks for the link to Brennan's ... I am soooo tempted to order the Laelia lundii x Epi. longipetalum! I've been trying to watch my budget due to a recent major upheaval in my life but it sure is tempting ... and it would only be $36 including shipping.

I kept enlarging Ursula's photo of that Laelia x ... and couldn't resist any longer! I just placed an order with Brennan's for that beauty! They don't accept credit cards and I don't have a pay-pal account so they will hold the order for ten days until they receive my check ... which is going out in the mail this morning.

Kathy, thanks so much for the link. I just couldn't remember the name of the grower.
It is a nice plant, doesn't grow huge and the blooms do have a charm all their own.

Ursula and Kathy are such enablers and yes, my order is in as well. Lin, did you know you can pay with a credit card through PayPal without having an account? I just did it and it zipped right through. There goes the rent money.

Jim

Jim: I took my check to the P.O. this morning right after my earlier post. I wish I had seen your post sooner ... I had no idea you could pay by credit card through pay-pay when you didn't have a PP account, Drat! Maybe I should have taken the time to read further on the order page and my new baby would have gotten here probably next week. Oh well, at least now I know about that fact .... for possible future orders.

I e-mailed Brennan's this morning and rec'd a reply from Molly saying indeed that Laelia x is one of theirs!

As promised, here is the alba version of Ursula's Dendrobium smilliae.

Jim

Jim, I love it too!!

Very nice! That Dendrobium is just so unusual and I love both colors!

Some odds and ends today -
Renanthera monachica blooms on a very small plant. A nicely branched spike is starting to open.


Zygostates apiculata fell off its mount last year and is now fairly well established in a small pot. It has been blooming for months on several cute, dangling spikes, but I have never gotten pictures I was happy with, since the tiny blossoms are a real challenge for me to photograph. Before it is totally done for the season -


Potinara Hoku Gem 'Sun Spots' is doing its thing -


Oerstedella centradenia blooms last a long time


A single bloom on Leptotes unicolor, slightly ahead of the Leptotes bicolor.


And - before they are totally gone after blooming for many weeks, a single bloom of Calanthe Rozel. ( part of a good spike.)

It's so quiet here I feel like I should whisper. I love your odds and ends, Ursula. Potinara Hoku Gem is a winner no matter which variation you have. Very nice. That's a wonderful flower on the Calanthe Rozel. The Renanthera monachica reminds me of Christmas candy. All are lovely.

Good news here as my Vandas are beginning to spike.

Jim

Well, I have three blooming and a few in bud....

Pot. 'Camerons' magnetism' seems to be variable. Mine is closer to Oak Hills pic. than the others I've found on line, but not quite the same. The plant is a deeper orange that this pic.

Blc. Zul 'Waiomao fantasy'



and Slc.aloha jewel SVO X C. orchidglade SVO

Pssst....
Carol you have some beauties here! I like the Potinara Cameron's Magnetism very much!

Looking forwards to the Vandas in bloom, Jim.
We had another beautiful Spring day here yesterday and I had a good day with little Jake being mostly outside. A gorgeous opera encore at the movies in the evening - what can I say!