Lc Chien Ya Ruby x Mini Purple gave me another change for a pic. The first spike came and went and I never got the color accurately down.
This one is now shot with my Tamron lens - a little better, but not perfect.

Hard to get the depth of color on those magenta ones. It's probably darker but the color reflects back.

That Mini Purple hybrid is wonderful!

And now for something completely different, a blue Orchid!

This is Cleisocentron merrillianum, I picked it up at the 2008 SEPOS from Andy's. It is particularly blue this year.

another angle

and the plant with its small blooms -

Here is the first of my two Neostylis Fuchs Ocean Spray -

and a back-lit picture at late afternoon

And - I am amazed this one is blooming again, Dendrobium laevifolium. I moved it out of the tight Sphagnum just in time.

The small plant

Gonna keep an eye out for that one. Great color. Love the blue too, but the teretes make me nervous. I have one so far. I have yet to see a Neostylis I didn't love....

Good show, Ursula! I love the Neostylis picture with the backlight. Good job. I would love to see the blue Cleisocentron in person. And of course the mini purple cross is just great.

I did meet Laurel and Steve in Apopka last Friday and we had a fabulous time. First it was lunch in The Catfish Place (very good) and then off to shop. When I finally got home about 7:30, I had to throw Kathy's buying shoes in the pool to cool them off. Here is what followed me home:

Vanda Princess Blue, in spike
Vandas Princess Blue X Kasem's Delight
C. Lueddemanniana, var. alba X self
Cym Little Black Sambo (Laurel made me buy it)
Blc Magic meadows 'Napoleon' X Blc Chunyeath 'TW'
Den. Red Emporer (freebee at end of the day)
Ctsm Crown Fox Voodoo (new one for me)
L. tenebrosa (in bloom, pic attached)
2 Spathoglottis plicattas
Pholidota imbricata (rattlesnake anyone? Another new one for me)
3 small dendrobiums for mounting on a ceramic log
3 small oncidiums for mounting on another log
A nice cymbidium in a trade with Laurel for my duplicate vanda.

That makes 18 in all but I gave up a vanda so it is a 17 orchid gain. Laurel did good as well but she'll have to fill in the details. I have them all repotted or mounted and in their new home already. The big vandas were on sale for $10. Harriet, a gardening buddy of mine went with me and she must have out bought me two to one. I had a truck full on the way back to Tampa.

If you remember the last time we went, Steve was bitten by a dog at the worm farm. This time it was my turn. I walked into Chapiln's orchids and a dog shot out from under a desk and nailed me on the leg. It drew a little blood but no big deal. Steve was thankful I took the bite this time around. I don't know what it is with the dogs over there.
I'll post more tomorrow.

Here is the L. tenebrosa.

Jim

Jim, you made Kathy's shoes proud! Good looking list!
I guess these places have true watch dogs? Ouch!!
I would take a raw steak along next time.... ( Isn't that what they do in movies to keep the Dobermans quiet?)

Gosh. Weird about the dogs. I am proud to have lent you my shoes, Jim. Good job. BTW, I've learned how to grow Ctsms. if you want any help. Looking forward to tomorrow's posts!

Kathy, any advice on Ctsms would be appreciated. Also the Pholidota.

Jim

Catasetums-stop watering in fall (if they are really shriveling, I might mist occasionally), when new roots start in spring wait till they are around 1.5-2" long to start watering. I started by misting and slowly worked them into a regular watering routine. Then the growth with the roots flowers.

Thanks, Kathy, that will help. Does anyone have experience with the Pholidota imbricata?

OK, on with a few pics of the stash. Here is the very fragrant C. Lueddemanniana, var. alba X self.

Jim

I mounted the little dens and oncis on drift wood looking ceramic logs that they sell in PetSmart for lizzards. The plants only cost $2.50 each so not much of an investment. Here are the dens in their new habitat.

Jim

And the oncidiums. I'll keep you posted on how they adapt.

Jim

As you may be able to tell, I ripped up some coconut husk to stuff in and around the holes.

Here is Vanda Princess Blue, in spike.

Jim