The Return of the Green Lantern

Check out the new blooms on our Dendrobium "Green Lantern" (left). Any resemblance to the classic comic book hero of the same name (right)?











This hybrid cross of Dawn Maree x cruentum is a semi-compact plant made from Thai and Vietnamese species and, unlike other dendrobiums, doesn't require a dry winter rest, hence its blooming at this time. A real beauty in our collection of dendrobiums, this Green Lantern should put out at least four more blooms on the same cane this time around. A few more pics...








The Evolution of an Orchid in Bloom

Bringing an orchid to bloom takes months, even years. But once set in motion, it doesn't take long for them to reveal their beauty.

Such was the case with our Oncidium (also known as a "Dancing Lady" orchid). Cheyenne gave it to me for an anniversary last January, and at the time, it probably had two spikes with 4-6 blooms on each. A timely grower, it bloomed right around the date of this year's anniversary, but this time, it put out three spikes with six blooms on each for a total of 18 blooms-- a record for us, I believe!

Here's a pic of the orchid in full-- you'll see that the blooms on two of the spikes have almost all opened, while the third spike continues to grow.



To give you an idea of how these gorgeous blooms came to be, here's a time lapsed rundown that shows their progression:

Day One: Ready to Burst


Also Day One: Opening Up









Day Two: This bloom had fully opened, and others on the spike were well on their way.



Some other pics I took of our Oncidium:












Two of my faves...Amazingly, I was able to capture these au naturel without the use of Photoshop or other enhancements:




Small Wonders

In addition to full-size orchids, we have a small, but growing, contingent of mini orchids in our collection. Most were purchased from Andy's Orchids in Encinitas, CA, where they have an amazing, extensive collection of minis in addition to other rare orchid species. Not only do they make great stocking-stuffers for Cheyenne, they're fascinating to view and grow, proving the old adage that big things often come in small packages. Here are a few from our collection...


Haraella Odorata is a perpetual bloomer from Taiwan. Blooms measure about an inch across.


Epidendrum ellipticum from Peru. Blooms measure about a half inch across.


Really tiny, really cool-- the blooms on this Pleurothallis ornato from Mexico almost resemble fringed cowboy chaps up close. This is our smallest mini to date, with the blooms just pushing about a quarter of an inch.

We also have a mini dracula and a domingoa keinastii from Mexico (somewhat resembles a flying toad; like the haraella odorata, which resembles a bee or other flying insect, their blooms take on the characteristics of pollen spreading insects in order to attract them and thereby insure the propagation of the species).

For a look at more amazing minis, check out Andy's Orchids.