Though we haven't been blogging for a while, we have been very busy growing orchids. We had some awesome orchid experiences on our honeymoon in Hawaii and Cheyenne came home with 20 new plants (many thanks to our friends and family who contributed to this cause). Lately, he's been volunteering with Longwood's orchid collection and won a few awards at the show table during our monthly orchid society meetings. He was also awarded ribbons at this past February's annual NCOS Paph Forum in DC, and will be showing plants at the Maryland Orchid Society's show this weekend.
Next on the list: Longwood's International Orchid show the last weekend in March.
Enough about us... here's a look at what's been blooming:
Paphs
Lady Isabel x Adductum Var Antium
With a nod to the film industry, we've nicknamed this orchid the "Black Swan."
One of the parents of this hybrid is a variety distinguished by very dark coloration to the point that the dorsal (the top triangular petal) is almost black. Strange in the orchid world, since most dorsals are usually decorated and colorful to attract pollinators.
Sanderianum
We threw a party when this one bloomed.
This orchid is very rare in nature and only grows in one area of Borneo. Many often take a very long time to reach blooming size, sometimes even 8-12 years. The most unique feature of this plant is its petals, which can reach 3 feet and longer on mature plants.
Ours weren't quite that long, but not too bad for its first bloom. We were mostly surprised that it put out five blooms-- pretty rare for plants this young.
Gary Romagna (Paph. St. Swithin x Rothschildianum)
Awarded first place in the multifloral paph hybrid category. Awarded at SEPOS, February 2011.
Michael Koopowitz (phillippinense x sanderianum)
Phrags
Kovachii x Dalessandroi
This is a hybrid of the recently discovered Phragmipedium Kovachii of Peru. This particular plant is from the first batch of Kovachii hybrids to flower in the United States. Kovachii can reach 9 inches in size-- huge for phrags, which usually average 3-4 inch blooms. Ours bloomed at 5.5 inches wide and was awarded at SEPOS' Show Table in December, 2010.
Cape Sunset (Phrag Eric Young x Phrag Schilimii)
A nice phrag with good sized flowers in white and pink. It's been in bloom for 3 months straight now and has had seventeen flowers sequentially. Awarded at SEPOS' Show Table in January, 2011.
Besseae
One of our favorite phrag species. Besseae was discovered in the early 1980's and comes from Peru and Ecuador. It grows on very steep rocks with water constantly seeping down. Besseae is used as a parent in many hybrids for its vibrant red color.
Longifolium
This phrag earned Cheyenne a second place ribbon in the Phrag Species category at the DC Paph Forum and was awarded at SEPOS' Show Table in February 2011.
Brassiolva
Dendrobium
Polysema
This species is from Papua New Guinea. It has small flowers that measure about 3cm. across; however, these small flowers can abound, with some mature plants having 50 flowers on a single inflorescence. This Polysema was award at SEPOS' Show Table in February, 2011.
Miscellany
Random Cattleyas...
Epicattleya Rene Marques
Phalaenopsis
Miltonia
Stay tuned for upcoming posts on our successes in blooming Dendrobium Nobiles for the first time and the Maryland Orchid Society show...
