July 2020

From Jan Hennessey:

Epidendrum parkinsonianum

Lycaste dowiana

Lycaste aromatica

Cattleya (Laelia) lobata

From Cindy Jepsen:

I grow my orchids in a glass greenhouse in the Arizona desert.  It is cooled by an evaporative cooler with temperatures between 65 and 80 deg. F.  I use a humidifier set at 60%.  Two large fans, plus the cooler keep good airflow.  It is shaded by a louvered covering that I can adjust based on sun intensity…during the last two months I have kept it closed.  I water my mounts every day and the pots three days/week using MSU fertilizer

Bulbophyllum masdevalliaceum

A new orchid and first-time bloomer for me.  It’s in a net pot sitting inside a wood basket.  I keep it high in the greenhouse on the west side.

Guarianthe (Cattleya) aurantiaca 'Orange Spots'

Grown up high, beautiful bright color

Chysis limminghei

This is a first-time bloomer for me; grown on the east side of my greenhouse; it goes into dormancy during the winter and does not get watered.  During that time I keep it up high in a corner so I am reminded to not water it.

Dendrobium adduncum

A new orchid and first-time bloomer; I thought it was dying until it bloomed!  Very sweet pink blooms budding from deciduous stems; hangs in the center of the greenhouse.

Cattleya (Laelia) purpurata f. delicata

This grows up high on the west side of my greenhouse; consistent bloomer, flowers are 4” wide with a beautiful lavender/pink tint and sweet fragrance.  It’s been blooming for a month now.

Cattleya (Laelia) purpurata f. carnea

I’ve had this orchid for a couple of years and this is the first time it’s bloomed.  It sits on the west side of the greenhouse with filtered light; beautiful white bloom with brilliant pink striped lip.

Leptotes bicolor

Grown on the south side of the greenhouse, mounted on a piece of cholla cactus.

Papilionanthe (Vanda) taiwaniana

A new orchid and first-time bloomer for me.  This is a terete (pencil-like) leafed orchid and sits high in the greenhouse on the east side.

Myrmecophila brysiana

I saved this orchid from the trash; it was dehydrated and gnarly.   I divided into three plants and soaked it in fertilized water for 24 hours.  It took a couple of years but finally bloomed.  It sits high in the greenhouse on the west side

Phalaenopsis amabilis

This plant is grown low in the greenhouse and has been blooming for 3 months

Phragmipedium Cardinale

Several of us have a plant labeled Phrag. schlimii var. cardinale 'Wilcox', which received multiple AOS awards. More recently it has been identified as a hybrid of Phrag. schlimii x Phrag Sedenii (which in turn is Phrag. sedenii x longifolium). So it is actually 3/4 Phrag schlimii. Clearly it is an extremely vigorous plant for there to be so many divisions of it in circulation. Since Phrags have not been successfully mericloned, all plants with the cultivar name'Wilcox' are divisions of the original plant. The award record still lists it as Phrag. schlimii 'Wilcox' ... award designations are cast in concrete even if there is additional information acquired later.

From Cheryl DiDonna:

Seidenfadenia mitrata

I bought this at Norman's Orchidsd, I think at an open house or something last summer.  I had it inside for the summer. ( Inside being in my master bathroom/green house.  But Master bath first).  Then we painted that room in January, so it went outside for the winter.  I brought it back inside around April because we put the bathroom back together again and I didn't want it to dry out outside in the summer.  Shortly after being moved inside, the blooms started forming, to my utter delight! I picked that orchid to purchase because it was in a dark spot that felt moist.  I just thought I had similar enough growing conditions to pull it off.  After putting it outside, I checked on it daily, and was surprised again by how well it seemed to do outside.

Papilionanthe (Vanda) teres

This one went directly outside.  I never had it inside until it bloomed.  Then I moved it inside and the bloom died!.  Good thing the second bloom didn't croak too!  I think a third bloom may be forming.  That bloom has been a pleasant surprise too!

From Scott McGregor:

Angraecum compactum

Perhaps my favorite Angraecum, reliably blooming with 3-12 night-fragrant 3" flowers. It is slow-growing, stays compact, and has wrinkled leaves. I've had this plant for a decade and never had to remount it. Some years I get more flowers than others-- only 3 this year (2 shown, right) but had a dozen a few years ago (above)

Angracum elephantinum

First time blooming for me after buying this species in 2017, so happy to see three nice flowers and an elephantine flower to plant ratio (hence the name).  I grow this one outside.

Dendrobium papilio (large form)

With large (4-5") flowers invisibly supported on long, thin canes, this is one of my favorite Dendrobiums. It comes in two forms-- large and floriferous, and this is the large form that is reliably blooming for me every March/April, and then again in June. The floriferous form blooms in September, so with a couple of these you've got three seasons covered!

Cattleya (Laelia) purpurata var. schusteriana

One of my favorite Cattleya (Laelia) purpurata clones….

Encyclia cyanocolumna

A cute mini that spikes in winter and seemingly takes forever to open the buds.  Named for a “cyan” central column, but requires some imagination to see the blue.  Fragrant outdoor grower.

Jumellea ibityana

I think this Angracoid’s species name should be ittybittyana instead of ibityana—relatively few and tiny flowers for the size of the plant, so for Angraecoid fanatics only.  At least they are fragrant and the plant is attractive…

Myrmecophila tibicinis

A long spike opening—needs bright light to bloom and likes to dry out, so place at the top of your growing area but be prepared for 6’ spikes.

Oncidium harrisonianum

A cute small Oncidium from Brazil.  Andy says to grow it 55-85F, but seems to grow outside (34-115F) just fine for the last three years.

Dendrobium [(cutherbertsonii x sulawesiense) x cuthbertsonii] 'Bicolor select 2'

I must have killed well over a half-dozen Dendrobium cuthbertsonii plants by now.  They are so colorful and the flowers last the better part of a year, but they are notoriously hard to grow and expensive too!  I’ve tried them mounted and in pots, shaded and bright, and all of them did well for a year or two and then collapsed.  Check out this plant—my “dream cuthbertsonii”.  I’ve had it for over 3 years, it has more than tripled in size and as you can see it is very happy with a couple dozen flowers and buds.  It stays in bloom for maybe six months or more.  Here’s my secret—it is a cuthbertsonii crossed with sulawesiense and then crossed back to cutherbertsonii, so 75% cuthbertsonii and looks exactly like the original but with hybrid vigor and temperature tolerance!  The first pic is the plant from a year ago, second-year reblooming and still potted—I mounted it right after blooming.  The second and third pics are what it looks like today.  The fourth pic is another plant I just got which is a pink bicolor.  These are available occasionally from Popow on EBay and while I’m a species nut, this one deserves a spot in every collection!

From Roberta Fox:

Outside in the Back Yard:

Cattleya (Laelia) purpurata ('Cindarosa' x var. schusteriana)

Purpuratas have been popping all over the place, so I'll just show you a couple of examples. This was an SBOE $7.50 special from 2011... I had to wait awhile, but I thinkI got my money's worth. It almost glows.

Cattleya (Laelia) purpurata var. russelliana 'Pinkie'

Just the slightest blush of pink in the petals, soft pink in the lip.

Cattleya (Laelia) lobata f. alba

This one put on a particularly good show this year.

Cattleya maxima

This is the highland form. It has darker but smaller flowers than the lowland form. It does fine outside, I just give it a little overhead protection.

Cattleya warnerii

This has been a great year for big outdoor-growing Catt species.

Cattleya gaskelliana

Along with flowers with a natural spread of a bit over 7 inches, it is extremely fragrant, especially in the morning sun.

Angraecum (labeled didieri but probably rutenbergianaum)

Recently I have read several sources that indicate that many of the Angraecums sold as A. didieri are actually A.rutenbergianum. The latter has shorter leaves and shorter stems than the former. Rough, warty roots (which my plant has) are also characteristic of Angraecum rutenbergianum.

Miltonia spectabilis f. alba

The species tends to ramble - I have found that it lends itself well to growing mounted.

Promenaea xanthina

Grown in a shallow bulb pan. There are a bunch of new buds, so when these flowers fade there will be more, extending the bloom.

Cleisostoma birmanicum

The plant is mounted, about 6 inches tall, and blooms reliably each year. This is a great little Vandaceous species for outdoor growing.

Sobralia macrantha (or probably Sob. rogersiana)

I'm not sure when Sob. rogersiana was recognized as a separate species. It's Sob. macrantha on steriods... bigger, better form, and a huge lip.

Sobralia undatocarinata

This is a relatively small plant (some 18 inches tall). It produces several flowers in succession from the same inflorescence. Scott has shown this to you previously... now I have one, too.

Sobralia xantholeuca

Sobralias are blooming profusely. This species is butter-yellow with a golden yellow throat. It's a modest-sized plant, around 3 feet tall.

Sobralia sanderae

One of my favorites. It has lovely symmetrical form, soft yellow segments with the slightest pink flare at the midrib, and a clear pink lip with bright yellow throat. So perfect, why hybridize? Sobralia flowers only last a few days, are at their best first thing in the morning right after they open.

Oncidium (Odontoglossum) naevium

The petals are wildly unruly with a delightful curl at the tips. The white background is pristine, sparkles in the sun.

Lycaste tricolor

I don't see a third color. But it is putting on a spectacular show. I counted about 32 flowers and 8 buds... and I am sure I missed a few.

Dendrobium victoria-reginae

In hotter weather, flowers can be less blue and more purple. This blooming, I think, benefited from the cool nights and mornings. It is an easy species, blooming on leafless older canes. It does benefit from RO water, however.

Encyclia vitellina

Bloomed nearly a month later than it usually does. Flowers are long-lasting, nearly two months.

Barkeria melanocaulon

Like all Barkerias, it grows best mounted with no sphagnum. It must dry out quickly when watered. After blooming it loses leaves. Don't cut the old spike until the next year's spike develops, and even then just break off what snaps easily - the old canes that look dead are very much alive, they sustain the plant.

Loefgrenianthus blanche-amesiae

When you look at the little twig epiphyte above, with its nodding flowers, you may say "Meh..." But turn it over and look at the flowers (best in a photograph), and they are magnificent! This is a teensy little gem, with half-inch flowers and half-inch leaves. The name is bigger than the plant. It is a member of the Cattleya Alliance.

Dendrobium unicum

Bright non-resupinate flowers, growing on the bare canes before the new leaves emerge. I don't particularly dry this out during the winter, but since it is mounted it dries very rapidly, and that seems to be sufficient for it to thrive and bloom.

Miltonioides (Oncidium) reichenheimii

Glossy flowers have heavy substance.

Cynorkis gibbosa

In the spring, it grows a single, heavily spotted, leaf and then the flower spike. Then it goes completely dormant for the rest of the year. However, don't dry it out during dormancy. I learned that, after noting how they grow at Andy's Orchids - wet sphagnum even when dormant.

Bifrenaria inodora

Its name is misleading - it is lightly fragrant. Unlike some of the more common Bifrenaria species, this one grows rather shady.

Hygrochilus parishii (Phalaenopsis hygrochila)

Definitly Vandaceous in its growth habit, and a large plant. Flowers have heavy substance. It grows in filtered sun. Some of the roots are about 3 feet long. Not a miniature.

Maxillaria witsenioides

When I saw this (without flower) , my reaction was "THAT'S a Maxillaria?" Growth is pendant, and the flower sneaks out from leaves. It is native to Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Stenoglottis macloughlinii

A miniature from Africa, growing in a 3-inch pot. It grows fairly shady. It goes dormant after blooming, but I don't dry it out. New growth starts a few months after the old dies back.

Encyclia ambigua

A reliable bloomer, with attractive golden flowers.

Maxillaria tenuifolia f. aurea

Here is a variation on our old friend Max. tenuifolia. Flowers are golden yellow rather than the usual red.

In the greenhouse...

Macroclinium dalstroemii

A minature that reminds me of a dandelion. It is a challenge to photograph, since the flowers are tiny but very three-dimensional. It needs to grow very shady and damp. Spikes may produce several sets of flower sequentially, so don't remove old spikes until they are definitely brown and crispy.

Phalaenopsis tetraspis f. imperatrix

This flower represents the first bloom for me. The color is more symmetrical than is usual for the species (which can have flowers with every combination of partial or total color/white on each segment) Whether all flowers will be this symmetrical remains to be seen.

Dendrobium cinnabarinum

This plant has given me sevarl of these brilliant flowers, one at a time on a bare cane. This is the first time that I have had several at one time.

Aganisia (Acacallis) cyanea

Flowers are a soft coerulea color. The species is used in Zygopetalum-group breeding to make small, warm-growing hybrids that are very popular in areas where peope have to grow their orchids indoors.