March 2025

From Scott McGregor:

All orchids grown outdoors, coastal southern California

Ada aurantiaca

A dozen bright orange flower spikes brighten February gray days!  Easy outdoor grower

Bonatea speciosa

A monster Bonatea speciosa, in a big tub with sprawling spikes over 4’ across.  The above pic is about 1/3 of the plant, and I included a close-up of the flower.  It is very fragrant at night and has a red fluorescence under ultraviolet light.  The secret to growing these is full sun for best flowers and to keep the plant compact, a sandy mix so the tubers can expand, and lots of water and fertilizer when in growth.  After a few years, the pot will be almost completely filled with potato-sized tubers.  It is best to support the growths as the set buds so they don’t fall over, but I was travelling this year.

Cleisocentron gokusingii

The specimen C. gokusingii I had for many years died suddenly last year and so I replaced it while at Andy’s a few months ago.  I’m very happy with the intense blue color on this clone.  Folklore also suggests that the blue color in these species is best during the winter months.  No photoshop on these pics—straight out of the camera.

Caladenia Harlequin x Caladena applanta erubescens

(Ed Note: This is a hybrid, but if we need some hybrid vigor to see this beautiful genus at all, then I have to make an exception to the "species only" rule.) Caladenia is one of the most challenging of the Med-climate orchids to grow, but success will be rewarded with beautiful and unusual flowers.  These species don’t have roots, and so are 100% dependent on specific mycorrhiza species to colonize them and provide water and nutrients.  The vivid lip is from the C. applanta erubescens parent.

Diuris magnifica

My favorite Diuris!

Diuris amplissima (= jonesii)

Been growing this one since 2014, my second favorite Diuris opening its first flower of the season.

Satyrium coriifolium

This is my 5th year growing this Satyrium species and I highly recommend it as reliable, easy to grow and showy.  From the Cape of South Africa it takes Med-climate culture (mild, sunny, wet winters, and hot bone-dry summer dormancy).  Fingers crossed that I’ll have some other species to show next month

From Roberta Fox:

Coastal southern California

Outside in the Back Yard:

Brassia (Ada) aurantiaca

Ten spikes which glow brilliantly in the morning sun, like orange flames. Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, 2000-2500 m.

Cattleya (Laelia) lundii

More buds to come, will extend the season rather than a flush bloom. Native to southern Brazil into Argentina and Paraguay, 600-700 m.

Cattleya loddigesii

Easy outdoor grower. Native to southern Brazil into Argentina and Paraguay, 600-900 m.

Cyrtochilum cimiciferum

Small flowers (about 1/2 inch) in small clusters along a very long spike which is around 6 feet now and still extending. It tends to wind around whatever it can grab. From Ecuador and surrounding Andean countries. It has been found near Quito, elevation nearly 3000 m. It tolerates a wide range of temperatures.

Dendrobium speciosum ssp. speciosum

The temperate-zone Australian Dendrobiums are starting to put on a show. Colors range from white to cream to golden yellow. This form tends to grow outward rather than upward, taking a fair amount of real estate.

Dendrobium speciosum (f. hillii x f. curvicaule)

Within the species different varieties can be bred. In this case, the monster f. hillii 'Don Brown' was crossed with the compact f. curvicaule to produce a plant with crystalline white flowers that stays moderate in size.

Coelogyne parvula (Dendrochilum parvulum)

This miniature species is a ball of flowers. I counted about 80 spikes but kept losing track. It could be more. There are several dozen tiny flowers on each spike. The plant covers its 4-inch mount. The whole genus Dendrochilum has been lumped into Coelogyne. This species is native to the Philippines, around 1200 m.

Epidendrum purum

Another flower machine, not a miniture. (Small flowers but a substantial plant) It produces a cloud of pristine white flowers. It's native to a range of Andean countries, over a range of 500 to 2800 m. Therefore, it should grow pretty much under any backyard conditions.

Gastrochilus calceolaris

Native to a wide range of the Himalayas, souteast Asia, southwest and south central China, and the Philippines and other island groups, elevations 900 to 2300 m. The flowers emerge from the underside of the leaves. It sends roots all over the place, and to keep them from growing into various surfaces and other plants, I tied the mount onto a 4 inch wood basket to provide some depth.

Maxillaria bradeorum

Growths are about 4 feet long. They produce new growth at the tops each year so just keep getting longer. There is a new growth at the base as well, that only developed in the last couple of years. There are no visible roots surrounding the mount. The root system is contained within the growths, under those dry bracts - don't ever try to "tidy it up" by removing those, that would kill the plant. Because the root system is contained within the growths, it does propagate fairly easily. Flowers have heavy, waxy substance. Native to Costa Rica and Panama, elevation 700-1800 m.

Paphiopedilum gratrixianum

A really good year for this one, with 5 flowers. Native to China and southeast Asia, elevation around 1000 m on limestone cliffs. I grow it fairly bright, along with Paph. insigne and Paph. villosum.

Pholidota cantonensis

Clearly related to Dendrochilum. I started it on a hapu'u slab held horizontally to preserve moisture, but it has grown to the point that I now hang it vertically to save space and it continues to do fine. Native to southeast China and Taiwan, elevation 200-2000 m.

Pseudolaelia freyi

This species grows up the trunks of Vellozia plants in Brazil, in habitats where rupiculous Laelias (Cattleyas) also grow. The flowers are only about 1/2 inch, quite lovely in close-up view. The plant is currently about 4 feet tall, with one spike going up another 18 inches or so. However, its footprint is fairly small so it doesn't take up too much room in the growing area.

Pleurothallis restrepioides

Along with producing a profusion of spikes each year, it also produces lots of keikis that also produce their own spikes. Therefore, this is a great plant to share. The red spots have a crystalline appearance and glisten in the sun.

Telipogon papilio

These large (1 inch or more)-flowered Telipogons tend to come from high elevation cloud forests, and be intolerant of heat and low humidity. So this one is a gamble. But I obtained it in mid-September when it had a spike that didn't survive shipping, it experienced quite a bit of warm weather as well as Santa Ana season, produced another two spikes that bloomed, and now has a new growth. So maybe this one will grow for me. It is in sphagnum in a basket, I may have to put it into a clay pot to maintain moisture and cooling through the months with warmer nights. But it is a beauty, I am hopeful. It is native to Ecuador and Peru, elevation 2800-3000 m. Jay Pfahl indicates that it tends to die back after flowering, and warns that it likely isn't dead! So far, the new growth is coming as the older one is blooming, but I am forewarned of its deciduous nature.

Trichocentrum cavendishianum

This "mule-eared Oncidium" is relatively rare in cultivation. It is native to Mexico and Guatemala, elevation 1500 - 2100 m but may occur as high as 2800 m. Most Trichocentrums are from lower elevations and need more warmth. This one loves cold. It grows very slowly, blooms fairly infrequently, and from spike to bloom takes several months. But the long-lasting waxy flowers are well worth the wait.

Pterostylis curta

Right on schedule, this prolific Australian terrestrial is blooming. I start watering it in early August, see new growths around the end of September. This is earlier than my other Mediterranean-climate terrestrias, these have a much shorter dormancy since they don't have a severe dry period. They grow in riparian habitats.

Ophrys tenthredinifera

This is the first of my European terrestrials to bloom. Next month the others will be appearing.

Thelymitra x macmillanii (red)

The first of my Thelymitras, from Australia. This is a natural hybrid of T. antennifera x T. nuda, and can occur in a range of colors. It waits for a bright, sunny day to open, closes in the afternoon, waits for sun to open again.

Diuris orientis

As the name implies, from eastern (and southeastern) Australia. Diuris are nicknamed "Donkey orchids".

Diuris magnifica

From western Australia

Orchis anatolica

As the name implies, found in Turkey, but also in nearby Mediterranean countries.

Orchis italica

The "little man" orchid

In the greenhouse...

C lueddemanniana f. coerulea

Native to Venezuela. One of the largest-flowered Cattleyas and one of relatively few that need warmth.

Cymbidium canaliculatum f. sparkesii

While it grows warmer than most Cymbidiums, it is mostly OK outside. However, it does also need to be kept fairly dry in winter to I move it into the dry greenhouse with the Catasetinae. To bloom well it does need a bit of protection from chill as well as the dry period, I give it a bit of water every couple of weeks.

From northern and western Australia, up to 1000 m.

Ludisia discolor f. dawsoniana

The easiest to grow ot the "jewel orchids". It can be easily grown as a house plant, needs to be quite shady. Native to south central and southeast China, and most of southeast Asia, as well as the Philippines.

Phalaenopsis schilleriana

This plant is a prodigy. About 3 years ago, after blooming it started a keiki on the spent flower spike, growing big leaves, but did not immediately produce roots. The year following it produced another flower spike from those leaves, and just startd to root. Eventually it produce 2 small roots, but I left it attached to the old spike and it has produced yet another flower spike from the keiki, as well as two more spikes from the main plant. Different cultivars can have variation in leaf pattern and depth of color. Native to the Philippines

From Arnold Markman:

Coastal San Diego area

Intermediate Greenhouse, 60% shade cloth, daily watering unless otherwise noted.

Coelogyne cristata

This orchid grows in India at elevations up to 2500 m. Grown high in the greenhouse. I’ve gotten one or two flowers in the past but as you can see from the picture this year is spectacular with about 82  blooms.

Dendrochilum banksii

This orchid is from the Philippines and grows at 500 m. This would imply that it needs more warmth, but it seems to be fine with winter lows as low as 46 deg F.

Dendrochilum wenzelii

This supposedly warm growing orchid from the Philippines doesn’t grow higher than 1000 m. However, it seems to be fine with winter lows of 46 deg F.

A division of the plant above. I was curious to see if this would grow better mounted. 

Cattleya (Laelia) lundii

From Brazil

Masdevalia polysticta

This small plant grows at 3000 m in Ecuador.

Pleurothallis flexuosa

This orchid is also from Ecuador. It grows at about 2000 m.

Maxillaria bradeorum

This maxillaria has a vertical growth habitat. It is from Costa Rica and grows up to 1800 m. Andy Phillips referred to this plant as “the king of the maxillarias“ and I can’t disagree with him!

Maxillaria coccinea

This species grows in low level forests in Puerto Rico, but can grow up as high as 1000 m. It does not seem to have any problem with 46 F winter lows. The rhizome at the bottom has fallen down rather than growing up and I decided not to cut it off and start a new plant but instead see if it takes root in that position.

Cuitlauzina puchella (Osmoglossum pulchellum)

From cloud forests of Mexico at 2100 m

Pleurothallis truncata

This orchid grows in Ecuador at elevations up to 3000 m.

Pescatoria wallisii

Brom the tropical rainforest of Ecuador at about 1200 m. Grown high in the greenhouse for maximum light.

Trisetella sp.

Came labeled "Trisetella klingeri' but looks nothing like the photos (including one by its namesake Mr. Klinger) It bears a resemblance to Trisetella regia, but is smaller (about 2 inches vs. as much as 4.8 inches). With species in doubt, location information is also unreliable. So this shall remain "Trisetella sp." Still, spectacular flowers, very large for the genus.