Orchid of the day: Laelonia Dave's Dapper Dandee

Laelonia Dave's Dapper Dandee

This is a primary hybrid between Broughtonia negrilensis x Laelia crawshayana. I have posted about our Laelonia Dave's Dapper Dandee in November 2014, and twice in 2016, (January and December). This is another one of our collection that blooms regularly around the holiday season. This year, this orchid has produced the most flower ever. As the orchid grows, so does the length of the flower stem, making it a little bit difficult to house the orchid indoors during the cold weather. 

A) Indoors, December 16, only two flowers opened.

B) Notice the nectar droplets secreted by the flowers buds. Very sweet!

C) By Christmas day, another four flowers were in bloom.

D) Eight flowers are opened today and another three buds waiting to come.

E) The length of the flower stem in 32 inches or 81 cm.

F) Flowers up close.

G) In the upper left, there are the three flower buds.

I hope you found my post today enjoyable. Let's hope our seven year old Laelonia Dave's Dapper Dandee will continue to do well in years to come.

Until my next post, 'Happy 2019 everyone'.

Orchid of the day: Brassavola Little Star

Brassavola Little Star

This orchid is a hybrid between the Central and South American species, Brassavola nodosa and Brassavola cordata, a Jamaican native. The white flowers, exude a citrusy fragrance at night. We have a few clones of this orchid but the one I am featuring here is the HUGE clone that Arne has been housing in his lab. Fortunately, he has found a little spot in the university's green house! Our Brassavola Little Star will most likely keep growing. The photo above, shows our orchid in its new location in the green house. 

A) The orchid on Dec 17th, 2018.

B) Our orchid last year in Arne's lab at work.

C) In early December, still in the lab. There are about fifty flowers at this time.

D) This orchid is so heavy that Arne uses a strong metal stand to keep it hanging close to the window. About 8 to 10 kilograms in weight.

E) Another angle of our orchid.

F) A close up of the crisp white flowers.

I hope you enjoyed our Brassavola Little Star. Until my next post, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Orchid of the day: Cattleya cernua

Cattleya cernua

Our Cattleya cernua, formerly called Sophronitis cernua, or our 'Christmas orchid', is blooming again this holiday season.  This orchid is a prolific bloomer, check out my earlier posts from 2014, 2015, January 2017 and December 2017. This miniature orchid, which originates from the Minas Gerais region in Brazil, displays bright orange-red flowers that can be a little larger than an inch (up to 3 cm). This time we have nineteen opened flowers with many buds coming. We are not sure how many more will develop but these flowers can last up to three to four weeks.

I really like this orchid especially with the Spanish moss draped on the mount. This orchid is a warm grower and requires a lot of light. It definitely does well mounted and receives water regularly. The roots like moist but airy conditions. The Spanish moss drapes the roots and prevents desiccation when the sun or light is strong.

A) The entire plant outside.

B) Zooming in the flowers

C) Three developing buds seen in this photo.

D) Two days later the three buds are opening.

E) Our C. cernua today indoors.

If you manage to click on my earlier posts over the years, you will see how this orchid has grown over the time. I hope it will continue to do well in our care.

Orchid of the day: Cattleya walkeriana "Khairul Bariah"

Cattleya walkeriana 'Khairul Bariah'

Arne bought this orchid about a year ago. It came from a piece of very large 'rambling' plant that was once collected from the Brazilian jungle, the Minas Gerais region, a long time ago. We already have a C. walkeriana but it is a coerulea, i.e. bluish form. Arne wanted the more commonly occuring type species, which has flowers that are purple/pink in hue and supposedly have better shape than the coerulea. 

A) The entire plant in the wooden box in our basement. 

B) Close up of each flower bubs. Interesting to see clear droplets of sweet nectar dripping around the petals and stem. It was sweet to the taste!

C) Zooming a single bloom.

We were both pleasantly surprised when the blooms opened about a week ago because they were unusually round and almost flat. The inflorescence carried not two but three flowers, which is quite unusual for the species. Arne said the flowers are very beautiful and he decided to name the clone after me, Khairul Bariah. A very sweet gesture and much appreciated. 

Vegetatively, this orchid differs from most plants of walkeriana Arne has seen earlier. Each of the pseudobulb is much more elongated in shape which makes the entire plant much larger than expected in size with a 'rambling' tendency. This orchid is currently in a wooden basket but its sprawling growth will call for innovative solutions to keep it reasonably compact.

D) The entire orchid this weekend.

E) Flowers fully opened and emit fragrance during the day.

Well, this is my first post for December. Hope you liked it. 

Have a good week everyone!