Orchid of the day: Dendrobium jenkensii

Dendrobium jenkensii

Arne purchased this orchid in 2008 and it came on a thin stick with another orchid attached on the top. Once we separated this orchid from the hitch hiker orchid, Stelis quadrifida, and mounted it on its own tree fern, this orchid flourished. 

A) This orchid in 2010. How it has grown!

We have thirty one flowers this year and it was a tricky process. In order to initiate flowering, Arne made sure it has to have a period of dry and cool from about Thanksgiving to Valentine's Day. He would place this orchid on our front porch under the roof during frost free nights.

This orchid is native to the cooler and higher elevation of the Hainan region of China, Assam of India, eastern Himalaya, Nepal, Burma/Myanmar and Laos. It was named after an English man, Jenken, who work with the East Indian Trading company in the 1800s. The flower is about 3 cm or 1.5 inches in size.

B) Close up in mid May this year.

C) Enjoying the Spring sun.

D) Individual bloom.

E) Almost all flowers were in bloom here. There are about six flower buds developing in this picture.

I hope you enjoyed these photos of our Dendrobium jenkensii. I love this orchid as I find it very reliable and the flowers are so vividly luscious yellow in contrast to our Dendrobium lindleyi, which are not as intensively yellow. Until my next post, please have a good, safe and blessed week.

Khairul Bariah

Orchid of the day: Leptotes pohlitinocoi

Leptotes pohlitinocoi

Arne purchased this orchid in June 2015 and it has be doing well ever since. My first post about this Brazilian beauty was in 2016, April 24th to be exact.  

A) Our orchid this year and we have about twenty flowers.

B) From my post in 2016. How this orchid has grown over the past four years.

C) A few flower buds still unopened at this time in late March.

D) The twenty flowers never opened at the same time.

E) A better view of the individual flower.

Until my next post, Happy Memorial day to everyone and a peaceful week.

Orchid of the day: Vandaglossum hybrid: Holcoglossum flavescens x Vanda coerulescens

Holcoglossum flavescens x Vanda coerelescens

This is a primary hybrid between the rather compact Vanda coerulescens with pale bluish flowers on very long stems and the miniature species Holcoglossum flavescens which has short stems with attractive mostly white flowers.  The result is a plant with a stature resembling the Holcoglossum parent while the lilac flowers are similar to the Vanda parent.  This is a recently made hybrid and has not yet been registered at this time. Once registered it will receive a proper name.

This plant is a recent acquisition from Peter T. Lin and it already had an emerging flower stem when it arrived in March.

A) Five flowers in bloom in late April.

B) The flowers are typical Vanda-looking. 

C) Three flower buds at the top of the stem.

D) Close up of the blooms.

E) Seven flowers opened in early May.

F) We had a total of eight flowers but they never bloomed at the same time.

Until next time, have a great weekend! We are having a really nice one in Baltimore so far.

Khairul Bariah

Orchid of the day: Vanda Cherry Blossom 'Carmela' (AM-CCM/AOS)

Ascofinetia Cherry Blossom 'Carmela' (AM-CCM/AOS)

This hybrid, formerly known as Ascofinetia Cherry Blossom, had 330 flowers on eleven flower stems when it was awarded one year ago May 4th, 2019.  This year, there are thirteen flower stems so instead of counting each single flower, we estimated the flower count to be close to 400 flowers.

A) Individual flower.

When Arne bought this plant in 2012, it was a small blooming seedling. He immediately transferred it to a basket made of cedar and it has been growing happily in it ever since.  The basket is clearly disintegrating now and the only way to deal with that is to transfer the whole assembly, old wood and all, to a new basket. This year, our orchid will find a new home in a basket made of mahogany. It will be happening soon after all the flowers are gone. Mahogany should last much longer.

B) In March, most of the flowers were still at the budding stage.

C) I am always amazed with their roots.

D) This is what the flowers look like when they are buds. What a contrast from the opened flowers.

E) Beautiful purple flowers. Typical Vanda-look except for the spur, which is from Neofinetia.

F) Out in the sun in mid April.

G) All in full bloom by late April.

H) 'Aerial view' with buds

I) 'Aerial view', several days later, in full bloom.

Concluding this post with Marcus 'Anthony', keeping our orchid company out on the back deck.

Have a good week everyone!

Khairul Bariah

Orchid of the day: Leptotes bicolor 'Khairul Bariah' (CCM/AOS)

Leptotes bicolor 'Khairul Bariah' (CCM/AOS)

This is our 20 year old Leptotes bicolor 'Khairul Bariah', which was awarded the Certificate of Cultural of Merit (CCM) by the American Orchid Society (CCM/AOS) in 2015. Our Brazilian beauty, which always blooms at this time of the year. Getting bigger and more floriferous by the year.  No words are needed at this point. The pictures says it all. Here's to another 20 years.

A) Out in the sun.

B) Cascading flowers, almost wrapping around the cork.

C) Two pieces of corks were tied together to allow this orchid to grow and spread out over the years.

D) In the hand of the man who has been culturing this splendid orchid.

Until next time, have a great week!

Khairul Bariah