Lepanthes telipogoniflora

When I bought this orchid I had no idea of how the flower will look like.  The plant stays small, produce few leaves but the flowers are always very spectacular. When closed, they have 3 faces that look like a Y. When open it gives a very nice orange flower with yellow border with a size close to peny size. This plant was describe first in 1996 (certainly not found before because growing in a region controlled by Colombia’s drugRead more

Do you know? #3

image from Swiss Orchid Foundation Salep is a flour made from the tubers of orchid like Orchis mascula and Orchis militaris. Several orchids used to make this flour are facing extinction (see BBC article). This four is used in a lot of turkish beverage and desserts like the lovely lokum. For more information read the very detailled article published in Botanica.comRead more
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Dendrobium porphyrochilum

Did not know what to expect when I bought this orchid some months ago but very pleased with the nice little flowers white, green and pink. Growth really well inside at intermediary temperature even if cold conditions are recommended. Culture conditions: cold temperature, partial shade Origine: Found in the western Himalayas, Chinese Himalayas, Assam, eastern Himalayas, Nepal, Myanamar, Thailand and Vietnam on trees in forests grazed by cattle at elevations of 1850 to 2350 meters Substrat change: Blooming: January 2013 Purchase:Read more

Do you know? #2

Hymenopus coronatus or orchid mantis Generally, mantises protect themselves by camouflage and concealment. To do that, most species make use of protective coloration to blend in with the foliage or substrate, both to avoid predators, and to better snare their prey. Various species have evolved to not only blend with the foliage, but to mimic it, appearing as either living or withered leaves, sticks, tree bark, blades of grass, flowers, or even stones. Some species in Africa and Australia are able to turn black after a molt following a fireRead more

Do you know? #1

#1 – Bulbophyllum nocturnum J.J.Verm., de Vogel, Schuit. & A.Vogel. In 2008, Ed de Vogel from NCB Naturalis in Leiden, The Netherlands, brought back a small orchid that he had collected on the remote and little explored island of New Britain during one of his expeditions to Papua New Guinea. When cultivated at the Hortus Botanicus, Leiden, the plant readily produced flower buds, but these all seemed to abort just before opening. It was only when the plant was observed during theRead more

Pleurothallis prolifera

Pleurothalis means side of the leaf because most of the Pleurothalis have flowers only in one side of the stem. This Pleurothalis is a small tough plants with roundish purplish leaves have a chain of small red flowers lying in center. I like the Pleurothalis because they have these little flowers in the middle of the leaf. They are difficulty to culture in my appartment because they require cold condition to grow. Culture condition: bright light to moderate shade, cold to coolRead more

Scaphosepalum gibberosum “stony point”

I like flowers when they are different, unusual, strange….so I bought 2 time this orchid!!! First one in September 2010 (orchid in the park), the second at  the orchid society show in February 2012. Culture conditions: full shade, cool to cold temperature Origine:  Andes of Antioquia, Colombia at elevation of 1600 to 2000 meters.   Substrat change: Blooming: September 2010 Purchase: Orchid in the park 2010Read more

Schoenorchis fragans

One very vSery very small orchid found at Orchid in the park exposition- September 2012. It was one of the start of the exposition: so tiny so difficult to resist. The plant is growing well for the moment. Culture conditions: light, intermediary to hot temperature Origine: Assam India, Myanamar, Thailand and Yunnan china in semi-deciduous forests at elevations oround 500 to 1200 meters Substrat change: December 2012 Bloming: September 2012 Purchase: September 2012. Orchid in the Park.Read more

Scaphosepalum odontochilum

Another very small orchid I chose for the very bright orange color. The plant survives for the moment but I will move it in the bedroom when I will come back from travel next week for more safety! Common name: the toothed-lip scaphosepalum Culture conditions: Partial shade, cool to cold Origine: Found in Colombua and Ecuador at elevations of 1750 to 2400Read more

Bulbophyllum ovalifolium

I bought this orchid in October 2012 at Hanging Garden, Pacifica.  I like this sparkling orange flower. The plant is also very interesting. Culture conditions: Parital shade, cold to intermediary temperature. Origine: Chinese himalayas, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, lesser Sunda Island and Sulawesi at elevation of 900 to 2000 meters where it is common in montane foreste as a miniature.  Read more

Appendicula elegans

One of my favorite orchid – in flower since I bought it last year. The plant is big compare to the size of the flower (see picture next to the dime)- a minuscule flower, very elegant, white with a little touch of pink and green. It’s common name: elegant appendicula! Culture conditions: partial shade, bright Origine: Java, Bali and Sumatra, epiphyte and occasional terrestrial in the montain forest at elevation of 15 to 1450 metersRead more

Masdevallia carruthersiana

I bought this orchid at the flea market where I’m going Sunday morning at Alamany. The guy who sale it,  cultures himself some masdevallia. He is not always at the market but when he is I cannot resist.  I most of the time kill the masdevallia because I don’t have the good conditions for cold culture but this one just gave me a new flower. I like this mix of yellow and dark purple. Culture conditions: partial shade, cold toRead more

Dendrochilum bicallosum

I think that I bought it at Orchimania (San Francisco) just before they closed. It’s one of the “Necklace Orchids” (because of their long, pendant, multi-flowered inflorescence). The flowers are salmon-pink with about 100 small flowers per spike. The plant has 13 spikes this time. I had the plant in my bedroom for the last month, next to the window (very bright in the afternoon), intermediary temperature (I most of the time don’t heat my bedroom, with exception of winter whenRead more