Today I bought myself a few plants..
I decided to take some plants along to show at the plant table at the January COS meeting. The plants I took with were:
The Odontocidium managed a 3rd place – I’m not exactly sure why, myself. I don’t particularly like the plant very much and it, in fact, lived outside for a while without very much attention from myself. However, comments were made regarding the length of the inflorescence which apparently is abnormal (it’s quite tall – perhaps a metre) and the blooms themselves are quite nicely developed. The photo below is of the first flower that opened a month or so back already. Photos of the other plants in the list above follow
Odontocidium Susan Kauffman "Butterfly"
Paphiopedilum Armeni White
Encyclia aspera
It’s been a month and a half since I last posted here. In that time a number of plants have flowered, but some I never managed to take photos of. One that stands out in my mind is Sobralia macrantha. Those plants I did manage to take photos of, I took on the 22nd of January.. Here they are:
Brassovola nodosa
As you can probably see in this photo of my Brassovola nodosa above, the flower on the left had been eaten by something. All flowers were destroyed in absolutely no time at all. A few days later I noticed a slug eating directly on what was left of 1 of the flowers. I grow this one quite warm/hot, with very high light.
Encyclia aspera
The Encyclia aspera is grown warm/hot (hotter in the afternoon), with higher light levels in the afternoon. I’ve never had an inflorescence on this plant that was this long or with as many flowers, so these conditions appear to be near optimal thus far.
Paphiopedilum Armeni White
Paphiopedilum Armeni White is grown in quite low light, and cool to warm temperatures.
Odontocidium Susan Kauffman "Butterfly"
This Odontocidium only had a few flowers on when I took this photo (22nd of January), it now has many, many more open flowers. It receives full sun in the morning, otherwise intermediate to warm temperatures.
Iononcidium Popcorn "Pink Sugar"
Iononcidium Popcorn “Pink Sugar” is an incredibly easy-flowering plant. There must be about 6 inflorescences on this one (fairly small) plant. Quite high light in the afternoon, and grows fairly warm.
Dendrobium Florida Twist
I’m surprised this one’s still alive. I truly thought it was dead a few months ago and was surprised to see the inflorescence forming. Morning sun, and intermediate temperatures seem to keep this one happy.
Pleurothallis glumacea
The Pleurothallis glumacea is a nicy, tidy (and tiny) plant. Not difficult to grow at all. Deep shade, cool to intermediate temperatures.
NOID Phalaenopsis hybrid
NOID Phalaenopsis hybrid
The 2 Phalaenopsis above are grown with medium light levels (ordinarily I’d say the light levels are too high for Phalaenopis, but seems to be OK for these 2)
NOID Phalaenopsis hybrid
The above Phalaenopsis is grown in very low light conditions until later in the afternoon when it receives much more sun.
Polystachya (P. Cape Valentine ‘Sweet Lips’ X P. perierii???)
This Polystachya is grown in fairly low light conditions, and intermediate temperatures.
This morning after watering I decided to take some photos – some plants have been in flower for a while, but there are a number of plants in flower I hadn’t taken photos of yet.. Here they are:
This first plant was labelled Aerangis mystacidii, but since flowering, I’ve identified it (correctly, I hope) as Mystacidium capense. This plant had 4 inflorescences with ~70 flowers (which seems to be a substantial number more than it should be for this species – which is why I wonder if the ID is correct)
Mystacidium capense (plant)
Mystacidium capense (inflorescence)
Mystacidium capense (flower)
Next up is a Dendrobium “Florida Twist”. This plant was in flower when I purchased it back in early 2008 and I haven’t had it flower since. Well, it tried, but there were massive deformities and I actually thought I’d lost this plant to a virus. I’m growing this one in semi-hydroponics, high light in the morning and fairly warm. 1 inflorescence with 12 flowers.
Dendrobium "Florida Twist"
The next plant is Papilionanthe teres of which I’ve already uploaded some photos. 6 of the 7 blooms are now open – the 7th should be open tomorrow. We’ve just had some bad wind over the past weekend which has blown dust everywhere – you’ll notice in the 2nd photo the flower is covered in dust (grrrr). Easy plant to grow and flower – it seems to like a LOT of water, heat and high light.
Papilionanthe teres (inflorescence)
Papilionanthe teres (flower)
The Paphiopedilum Armeni White (P. armeniacum X P. delenatii) I posted about last week has now “whitened up” (which I’m very glad for as I’m not a big fan of yellow Paphs), and the 2nd bloom has also opened. Actually, there is another inflorescence on this plant with a single flower, but it’s only just opened up and is yellow’ish.
Paphiopedilum "Armeni White"
The next 2 photos are of a Pleurothallis glumacea. I grow this in low light and fairly warm, but it’s flowered outside in the shadehouse in Autumn when it was much cooler (but higher light levels). Appears to flower twice a year (Autumn and Spring).
Pleurothallis glumacea (inflorescence)
Pleurothallis glumacea (closer)
I’ve already posted about the next one, but I thought this was a nice photo.. It’s an Encyclia alata. Not exactly well-flowered with only 3 blooms on a short (22cm) inflorescence. I suspect this is due to it being grown in the shadehouse for a few months until I built the greenhouse (where it seems to have had an acceleration in growth)
Encyclia alata
This last one I left a bit long before taking photos and some of the flowers have already dropped. Anyway, it’s a Neofinetia falcata. I grow it quite warm with medium light until late afternoon when it receives a fair bit more..
Neofinetia falcata (plant)
Neofinetia falcata (flower)
Neofinetia falcata (flower - closer)
This Encyclia alata’s flowers opened up less than 2 weeks back. Rather disappointing with only 3 flowers, but I suspect this may be due to it being in the shadehouse over winter 
Encyclia alata
Encyclia alata
I bought the following plants from the plant sales at the COS 2009 Autumn Show:
Angraecum eburneum (not my photo)
Brassavola nodosa (not my photo)
Anacheilium fragrans (not my photo)
Oncidium altissimum (not my photo)
Phragmipedium schlimii (not my photo)
Stelis vulcanica (not my photo)
Today I bought 3 plants from the Exotic Plant Company. My first Orchids that aren’t Phalaenopsis! 
Encyclia aspera
Encyclia aspera close-up
Paphiopedilum Armeni White
Phragmipedium Tall Tails (not yet open)
