Cattleya Percivaliana 'Summit' FCC/AOS

Surprise bloom on November 2, 2014

Native of Venezuela. Also nicknamed "Christmas Orchid." Cinnamon-y fragrance. Apparently in the 1940's, this orchid hit the shelves at Christmas time along with poinsettias.                   

Photos Courtesy of Andre Gratto.

Acquired from Deep Cut Orchid Society 2014 Auction from Anne & Dave Safarewitz. 

2nd specimen also acquired from Deep Cut Orchid Society 2014 Auction from Larry Desiano. No blooms to date from this one.

Laeliocattleya Tristar Bouquet 'Hawaii'

Picked this guy up in bloom. Regrettably, did not get the clearest pictures before the flowers dropped. I'll make up for lack of quality with quantity.

Acquired from Deep Cut Orchid Society 2014 Auction from David Carrick's Collection.

Bollopetalum Midnight Blue 'Cardinal's Roost' (Bollea violacea x Zygopetalum B. G. White (Zygopetalum Blackii x Zygopetalum mackayi))

Received as a double spike in bloom. Each bud took its time to unfurl and each unfurling played out as elaborately as a slow motion ballet. She then hung around for a nice few weeks. Faint green fragrance.

Gorgeous presentation- noticed and awarded by my
local orchid society.

Macro view in the sunshine. Photo courtesy of Andre Gratto.

This is my second specimen of this orchid.

Acquired from Lucky Girl Orchids by way of EBay.

Dendrobium Victoria-Reginae

Native of the highlands of the Philippines. Seedling size... Waiting patiently for it to grow up and blossom....

Acquired from Lucky Girl Orchids by way of EBay.

Vuylstekeara Celtic Sun 'Blushed'

Acquired in triple spike. Originally bloomed yellow, then transitioned to
white. 

Heavenly fragrance.

Acquired from Lucky Girl Orchids by way of EBay.

Brassolaeliocattleya Merrily Murison "Larry"

Just received this guy today from Kawamoto Orchids. Two buds and counting the days...

Laeliocattleya Dinard "Blue Heaven" AM/AOS

Just received this guy today from Kawamoto Orchids. One sheath and counting the days...

Dendrobium aggregatum

Just received this guy today from Kawamoto Orchids. He's specimen size. Hopefully, he'll wake up with a bloom soon!

Laeliocattleya Mari's Song (Lc. Irene Finney x C. Cherry Chip)

Congrats to Mari and Billy
Welcome to the World, 
Lilikoi Kili Olli!!!
Mother and daughter both have flowers named for them.

Strongly Floral and Enchanting Fragrance!

 Water:  This specimen is grown semi-hydroponically. For this setup, pour weak fertilizer mix over the top 1-2x/week (when media gets dry). Fill until water starts to come out of holes in the bottom.  
Humidity: 40-70%

Fertilizer:  20-20-20

Temp: Winter: day 60-70F, night no less than 55F; Summer: day 65-85F, night 60-65F

Light: 2,000 to 3,000 foot-candles (about 65-70% shade); Leaves should be a medium green color. Dark green foliage indicates too little light.

Air: do not allow breeze or draft over roots

Flowering: blooms last 3 weeks

Repotting: chopped bark, tree fern fiber, coconut husk chips, gravel or lava rock and even sphagnum moss; every 2-3 years in spring/summer; Place old growths near the edge of the pot and leading growths facing the center. Roots tend to grow upward, so the whole plant may need to be tilted with the leading growth tilted downward.

Acquired August 23, 2014 from The Orchid House, Green Bay, VA 

Miltassia Charles M. Fitch 'Izumi' AM/AOS (Brassia verrucosa x Miltonia spectabilis)

Last Updated September 21, 2014

This half awake guy greeted me a few days ago. The next day, he got a partner in crime. Two more opened this morning. Three more buds to go to make lucky number 7 dancing purple Charlie's!

Faintly sweet fragrance.

Acquired August 23, 2014 from The Orchid House, Green Bay, VA 

Vanda Princess Mikasa 'Indigo' (Ascocenda Royal Sapphire x Vanda Coerulea)

                                     

Apparently Ascocenda is now part of Vanda as per the Vol. 6 of Genera Orchidacearum. The use of DNA testing has evidently caused frequent and major shakeups of nomenclature! This makes me love the wise and knowledgeable AOS judges at GNYOS so much more..

2014 GNYOS Auction, RF Orchids, Homestead, FL

Bulbophyllum "Wilmar Galaxy Star" (dearii x lobii)

Water:  evenly moist (1-3x/wk)- careful: high risk 

for fungus on pseudobulbs from overwatering

Humidity: high

Fertilizer: 20-20-20 monthly

Temp: 58-90 °F

Light: 2000-3000 Fc

Rest period: Not needed or very brief winter with less watering.

Flowering: Spring-summer lasting 2-3 weeks, sweet scent; bobbing-head like lip trips insect into the flower, forcing pollination when it exits. See video below.

Repotting: Sensitive to repotting- may skip bloom. Sphagnum moss, mounted cork, shallow media for short roots.

Propogate:  Split pseudobulbs

Species Bulbophyllum Dearii originally from Borneo, Phillipines, Malaysia. Bulbophyllum Lobii also in Indonesia. Grows on tree trunks or limestone. 

The blossoms evoke scents of ripe, sweet nectarines! Like abstract art, I keep seeing the flower form anew from different angles:

I got a macrolens attachment for my IPhone camera. Here are the finer details up close:

 

Bobbing lip in action:

Link to Video Pending

This orchid from Ebay Seller Lucky Girl Orchids. Arrived with two blossoms on July 23, 2014. Despite the very delicate nature of the blossom, this seller did a phenomenal job of delivering intact flowers. Additional, her culture is impeccable with no flaws on any other part of the plant or the media. 

Credited sources:

http://www.orchidspecies.com/bulblobbii.htm

http://www.orchidspecies.com/bulbodearei.htm

http://www.andysorchids.com/

http://www.carterandholmes.com/bulbocare.html

Encyclia Jungle 'Valley Isle' x self

Acquired in bloom July 16, 2014 by way of Lenny Zieff of Victor's Florists at the GNYOS monthly meeting. Plant tag identifies origin as Exotic Maui Orchids.