HousePlants Now

Orchid Mystique in Washington D.C.

admin — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 16:14:45 +0000

The U.S. Botanic Gardens show Orchid Mystique: Nature’s Triumph, in collaboration with Smithsonian Gardens, runs until April 29, 2012. This year’s exhibit observes the 100th anniversary of Japan’s gift of the cherry blossom trees to Washington, D.C., apparently by presenting our orchids around the Conservatory “in serene settings evocative of Japanese gardens to complement the thousands of orchids on display.”

Unfortunately there is not too much of a Japanese aesthetic going on(Italian style terracotta pots don’t quite cut it) other than a lovely Japanese garden, and with the hordes of tourist, serenity is in short supply. Still, there are always some beautiful orchids to observe and we’ve selected a few here to share with you.

Also on display are photographs of Images of North American native orchids from Hal Horwitz, which are really worth seeing. In that same vein, its also worth checking out an exhibit about a new national effort to restore and conserve native US orchids. Sadly, may of our own orchids are extinct or endangered in our own backyards of Maryland and Virginia.

: Cymbidium Blue River ‘Thunder’

Dendrobium aggregatum, a tiny species with large sprays of flowers

Dendrobium Gold Star 'Orange Royal'

: Vanda Pachara Delight ‘Pachara’

Chysis bractescens

Cymbidium cooperi

Snowflake Lily

admin — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 18:48:07 +0000

I found this beautiful snowflake lily blooming in the Okavango delta in Botswana a few days ago, so I thought I would throw a photo up. Enjoy!

snowflake lily

Orchids in Cali, Colombia

admin — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 22:36:45 +0000

Cattleya trianae blooms in its native Colombia

Cattleya trianae is the national flower of Colombia and is among the largest and most beautiful of the cattleya orchid species. There are many different colors ranging from white to pink with variations in lip color to boot. It generally flowers in the late winter/early spring. This picture was taken in Cali, Colombia in February. The orchid was growing and blooming high up in a tree. You can find out more about this history of this orchid at Chadwick and Sons Orchids.

A few other orchids were also in bloom, but these were cultivated plants, though still native to the region. Below are two different types of Sobralia orchids. These plants that looks like grassy bamboo plants can reach from 12″ or 12 feet in height depending on the variety. The short-lived flowers, that may open at dawn ans spent by nightfall bloom in abundance. They are terrestrial, growing in the ground unlike the epiphytic Cattleya trianae.
Lastly we have Phragmipedium longifolium that was growing in a basket on somebody’s balcony. These are related to the Asiatic slipper orchids. However, these plants enjoy slightly cooler conditions and like lot of fresh cold water at the roots. They bloom over many months on the same stem.

Sobralia Orchids

Phragmipedium longifolium growing in a basket

Hairy Heliconias

admin — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:36:35 +0000

Heliconias are striking tropical plants with with thick flower bracts, that sometimes seem like they’ve been fashioned from plastic or rubber. The flowers emerge from the colorful bracts, but its the bracts themselves that command the most attention. You can see the yellow flower in the photo. On a recent trip to Colombia I came across this hairy heliconia, thick and dangling. Almost furry to the touch , it felt like a cross between a monkey’s tail, snake, and a child’s plush toy. You can see a much more impressive hairy heliconia photo here.

You can see a much more impressive hairy heliconia photo here. But, for those of you who prefer less hirsute heliconias, here are pictures of some other beauties that I spotted. Don’t even think about growing these as houseplants. Some of these plants are 10-15 feet tall! The flowering bracts can be several feet long too, often dangling on rope-like stem over the steep hillsides like chandeliers.No doubt the colorful bracts can be easily spotted by hummingbirds that tend to pollinate these beautiful flowers.

Heliconias are sometimes are confused with Bird of Paradise blooms

gorgeous yellow heliconia

Winter blooming cattleya orchids….

admin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:18:42 +0000

With snow on the ground, there’s nothing like the rich perfumed scent of a gorgeous cattelya orchid to remind you of your favorite tropical paradise where I know you’d rather be right now. One of my new favorites has to be Blc. Momilani Rainbow ‘Buttercup’ which releases its heady perfume all day and has flowers that last for weeks, which is longer than for most cattleya orchids. While the plant is not compact it s definitely on the smaller side compared to other standard cattleyas. So, if you have room on your windowsill, this is one ‘houseplant’ I would definitely recommend.

Blc. Momilani Rainbow 'ButterCup'

Tropical Hibiscus Hybrids

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 01:17:05 +0000

Just in time for the holidays, my tropical (grafted) hibiscus decided to bloom. They don’t last long, barely a day, but there are always more on the way. I hope you enjoy the photo.

Tropical Hibiscus

mini tropical pitcher plants

admin — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:33:19 +0000

nepenthes pitcher close-up

Nepenthes, the tropical pitcher plants can get to be large plants and are best suited to a greenhouse or large terrarium where they thrive in high humidity. However, there are a few hybrids (if you search for them) that are on the smaller side and these can make good houseplants (‘dwarf peacock’ is one that comes to mind).

These smaller plants can be grown in a tapered glass vase or glass jar(see photo below) , but make sure you have some sort of lid to trap in the humidity which they need. Contrary to what you might think, not all nepenthee are from steamy jungles. Many are found higher up on cooler mountain-tops where it gets downright chilly at night. Unless you live far north,you may fare better with warmer growing ‘lowland ‘ species or hybrids than the cooler growing upland’ ones.

Either way, be sure to grow them in a peat-based mixed with good drainage, and fertilizer occasionally with dilute orchid fertilizer to get good results. And yes, you can feed them tiny bugs or insects as well. One thing we’ve found is that if nepenthes are unhappy, or the air too dry, they will stop making pitchers. It can take months to get restarted making pitchers, but once they settle in they should be fine. Vines can be clipped if the plants get too tall and leggy, at which point they should start producing basal rosettes. They need bright light, though not necessarily direct sun.The Nepenthes below is growing in a 2.5″ rose pot that is hidden by decorator moss. The crypanthus (bromeliad family) adds a dash of bright color and contrast to the reddish-green colors of the Nepenthes plant and pitchers.

Nepenthes growing in 6 inch glass vase.

Slipper Orchids from the NCOS Show

admin — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 02:21:15 +0000

Here are two maudiae-type slipper orchidsthat I bought at the recent orchid show held in Washington D.C. Most of these hybrids are being bred in Taiwan (slipper orchids are from south-east Asia) and the quality is outstanding. Growers usually have a batch of identical seedlings in bloom, and its fun to go through and pick out the best ones. ‘Best’, is of course, subjective but most slipper orchid enthusiasts will agree that if you look for flowers that are symmetrical, show clear color and boast a good flat dorsal sepal(that’s the striped one at the top of the flower that ends in a point) you can’t go wrong.

Paph Hsinying Rubyweb '#4' x sukhakulii '#25'

Then, of course, you have to like the flower, so that you’ll enjoy it once its home and blooming on your windowsill (the flowers can last six weeks or more). The orchid to the top is 50% sukhakulii, a species from Thailand that impart wide spotted petals to its progeny. Below is what is known as a vini-color hybrid–the goal with this kind of breedingis to get wine colored flowers–sin fact, some of these can be an extremely dark wine-red, or practically black. The vini colored slipper orchids are best admired while sipping a glass of claret red.

Maudiae-type slipper orchids also have beautiful foliage . They are relatively low-light plants and with a little care can be grown as houseplants. Learn how to grow slipper orchids

Paph Fever Pitch x Macabre x (Onyx x Ruby Leopard)

Easy-to-Spot Orchids

admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 16:53:23 +0000

I purchased this gorgeous cattleya orchid at the NCOS Orchid Show that is on this weekend in Washington D.C. The large spotted waxy flowers held with their heady fragrance proved to be irresistible. There were about ten of these in bud or bloom being sold by Orchid Enterprise and most of them were snapped up quickly. I think you can see why.

For orchid nuts: This is a tetraploid mutation of the ‘Carmela’HCC/AOS clone.’Linwood’ received an AM/AOS

Cattleya Caudebec 'Linwood' AM/AOS

Orchid Show in Washington D.C. on Columbus Day Weekend

admin — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 04:34:12 +0000

Paph. Hsinying Citron X Pat Rowlands purchased at last year

Enjoy a dazzling display of orchids in Washington D.C this Columbus Day weekend. This fall tradition brings thousands of orchids in bloom, and visitors, to the U.S National Arboretum. There is a also a sales tent where vendors from around the nation offer many orchids that you won’t find in your local grocery store.

Members of the National Capital Orchid Society (NCOS) are also on had to give tours and answer any questions you many have on orchids. Better still, attend one of the many free orchid growing workshops offered and and then select some orchids to take home with you from our sales tent. I’ll be giving a talk on Saturday at 1.45pm on ‘5 Secrets to Great Orchid Growing;’ come find out what they are!

Admission to the show, classes, and sales tent is free! Show hours are:
Saturday 10 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday 10 am – 5:00 pm
Monday 10 am – 3:00 pm
The entrance to the Arboretum is at 24th and R Street, NE, not the New York Avenue address. For more information visit the NCOS website.

If you’re an orchid nut, and looking to to add plants to your collection, get there early on Saturday. However, there are enough orchids to suit everyone’s taste, so even if you get there later in the day, you’ll still find something you like. I found the slipper orchid pictured above left well into Saturday afternoon after the best stuff had supposedly been ‘picked over.’ Read my orchid website post on how to buy orchids so you can make your way through the sales tent like a pro. If you want to enjoy the displays, then Monday is usually the quietest day ..

New this year are special photo sessions before the show opens to the public:
Saturday, October 8, 9:00 – 10:00 am
Sunday, October 9, 9:00 – 10:00 am
Monday, October 10, 9:00 – 10:00 am

Photograph rare and exotic blooming orchids set in spectacular museum-quality displays without the worry of crowds or space to set up your tripod. The fee per session is $12 (Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) $10). You can register on the NCOS website.

You can also sign up to become a member of the National Capital Orchid Society at the show. Meetings are held monthly at the arboretum and feature a guest speaker as well as a show table with hundreds of orchids in bloom. Here are some photos from last year’s NCOS Show to whet your appetite.

Here is an exhibit I designed for Orchid Enterprise at last year's show