My first zygopetalum

The blooms on this plant aren't too amazing, but people always rave about the fragrance. And hey describe the scent as like a hyacinth which I love.  Usually the plants in stores don't smell to strong, but maybe that's just the stress of changing environments and the lack of sunlight. But I can smell it and it's very pleasant. Hopefully it'll be more intense as the blooms age. There are two spikes each with 4 flowers. The second spike hasn't opened yet but looks very close.   I got this at Trader Joe's. If you know the name of the orchid, please comment. The bulbs don't look great and are shriveled. But it was the only one there and I wanted to get something. It also has quite a few pseudobulbs. I count eleven which is quite high as there was an oncidium there that was just one big bulb. Hopefully this will do well for me. 

A couple of days later:  Two more buds opened. The new blooms have a fair scent. The lip is very wrinkly which I don't really like. The older books have the same problem but not as bad so I think they'll straighten out but not completely. 

Another big lip phaleonopsis

I bought another phal at Trader Joe's yesterday. They had several big lip ones including this unique dark purple one which looked like it was tiedyed. But it has a shorter smaller flower spike so I went with the tall one.  It is missing a couple of buds but it looks like there are a lot more buds to come.  Seems like the big lips are becoming more available. But I have only seen them at Trader Joe's for sale.

Like the majority of plants around here there is no ID. But after googling photos, it looks like Phalaenopsis Yu Pin Fireworks (Sogo Dove x World Class). Based on the name it looks like the same orchid breeders as the last one I purchased. They actually look the same where one is subtle and this one has dark intense lines. They also both have branching spikes.

Beallara Marfitch 'Howard's Dream' in full bloom

All the flowers finally opened.  I posted a picture of the spike forming in a previous post from November 1st.  Here is the link: Last miltoniopsis flowers.

The following picture shows the buds on December 9th.

And here is what they look like today.  There are two spikes with three flowers each.  The one hanging down bloomed a couple of weeks before.  The other just finished opening.  

Phal. Yu Pin Fireworks X Dtps. Yu Pin Ocicat

I saw this orchid yesterday and I just had to get it. I've only seen one big lip orchid in person at the MOS orchid show.  They should be fairly new in the market, and I have read that the big lip is due to a mutation. The flower was a simple subtle orchid sitting in a bunch of flashier colored orchids which looked amazing, but I selected this one due to the shape and size of the lip. Also notice the branching in the flower spike. My other complex Phal. hybrids which are noids flower on a single straight spike.   Enjoy!

Last miltoniopsis flowers

I purchased an orchid from Trader Joe's on August 28.  Here is a picture of what it looked like when I purchased it.

On September 3rd it was almost in full blooms on four spikes. 

Today, November 1st I pulled off the two last spent blooms so this orchid was almost in bloom for two months. 

The orchid was labeled as a miltonia but from what I see on the internet it is a miltoniopsis. But it seems like people do use the name interchangeably. I see a couple of new growths. Hopefully I can rebloom this one. Please let me know in the comments if you know the name of this orchid.

Here is another orchid I bought at Trader Joe's.  This seems like the only place to get reasonably priced or inexpensive orchids other than a phal. If u go to a nursery the selection is tiny to nonexistent and extremely overpriced. I don't remember when I got this one but it has probably been at least two years. It was a noid orchid but based on what the blooms look like it is a Beallara Marfitch 'Howard's Dream.'  It currently has two spikes! 😄 I think there is only going to be three flowers on each spike which I'm OK with because I really neglected this guy and it is still blooming for me. See all the accordioned leaves due to inconsistent watering. 

Welcome to my new blog! And meet my new plant!

I always take photographs of plants. So why not keep the photos in a blog so I can keep track of them instead of having them get lost in a hard drive somewhere. This is also a way to keep a record on how my plants are doing at a given point in time. To begin, here is a new addition to my plant collection. I'm a big fan of orchids. Meet Dendrobium Country Girl "Warabeuta."  This is my first Dendrobium and I believe it is a nobile type. Hopefully I will be able to rebloom it. Enjoy the pictures!