Another orchid

Another orchid, another cup of tea, another peaceful day...

Currently blooming

These 2 orchids are reblooming this year. It makes me blissfully happy, because it takes happy orchids to bloom. Orchids are one of the fussiest species on earth. These two must have felt my love. :P

Cymbidium - nice fragrance

This plant smells very nice. I put it right next to my computer, a swift of orchid fragrance breezes by every now and then.

Random pictures of orchids

White Cattleya

I had this plant for about 4 years or more. This is the first time it flowers again since I bought it at an orchid show. The fragrance is so beautiful, a faint smell can be traced all over the house. I didn't expect it will flower again, so when I saw the open white flowers (not knowing it was budding), the surprise was delightful. I was just asking the orchid man at the Farmers Market the other day, what to do if a plan hasn't bloomed for years. He told me increase sun exposure. Magically, a pair of flowers appeared shortly after my complain. :D I should tell him what happened next time I see him.

Cymbidium hybrid

One and only hybrid of this plant. I better not kill it. What a cute little orchid!

Cymbidium

This plant smells lovely. Not many cymbidiums have fragrance. The ones do, some smells nice, and some not so nice. I have both kinds and many that do not have a scent.

In the past few weeks, an orchid man showed up at the farmer's market right in the shopping center where my tea shop is. I tried hard to ignore the flowers for the first week or so. But I am weak when it comes to orchids, so I end up with half a dozen plants or so. This orchid man hybrids many species, including some shown here. Some hybrids have only a couple of sibling plants, which made it unique and rare. I hope I won't kill one of them. Then I'll be liable for their extinction.

Cymbidium again

Love this picture. What beautiful color contrast with clarity!

Another Cymbidum

Cymbidium - White Star

This is the only white cymbidium I have. Not sure why I didn't have any before.

Cymbidium - Vietnam specie

New addition to the collection

Yellow Dandrobium

cymbidium of spring 2008

It's cymbidium season! My orchids are doing quite well this year, 80% of 30+ cymbidiums are spiking, half of them have more then 2 spikes, one is the queen bee of all with 8 spikes!!!!

Fried Octopus?

Orange clams - each flower blooms 9 months long

Tiny flowers -- dragon fly lavender -- chemical scent

Cymbidium season - currently blooming

Currently blooming cymbidiums at my mom's back yard.




This is a special breed from the Philippine. I purchased it from my sister-in-law's coworker whom paid $75 for just one Pusedobulb. She split the plant in 2 after 3 years. I acquired this one from her for $75. The most expensive I paid for one orchid out of more than 100 plants I have.

Dandrobium - Fucia - royal purple heart

Cymbidum - white rosie heart medium

Japanese breed, pendulous long stem of flowers.

Vanda - pink dotted - medium

Vanda is the most difficult specie I have encountered so far. I have killed 2 out of 4. The soiless plant absorbs moisture and nutrients from air only. Although I am faithful to watering other species every 4 to 5 days, I couldn't keep up with watering only the vandas every day. That could have attributed to the 50% fatality.

Oncidium - tiger oyster lip large

Dandrobium - Pink yellow heart

Dandrobium - fucia white - bald bark

Cymbidium - jade butterfly small

Cymbidium - yellow all over medium

One of the 3 winning plants at the orchid auction. This year's auction had much less plants than last year, veriety is much fewer than previous as a result. 80% of the plants I already have in my collection.

Cymbidium - hatching alligator eggs medium

One of the winning items at tonights orchid auction. Weird alien animal like flower. It looks like a kind of shell fish I once found at the beach which lives under the sand and navigates FAST beneath the sand in groups.

Anyways, this is its fully blooming stage, which is only half way compare to most cymbidiums. The contrast of the color makes it more interesting, perhaps like a little alligator hatching out of its egg shell.

Orchid auction

Tonight is the once a year orchid auction at the South Coast orchid association. This is a fund raising event for the association, members and local orchid nurseries donate plants up for auction. Money will be used for yearly expense such as weekly meeting space rental, newsletters and organization expense. Events including field trips, auctions, guest speakers and cultural classes.

There are many species/varietals, mostly uncommon kinds you won't see at a grocery store. Most of these species are collectible plants from all continents and climates. Even if you are not a collector like myself, it's an eye opening event just to observe the beauty of the forever mysterious orchids. Fabulously mesmerizing!

You can find a local orchid association near you easily online. Los Angeles alone has many regional associations which also host annual auctions, Burbank, Palos Verdes, Newport Beach, 2 in Long Beach, just to name a few. There are Cymbidium assoications or others by species in addition to Orchid associations as well. Members ranging from amerteurs to serious collectors, so don't be shy, it's a great way to learn from beginning to advance level. Myself is at the end of beginner level. :) Learning is a never ending process!

Dandrobium - Fading fucia/white large

This is a Dandrobium with very large flower, size of the Phalaenopsis, that's about 4 times of the regular Dandrobium. Fabulous!

Oncidium - Deep Burgundy medium

The way to tell an addict is when one buys more than 1 plant of the same specie. I bought this plant because it has 3 more spikes coming out in addition to the blooming spike while the other plant is done blooming. *bad me*

Oncidium - star fish large

Cattlaya - burgundy green, large

large flowers and lovely fragrance

Oncidium - yellow butterfly tiny

Dandrobium - tiny white

Tiny white flowers looks like small dragon flies. Dandrobium has the most exotic flowers!

Oncidium - Burgundy small

Waxy burgundy flowers with white lip.

Cycnodes - yellow 2

This is an other cycnodes I recently bought. It's in full bloom versus the first one I bought was at end of bloom. However, there is a new spike growing from the same stalk.

Dandrobium - Fucia small

This plan has 7 blooming spikes currently. Very healthy and mature, it's ready for transplanting in separate pots after bloom season.

Oncidium - banana chocolate small

Phalaenopsis - Pink with rosie lip

Phalaenopsis - white with pink yellow heart

Oncidium - chocolate cherry small

Although I do not already have this specie, it was something similar I wanted to buy, and I mistaken this plant for it. I am a little taken back by it. Oh well....

Cattlaya - peach, large

Oncidium - yellow lavender heart

Phalaenosis burgandy green virus