Sweet Smelling Additions!
The only reason I went to Norman's Orchids, when I know full well I shouldn't be buying anymore new orchids, was because of this first fragrant little cutie. When I saw the color combination on this phalaenopsis species, my heart was stolen and I knew I was going to have her no matter what. Since I was going to make the trip out to Montclair, I decided to pick up a couple more fragrant orchids to round out into a nice little haul.
Phalaenopsis lobbii var pink
This miniature species is usually found with tiny white flowers contrasted by a larger orange, yellow, or brown lip. I have thought about buying one before but since the flowers, while lovely, really didn't call out to me, I decided to pass for now. The orchid is so small and fragrant which was why its been on my wishlist but there are so many other more colorful, interesting orchids out there. But when I saw this lobbii on Norman's facebook page a few months back, it was love at first sight.
When I saw it posted on the website, I knew I was going to scoop her up! Kitten is just a seedling that is supposed to be 'near mature' size. While I was repotting her, I noticed what looked like a dried up flower spike which is a promising sign. She is just such a tiny little plant, I was shocked when I got her in my hands. Her leaf span is just a couple inches across on each side!
Her roots looked healthy when I removed them from the sphagnum moss and she went into a plastic cup as opposed to a deli cup because she really is that tiny. I'm excited for those flowers since they are supposed to initially bloom white and deepen to the soft pink color as the flower matures. I'm so excited to see how she grows. I've put her on the seedling mat, so with any luck the shock to the roots will be minimal.
Phalaenopsis (Hawaii Dragon Girl 'Sunset' x Summer Candy 'Eye Candy')
This beautiful hybrid was just too gorgeous to pass up. I love the colors of the blooms- the way the copper edges contrast so vividly with the fuschia center of the flower. This particular phalaenopsis is a bellina hybrid on one side and a violacea hybrid on the other which means Summer will have an amazing fragrance!
I've bought her as a mature plant that is putting out a flower spike. I broke off the first bud by accident during the repot, I could just kick myself, but it shouldn't hurt the plant at all. I've put her on the seedling mat next to Kitten in hopes of minimizing the shock. She is a warm to intermediate grower so the added heat and humidity to her roots should be a huge upgrade to her culture. With any luck, the flower spike will hold and she will put out some blooms as summer approaches.
Maxillaria tenuifolia
Here is a classic favorite of the orchid world, renowned for its amazing coconut cream fragrance! I've been meaning to get one for the while and Norman's has bare-root divisions for sale at a great price. Coco is a healthy division with plump pseudobulbs but has no roots at the bottom for a pot. One of the quirky aspect of this orchid is that her roots are shaped downward from the vertically growing pseudobulbs and the sheaths that form as the bulbs mature. The roots grow along the sheath downward and eventually into the pot. This plant was actually two separate divisions but I decided to keep them potted together since they look healthy. One of the roots was starting to poke out toward the bottom where the orchid was wrapped in some sphagnum moss. With any luck, Coco's new roots will continue its growth into the leca and this orchid will adapt without a hitch. It might be a bit of a balancing act during flushes since there in nothing anchoring the orchid in the pot though, something I may need to step in and remedy.