Calling all orchid lovers

[Madam Bijoux]

Today I west to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Orchid Society's show at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Here are some of the beauties I saw.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

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[Madam Bijoux]

I never saw this variety until today.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

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[Madam Bijoux]

Sorry- I posted that one twice.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

The kindest thing I can do for orchids is to never buy any.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Oops. The last pic isn't an orchid.

 

[tyty333]

Beautiful! I love to see redish and orangish colored ones. They are pretty rare in our area.
I have 1 orchid that I have had for years and managed not to kill. I really should get a couple
more and see how I do with them.

Love that teal green/blue one too...looks like a rare and quit expensive variety!

 

[MissGotRocks]

Oh, I love them! Thanks for posting these pictures!

I don't actually kill them but I can never get them to re-bloom. I guess in that way the kindest thing I too can do is never buy another.

I just think they are so beautiful though!

 

[movie zombie]

#2 to go, please! love that one.

I have some orchids, nothing fancy. got them at Trader Joe's and I do get them to rebloom. I repotted them a couple of times and they are in desperate need of being repotted again....but I hate doing it.

I have a friend that has something like 150 cymbidiums. he participates in a club and shows at the SF show.

the thought crosses my mind to give him my orchids!

 

[Dancing Fire]

I usually kill about 4 plants per yr.the 4 plants I bought last spring are still alive but not re-blooming. ..

 

[ringbling17]

Thanks for posting those pictures! I would love to go there if I had the time.

I usually kill off my orchids as well. I think I water them too much and then I stop watering them and they shrivel up and die. I did one year manage to make my orchids rebloom, but not really sure how that happened and it didn't come back the next year.
My grandmother in the Philippines, grows orchids and they are beautiful. I wonder if it's a weather thing. Maybe they just can't grow with the tempermental weather we have here in the Northeast, but then I'll go to Home Depot and see their orchids are still alive and blooming.
Oh well!
I've now resorted to fake orchids in my house. I only have two of them, but they are lovely and I haven't managed to kill those off.

 

[VapidLapid]

I have three dying on the window sill now and a corpse on the table near by.

Madame B, why is "The kindest thing I can do for orchids is to never buy any."?
eta. Im sorry I can be really slow sometimes. Ive already killed one and I still didn't get it. I was imagining there was some botany political thing going on that I was missing. Don't mind me, I'll just sit in the corner for a little while.

 

[chrono]

Orchid Lovers who have the opportunity to vacation in Thailand would think the Orchid Farms are heavenly. So many different types and breeds! I wouldn't say no to any of these other than the Phals which I have a few very similar to the ones shown.

 

[Tuckins1]

How beautiful, thanks for posting these!!

 

[Boatluvr]

I had 7 or 8 orchids in SoCal and they did fairly well - the nice weather, no doubt. I would not suggest putting an orchid in the window if the window gets direct sunlight - that basically 'cooks' the plant. Orchids like bright light but not (necessarily) direct sunlight. I used to water mine once a week. I'd let the water run through and give it a good drink but make sure all the water drained before putting them back on to their plates. They don't like sitting in water. Mine usually bloomed 2-3 times a year.

MB - I love the light green 'hairy' one. Do you remember the name?

Thanks for posting - beautiful!

 

[Madam Bijoux]

I had 7 or 8 orchids in SoCal and they did fairly well - the nice weather, no doubt. I would not suggest putting an orchid in the window if the window gets direct sunlight - that basically 'cooks' the plant. Orchids like bright light but not (necessarily) direct sunlight. I used to water mine once a week. I'd let the water run through and give it a good drink but make sure all the water drained before putting them back on to their plates. They don't like sitting in water. Mine usually bloomed 2-3 times a year.

MB - I love the light green 'hairy' one. Do you remember the name?

Thanks for posting - beautiful!

Sorry, Boatluvr, but I didn't get the name of this one. It had a minty fragrance, and I had never seen this variety before.

 

[manderz]

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your pictures. I am in the club of killing indoor plants, so while they are a favorite, all of my orchids are fake.

 

[lknvrb4]

Beautiful, I love orchids and although I don't kill them off, they never bloom again.

 

[missy]

Spectacular. I love flowers and these are beautiful.Thank you for sharing your gorgeous pictures!

 

[minousbijoux]

Thank you - I love their delicate beauty. The only ones I wouldn't want to have around are the ones that look as if they might eat me when I look away...

 

[Andelain]

I love orchids, but they sure don't love me!

 

[JaneSmith]

Thank you for these pictures, they are beautiful. I too love the hairy green one.

I completely under-care for my white phalaenopsis orchids, and they bloom once a year for months. They have brightish indirect sunlight in a 18 - 22 degree C house and I water them when they get dry, leaving them with water in the saucer beneath the pot. I put a couple of fertiliser sticks in their moss after a few years during one blooming period. No repotting. I only trim the flower stalks if they dry up after blooming, if they stay green the plant will often shoot off the original stem and flower that way.

 

[recordaras]

My mom has the greenest thumb on this planet, and she collects orchids and African violets - her house is always in full bloom! However, I find orchids absolutely terrifying, like something that will come alive at night and strangle you. Then again, I recently managed to almost kill a yucca (!), so I definitely did not inherit the plant caring gene.

 

[JaneSmith]

My mom has the greenest thumb on this planet, and she collects orchids and African violets - her house is always in full bloom! However, I find orchids absolutely terrifying, like something that will come alive at night and strangle you. Then again, I recently managed to almost kill a yucca (!), so I definitely did not inherit the plant caring gene.

Never watch "The Day of the Triffids". You too, Minous.

 

[Trillium]

MB - I love the light green 'hairy' one. Do you remember the name?

Madam--
Thank you for posting such lovely photos!

I'm fairly certain the light green 'hairy' one is
Brassavola digbyana, newer name is Rhyncholaelia digbyana.

I spent many years growing and showing orchids, such an enjoyable and engrossing hobby!

Trilly