Just one, so far, but more are coming! I was surprised when we had to bring in all the plants – well in advance of any cold weather, the complex was being painted – and I realized my orchid had put out a bloom spike. Watched it for over a month and then one day! Boom… flower.
I’ve lost the tag from when I bought this two years ago – in fact, I had forgotten what color flowers it had – and was convinced it would have yellow blooms. You may begin to see why I started journaling early in life and have kept this blog for nearly sixteen years now. If I don’t write it down, I wind up with pink surprises.
It’s a Miltonia. Beyond that, I can’t even guess. There are thousands of orchid hybrids and mad breeders (like mad scientists, but far more floral) are creating new ones every day.
I’m still in awe of this thing thriving the way it did all summer in Texas out on the balcony, being watered less than it should (certainly not daily), and that was after it suffered frostbite during the move from Ohio. I didn’t anticipate a hard freeze in Missouri, in mid-April, so I didn’t bring the plants into the hotel (along with the cat and the dog… what. They are so pets!) and wound up losing two orchids and damaging the other three I had at the time. One of those later succumbed to a fungus.
The center pot and leaves ascendant belong to this flower. I love that the blooms are carried up and aloft like this, almost like they are floating in midair, colorful bursts of eye-catching petals. The blooms may last for months, as they individually last about a month and will each open slowly, perhaps a week or more apart.
Is it any wonder orchids are legendary flowers? I have a few plants, mostly the common but still lovely Phaelenopsis (Moth Orchid), and really want more. Maybe when we have more space. The First Reader keeps mock-growling something about living in a jungle. A pretty, pretty jungle, love!
Comments
4 responses to “Orchid Bloom”
I love my orchids! I have killed plenty and saved plenty, I do better with orchids than mini-roses.I had a grapefruit bonzai that I had started from a seed and had had 7+ years, (It had bark!) and I’m pretty sure I killed it during this move. I have in in intensive care (packed the roots in spagnum moss) and I’ll see in the spring what happens. Have an avocado that I’ve nearly killed several time, that recently put out a new branch after losing all it’s top leaves. And I have 2 succulents (no idea what kind) that I thought would never bloom again (it had been 4 years) that just started blooming again! It is always so cool when we are rewarded for our care, no matter how haphazard, with blooms and new growth, it brings such beauty and happiness into our lives! Oh, there are a few channels I really like for Orchid care – MissOrchidGirl, ClassyFlowers, and Emaan’s Garden. And Heron’s Bonsai for bonsai care/creation.
Now that we’ve 1) moved and 2) have only one cat and he doesn’t eat plants, I’d like to get some. I’m afraid though that I would kill an orchid.
Moth Orchids are bombproof. They actually do better with less watering.
Okay, then. I’ll go find some!