Phragmipedium Orchid

 

Phragmipedium Cape Sunset

Phragmipedium

Frag-muh-pee-dee-um

This Orchid genus is not represented in the new orchid collection at the Estate. I did manage to secure three collector types for the group but we are still missing specimens of Vanda and Cymbidium. My hands will be full with the 20 new Phalaenopsis and others so I probably shouldn’t be worried about what I don’t have. Lucky the greenhouse at work has three rooms and the climate can be set up separately in each room. There is also a nice misting system, which helps keep the humidity up.  Ten of the new orchids are marked for the main house and there care will be turned over to the domestic people. They are in full bloom. Well the fun begins on Monday when the orchids hit the greenhouse.

Since it is Sunday here is the bonus snapshot of the day. A black and white Asian Corsage Orchid.

Asian Corsage Orchid

Cymbidium

(sim-BID-ee-um)

Lady Slipper Orchid

Lady Slipper Orchid

Phragmipedium Eric Young

(frag-muh-PEE-dee-um)

This rare beauty was quite eye catching with a vibrant mix of colors. All 20 species of the genus are considered endangered in the wild. Most come from the area of Central and tropical South America and southern Mexico. The different species has a wide range of growing conditions in which they are found. Lucky for us collectors and breeders have been working hard to keep them alive. This particular orchid was introduced in 1991 and is a hybrid of Phragmipedium besseae x Phragmipedium longifolium.

Phragmipedium Orchids are fairly easy to grow and reward their cultivator with an extended springtime bloom period. The plants can bloom for several months if they are happy.

Happy Labor Day to the Americans out there. The traditional end to our summer doesn’t really seem that way with the high temperatures and lack of rain but the calendar says its so. What was that giant sucking sound I heard yesterday? It was the sound of the garden drinking up the meager rain shower we got in the afternoon. It wasn’t even enough to dampen the ground for more than a couple of minutes.

Happy New Year-Slipper Orchids

Zapatilla
Phragmipedium longifolium
(frag-muh-PEE-dee-um) (lon-jee-FOH-lee-um)

Happy New Year. While organizing some photos on my various hard drives I came across some Orchid photos I hadn’t even looked at after shooting them. Today’s post will feature a few of the unusual Orchids from those files. This first one is a Phragmipedium (phrag.) that has a different shape then most flowers. It has a little confusing nomenclature but can also be considered part of the large and variable species of Phragmipedium. They are native to Central and Northern South America. Where they like to grow in moist to wet conditions in a variety of habitats at sea level to low elevations. The species name, longifolium, comes from the long leaves, which can grow up to 30 inches long.


This next Orchid is Phragmipedium laevigatum x primulinum. I think both the flower above and this one have several other names that are considered botanically correct. I am just going by the tags that were with them (thank goodness I took pictures of the tags too). I was attracted to the nice yellow color of this Orchids pouches and thought it was unusual.

Stay tuned for some more Orchid pictures in the next few days including tomorrow.