One of my Zygopetalums has bloomed!!! It’s the NOID one that I bought at Trader Joe’s in June 2010, and I am so in love with it (click image to see larger version):
Orchid Progress Report: Blooms and Possible Keikis
Orchid of the Week: Zygolum Louisendorf
I’ve mentioned previously that Zygopetalums are one of my favorite types of orchids. Well, I discovered a similar orchid in the December 2010 issue of Orchids magazine, called Zygolum. It’s a hybrid of Zygopetaum and Zygosepalum, and is apparently less susceuptible to black spots that are often found on Zygopetalum foliage (both of my own Zygos have these spots). For this post, I’m focusing on the variety “Zygolum Louisendorf.”
These orchids are just drop dead GORGEOUS.
Blooms and Spikes and Leaves—Oh My!
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted any updates on my orchid collection because there hasn’t been a whole lot going on other than the blooming of the mystery dendrobium, which, by the way, now has two blooms. Each has taken on a more pinkish and greenish tinge in the throat than when they first opened. The faint coloring is a little hard to capture in a photo, but you get the idea:
Uh-Oh…Another New Orchid!
My fridge has been sorely lacking in nutritious fare, so this morning I made a trip to the Manhattan Trader Joe’s to pick up some cheap & tasty groceries. Here’s where you may ask, “But you live in Brooklyn—why are you grocery shopping in Manhattan?” My answer is that once a week I volunteer with a cat rescue organization inside the Union Square Petco, so I find myself just a few blocks away from TJs. I find that shopping there at midday during the week isn’t nearly as much of a shit show as, say, after work hours. Also, you just can’t beat their prices.
The past few times I’ve shopped at TJ’s (both at the Manhattan and Brooklyn locations) they didn’t have any orchids, so I didn’t expect to see any today; this was strictly a grocery trip. Or so I thought.
Lo and behold, as soon as I entered the front door I saw lots of blooming orchids: Phalaenopsis, Dendrobiums, and a couple Zygopetalums. A Zygo in bloom is unbelievably hard for me to resist, with its green, brown, and purple flowers and its amazing scent.
My new orchids. Let me show you them.
Yay!! My Hausermann orchids arrived a couple hours ago via UPS. Of course I sat around inside all day waiting for them to show up, but it’s nasty outside so I can’t complain.
I had a mini panic attack this afternoon while waiting for the package (side note: now that I’m watching The Wire, “package” makes me think of heroin) because I suddenly wasn’t sure if the orchids would arrive in pots. I didn’t have five extra pots lying around the house and didn’t want to have to make an emergency run to Home Depot in the rain. Plus, the orchids I’d ordered were on sale so I thought maybe pots wouldn’t be included.
Fortunately all of my new plants came potted. I’ve already repotted each one so that I could check out their roots, and I took lots of pictures to post here. So I guess this is a sort of “orchid unboxing” post…how nerdy am I??
Orchid Show, I’m coming for you!
Guess who just bought her ticket* for the New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show? Yep, that would be me…awwww yeah!
As I mentioned awhile back, the show opened on February 27. Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to go yet, but this Saturday I’m all over it!
Last year’s Orchid Show at the NYBG is what really spurred this passion of mine and I’m so excited to go back to where it all started for me.
The temperature is supposed to be 49 degrees and rainy this Saturday, but you know what? I don’t care. It was a gray, rainy day when I attended last year but the crap weather made the indoor show that much lovelier. Note to self: make sure you FULLY charge your camera battery before you go this year so that you can capture as much as possible!
*Adult admission is $20, but there is an additional $3 processing fee for printable tickets (they email you a PDF). If you want to pick up your ticket at will call, you have to pay a $6 processing fee! What?! Guess which option I went for. 🙂