There wasn’t much to report about my orchids for awhile, but now that we’re heading into winter, I have a whole bunch of spikes on my Phalaenopsis orchids! My two Tolumnias have spikes as well. I spent some time photographing the spikes the other day so that I could share pics here.
Before we dive in to my spike extravaganza, I want to remind readers that my 2024 calendar is available in my Zazzle shop. As of this posting, you can get 15% off using the code ZHOLIDAY2023 at checkout.
Okay! The first spike I’ll share is the Phalaenopsis that’s farthest along in the blooming process, with several buds already developing:
In my last post I shared photos of a couple of my Phals that are in spike. Well, my peloric Phal has finally begun to bloom and it makes me so happy!
These blooms just never get old for me.
As I suspected, this first bloom is facing downward because I most likely didn’t keep the plant’s orientation to the light consistent while the buds were growing. Whoopsie…but it’s still gorgeous! This flower is just what I needed this morning. 🙂
Happy 2014, orchid lovers! I hope you had a wonderful and safe New Year’s Eve. My husband and I and some of our friends went to the New Year’s Eve bash at Brooklyn Winery and had a real blast!
Here’s some fun news: for 2014, Pantone has chosen Radiant Orchid as Color of the Year. The official press release says, “An enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm.”
I have to be honest: I don’t love this color. I do love purple, but I prefer it in a darker shade with more blue in it; Radiant Orchid is a bit too pink for my taste. The simple fact that it’s named after my favorite flower may encourage me to try a couple Radiant Orchid-colored accessories, though. I know the whole “Color of the Year” thing is a marketing scheme, but hey, these Radiant Orchid-colored Phals have been all over the fashion and beauty blogs lately and seeing orchids in the news always makes me happy.
Completely coincidentally, the Vanda that I chose for the cover of my 2014 calendar has a bit of a Radiant Orchid tone. How’s that for a segue into saying that it’s not too late to get a Brooklyn Orchids calendar for yourself or a fellow orchid lover?
On a side note, two of my Phals in spike are now developing buds and a couple other Phal spikes are coming along nicely, so I should have some flowers to show off early this year!
Here’s to a happy and healthy 2014 for all. Cheers!
This is why I grow orchids: I currently have five in bloom—four Phalaenopsis and (FINALLY) my Oncidium Twinkle Fragrance Fantasy! It’s such a great feeling to see those buds swell and burst open with gorgeous flowers. Two of the Phals in bloom are ones that I previously mentioned, the mama and baby. Here’s a pic of the mama in full bloom (apologies for the poor lighting):
It’s been way, way too long since I last updated this blog and for that I apologize. I’ve actually been traveling quite a bit this summer: Puerto Rico, San Diego, Minneapolis, and most recently, LA and Santa Barbara. But I’m finally getting settled back in and feeling like I have a moment to write a blog post. Plus, I have some fun updates on my own orchid collection to share with you!
First (and most exciting), my NOID Oncidium from Ikea is in spike! This is the second time that it has spiked for me. There are a ton of little spike offshoots growing off of the main spike, so I’m looking forward to seeing tons of beautiful little fragrant flowers in the next few weeks:
So you have a beautiful Phalaenopsis orchid, but its blooms are starting to wilt and fall off. What do you do now?! First of all, don’t freak out and throw your plant in the garbage; fading flowers are totally normal and they do NOT mean that your orchid is dying! Orchids can live for years and years and years with the proper care. Part of this proper care is knowing when and where to cut the flower spike. This is one of the most common questions I get in the comments section of my blog posts, so I thought it would be helpful to write about how to proceed once your Phal (the most widely available type of orchid) has finished blooming.
