New Format!

So with School and work it became a little to much for me to make posts daily, but instead of giving up all together I have decided that I will simply reformat the blog! Now I will be making posts weekly using an MLA style bibliography and citations. These posts will include links to referenced information and just about anything that I think is worth including.

macodes sanderiana

Yesterday when I was writing up my post about Dendrobium moniliforme I started exploring the concept of growing an orchid exclusively for its vegetative characteristic. Thier really is not a better example of this then Macodes sanderiana, or better known as the jewel orchid. I really can not think of any plant that has cooler foliage then the one pictured on the left.

The flowers of this particular species are rather insignificant. They are without fragrance and do not posses any attribute that distinguishes them.

This plants natural range starts within Malaysia and extends into the Pacific Islands. They are a terrestrial plant and often grow in finer soils. Jewel orchids are rather easy to cultivate, they do not require as much attention as some of the orchids that I have posted.

Dendrobium moniliforme

This is a very exciting plant for me, because it combines two of my great passions. The first being orchids of course, and the second being bonsai. Dendrobium moniliforme (or the Japanese Stone Orchid (New World Orchids, 2011)). You see, monifliforme is not only cultivated for its floral characteristics but also for its vegetative characteristics. This makes it a prime as a specimen, and as a accent plant.

Moniliforme comes in several different subspecies. Collectors often seek out specimens displaying unique leaf, cane, and floral attributes that make each plant totally awesome (Daniel Boire, 2011). This may include variegation, dwarf growing habbits, and sweet flowers just to name a few. 

Dendrobium moniliforme is a natural lithophyte where it grows in bright sun where light intensity can be as high as 3500 foot candles or 17 500 micromoles (New World Orchids 2011). Now, they can be a little tricky due to their temperature requirements. During the summer months they can take temps of 65-86º F with night time difference of 10-15º F. So if you ran an average daytime temp of 74º F , you would want to shoot for 64º F nighttime temp. During the winter dry months you should keep them below 60º F with a nighttime low of 40º F (New World Orchids, 2011). Which essential means that you would want to keep your daytime temp about 50º F and below 60º F so you can maintain you 10º F differential. If you miss your mark it may mess with some of the plant systems which could result in a altered flowering time. They typically flower at the end of winter and through summer.  Whew!

Is it worth all that to get them to flower like that? You bet it is! The flowers are wonderfully fragrant and can fill up a whole room!

Works Cited

"AOS | Orchids as Bonsai." AO. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. <http://www.aos.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=orchid_resources1&TEMPLATE=/cm/contentdisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=6673>.

"Culture of Dendrobium Moniliforme." New World Orchids. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. <http://www.newworldorchids.com/pages/denculture.htm>.

"IOSPE PHOTOS." Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. <http://www.orchidspecies.com/denmoniliforme.htm>.

Paraphalaenopsis labukensis

I have been having a real hard time deciding which orchids to blog about, you'd think it would be real easy, but it isn't somehow. So for today I just picked from my top ten favorite. Paraphalaenopsis labukensi.
But what is it that makes this particular flower unique. The answer is simple, it has really super cool flowers! Do you like the smell of cinnamon? Because that's exactly what this flower smells like, delicious cinnamon. They grow in 5-15 inflorescence with ovate-triangular floral bracts. (IOSPE PHOTOS, 2001). The leaves are pendant and cylindrical and can grow up to 2 meters long. (Gary Yong Gee, 2011)

Paraphalaenopsis are in the Vandeae tribe, and used to be included in the genus Phalaenopsis. However due to the radical differences in morphological feature Paraphalaenopsis have been given their own genus and a place is the Phalaenopsis alliance (Wikipedia, 2011).  Paraphalaenopsis labukensis  are native to Malaysia where they grow on rocks at an elevation of 500-1000m. (Gary Yong Gee, 2011).


Evidently these orchids are very easy to grow, just treat them like you would a conventional Phalaenopsis. Keep them moist with moderate sunlight and they ought to do just fine. Many people grow them on slabs but they can be grown in a container with bark mix or sphagnum moss. (Gary Yong Gee, 2011). After writing this blog, I really want one of these! They are one of the coolest orchids I have done so far, I have always liked them but after reading all of the habit info I think I have a new love!

Works Cited

"IOSPE PHOTOS." Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia. Web. 09 Feb. 2011. <http://www.orchidspecies.com/paralabukensis.htm>.

"Paraphalaenopsis Labukensis Shim, A. Lamb & C.L. Chan." Orchid Photographs by Gary Yong Gee. Web. 09 Feb. 2011. <http://www.yonggee.name/Notes/Paraphal_labuk.htm>.

"Paraphalaenopsis." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 09 Feb. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraphalaenopsis>.

Bulbophyllum beccarii

I was speaking to a peer of mine today about this blog and somewhere in the conversation they said something about how they loved the sweet smell of orchids. Imediatly i thought of Bulbophyllum beccarii. If someone said to me, "Daniel, would you please describe Bulbophyllum beccarii to me in 2 words" I would respond with "Smells awful". Well, to be honest I most likely wouldn't say awful, however the word I would use can't be posted on here. Children might be reading.

I know, your curious as to what it smells like. Imagine your walking through the forest of Borneo when all of a sudden your are overwhelmed by the unmistakable stench of rotting Borneo Pygmy Elephant, (lets be honest who hasn't been there). So you start searching around because their just isn't anything more exciting then dead elephant corpse hunting. Then you come across this flower, disappointed that you have not found your elephant.

Well don't be disappointed, this is one crazy discovery. The smell is just a ploy to lure in corpse flies to aid in pollination. beccarii is the largest species of Bulbophyllum; it grows by slowly creeping up the tree, circling it as it goes. The pendant spikes can grow up to 15" long with tight bunches of flowers. The flowers themselves are off pink with red dots.

This Orchid is native to Borneo and grows at an elevation of 5000 meters in elevation. They need to be grown on multiple slabs tied all together to form a faux trunk. They also require bright light and plenty of room for expansion. It is also important to make sure that they are not watered to often for they are susceptible to rot. (Go figure).

Works Cited

"Bulbophyllum." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulbophyllum>.

Fischer, Jerry. "Orchid Web: Bulbophyllum Beccarii." Buy Orchids and Orchid Supplies. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. <http://www.orchidweb.com/detail.aspx?id=1221>.

"IOSPE PHOTOS." Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. <http://www.orchidspecies.com/bulbbeccarrii.htm>.

Pridgeon, Alec. "Bulbophyllum." The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids. Portland, Oregon: Timber, 2006. 42. Print.

Gongora sanderiana

It was rather hard for me to find a photo of this amazing flower that did it any justice. I suppose one of my greatest frustrations during this endeavor is that I simply do not have the means to fully explain to you how crazy these orchids actually are. There is just know what I can explain how wonderful the fragrance of this orchid is. I explained it to a friend of mine as chocolate love, which is just a romanticized way of me saying that it is very sweet, with a hint of creamy chocolaty goodness.

The pendant spikes can hang as low as 18" with 6-10 flowers per spike. To me the flowers look like a dragons head as it is about to take a big bite out of something.

Gongora are in the tribe Maxillarieae and the subtribe Stanhopeinae; Which just so happens to be the same subtribe as Stanhopea, and it just so happens that it attracts the same euglossine bee using the same deceptive mechanism. There habbits ranges from Columbia, Ecuador and Peru where remarkably it has been found growing in ant nests formed in trees.

Culture is relatively easy, they do best when grown in baskets using sphagnum moss. Keep them moist and keep them warm and they will do great!

Works Cited

"The Genus Gongora; Edited December 2007." The Stanhopea Pages by Nina Rach, Edited January 2010. Web. 07 Feb. 2011. <http://stanhopea.autrevie.com/Gongora.html>.

"Gongora." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 07 Feb. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gongora>.

"IOSPE PHOTOS." Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia. Web. 07 Feb. 2011. <http://www.orchidspecies.com/gongsanderiana.htm>.

Day of Rest

I have decided to take Sundays off. This blog takes a-lot of time and I love it, but with school and this I need a break day.