Miniature Dendrobium moniliforme first bloom

 Recently, I was in introduced to the world of miniature orchid species and given a few specimens to grow. It hasn't taken long for me to realize I think I am getting hooked!! 

I never expected any of the plants to bloom so early and yet I have had 2 of them bloom for me within a few months of care. 

The color on this moniliforme is just really sweet and I can't wait to get a whiff of the fragrance.

Rth Shinfong Little Sun 'Young-Min Golden Boy’ rebloom

About a month ago I was so pleasantly thrilled to find 12, yes, TWELVE buds on this lovely compact cattleya hybrid! As sometimes expected, the terminal bud dried up but I still have eleven beautiful glowing blooms to show off.

Only a year ago, this specimen was in the hospital ward clinging to life support but it has given me 2 re-blooms since (the first with 5 blooms).

Although not fragrant, it is a magnificent specimen worthy to be included in everyone's collection. It will take abuse and neglect and still able to bounce back and thrive again.

Phalaenopsis Venus primary orchid cross

 Wootwoot! Finally, a rebloom on this lovely miniature Phalaenopsis Venus. The mother plant had strangled itself with a twisted stuck apical leaf but it produced a basal keiki and a spike keiki which is now in bloom for the second time!

Phal Venus (Phal lindenii x equestris) (2018) JB/TSOP-20

Bulbophyllum Elizabeth Ann "Buckleberry"

 After a three year wait, I was suddenly surprised by a developing spike at the beginning of September! What looked like a creepy Grinch hand has blossomed into something spectacular and almost eerie!

Bulbophyllum orchids often have an unpleasant scent and this one reminds me of mushrooms that have gone bad and slimy. Thank goodness one can only detect the scent up close! 

The lip is delicately balanced on a hinge-type structure and jiggles with the slightest breeze. Apparently, this is an adaptation to attract flies who then pollinate the blooms.

Hello my pretty little Psychopsis!

Well,  this new bloom turned out exactly like the first one so it most likely will always have a thin lip and petals. I fell in love with the look of this crazy antenna-alien-insect the second I saw it. Some say it looks like a star-fish but I am sure it will continue to amuse onlookers regardless of what creepy creature they might think it looks like.

Psychopsis "Green Valley" alba

Phalaenopsis Eiderstedt

It's always a satisfying feeling when you grow a seedling to blooming size and see the flower for the very first time! I purchased this plant from This Side of Paradise Orchids August 2018 and today the the first bloom fully opened. 

The incredibly waxy/shiny bloom was a bit if a challenge to photograph. It is about the size of a loonie.
This cross is a remake of venosa x cornu-cervi var. sanguina. It is quite fragrant and best described as a synthetic rubber/leather/plastic scent. Weird but not unpleasant.

Rth Shinfong Little Sun 'Young-Min Golden Boy’

After being in the hospital ward for 3 months, this little gem has flowered despite having only one or two roots. Ideally, I should have cut the bloom spike long ago for the plant to conserve energy and grow stronger. However, I also have a very good offshoot that is growing nicely so I decided to let the main plant bloom. And SURPRISE! this was labeled as Cattlianthe "Barefoot Mailman" but alas, it is Rth Shinfong Little Sun 'Young-Min Golden Boy’ (the label I found in another pot.

I have to say this Cattleya hybrid is a real fighter, and I'm quite confident it will bounce back and reward me with many more blooms given the proper care.

Rth Shinfong Little Sun 'Young-Min Golden Boy’