E.F.G. Orchids Haul

I don't live close to any orchid nurseries, despite living in Florida. I do live close to a garden center that gets it's plants from nurseries that carry unique things. Every so often they get in plants from E.F.G. Orchids in Deland. I love seeing those blue tags at a store down the street.

Once or twice a year I'll make the trip out to Deland when I feel like really spending some money. E.F.G. Orchids is fantastic. As in, always has good choices, always has decent prices, always friendly and helpful staff great. It's probably great that I don't live closer or my wallet would not look so great.

Keeping with my species Phal binge, with one or two deviations...in this box is:

• Phalaenopsis schilleriana....in spike
• Phalaenopsis stuartiana (yellow form)...in spike, (Phalaenopsis stuartiana var. nobilis)
• Phalaenopsis bellina...with a keiki. I'm hoping this one blooms a little different than the one I already have, F5 from Ooi Leng Sun.
• Phalaenopsis "Golden Coffee"
• Angraecum sesquipedale...needed one of these, why don't I already have this?
• Ansellia gigantea var nilotica
• Fdk. After Dark 'SVO Black Pearl'

Phalaenopsis schilleriana

Phalaenopsis stuartiana (yellow strain) 

Phalaenopsis bellina

Looking at it from the back, there's a keiki.

Let's talk for a minute about Phal, Sogo Yenlin "Golden Coffee(?)" Coffees(?) Coffey(?) Striped Coffee(?) I asked about these as they had a variety of labels and sizes. I've seen them labeled all those ways elsewhere. They all bloom the same. Apparently they are all the same.  The most info I could get about them is these were from I-Hsin labs to a distributor in Apopka, to E.F.G. Apparently a lot of people have been finding them at their local Lowe's too. I bought this one because the variegation is the strongest I've seen on these. The numbers on the tag is the same as my Coffee as well. No amount of Googling has turned up a definitive answer for the right name for these guys.

Striped Coffee and Golden Coffee

Fdk. After Dark 'Black Pearl' has one of the blackest flowers I've seen. There is no such thing as a black flower in nature, but brown, red, or purple so saturated it looks black. The darker color also has to do with cultural conditions, or so I've read. Warmer temps will bloom a lighter burgundy. Nothing else with "black" flowers grows well here, (or not for me anyway) so I had to try it. I'm hoping our nights are cool enough now for it to flower dark enough to look black. Like real dark black, blacker than space.

Angreacum sesquipidale. I was just watching an orchid haul video the night before I went to E.F.G. where a woman had found one in those Better-Gro bagged orchids and I got jealous. I feel like the universe is trying to tell me something by letting me find one the next day. Have I been good?

So, I originally recorded a video haul, because I love watching other people's hauls and unboxings on YouTube. Plus it really shows you the quality of plants you can expect. I can't hold the camera steady and am coughing because I'm getting over a cold still, so it turned out crappy. Maybe next time.

Make Orchid Growing Great Again

2016 Was a pretty good year for my orchids. I know this because many bloomed, many need to be divided or go into larger pots. However, I didn't do much to deserve the growth or flowers I got. I maybe fertilized them twice the whole year. I turned the hose on them when it hadn't rained for a few weeks. They got too much sun when some trees came down in the back yard. One Vanda (I forgot I had,) I left hanging on a fence in full sun and basically never watered or fertilized it. It's leaves are a bit sunbleached, but it's roots look fabulous and it's still putting out a new leaf.

I've been doing a million other things and was much more focused on my bromeliads and Nepenthes. All it took was one new Phalaenopsis and we're back in the game. I know, a Phalaenopsis?! The grocery store orchid for the masses? Gets marked down to $1 when it drops it's flowers? Get's thrown in the trash when it's done blooming? How plebian, Ick.

Yeah, but it's Phalaenopsis gigantea. I haven't been this excited about a purchase in a long time. Do yourself a favor and look this one up if you haven't seen one before. I was at my local garden center buying some soil amendments and did my usual browse through the plant section when there she was:

Large seedling?

I'm really, really invested in this Phalaenopsis gigantea in particular. I need it to be a monster one day, so whatever happens I cannot kill it. I even bought some larger clear pots to repot this guy out of moss. It's a slow grower, but has definitely grown between the times these pictures were taken.

That set off a slight binge in buying some species and higher end hybrid Phalaenopsis. I don't regret it. My cheap hybrid mini-Phals bloom every winter. My Phal 'Purple Martin', (a violacea hybrid) blooms on and off, all summer, every summer, since I bought it.

New Phal species from a variety of sources

That's a spike. And yeah that's dust/dirt/debris on slightly dehydrated leaves.

Spikes in various stages of growth

So here's to Phalaenopsis. The generic, cheap first orchid many of us killed. For me, the majority of my 2016 orchid purchases. The orchids that are the nicest to me despite me neglecting them for nearly a year, so it appears I do owe them.

Thanks to that Phal. gigantea in particular for renewing my interest in orchids. Does a new purchase ever do that for you all as well?

Some More Booming Orchids

Lets start with the mini Phalaenopsis.

Dtps. Sogo Vivien variegated. The plastic pot broke, probably due to the heat and sun of growing it outdoors, so it needs repotting so bad it isn't funny.

Dtps. Sogo Vieker 'Taida Little Monkey', flowers got a bit bunched up and wacky. Unfortunately had to move it in from outdoors when the temps started to get too low at night, after it had already started blooming so now it looks a mess.

Dtps. Sogo Yenlin 'Coffee' variegated. As you can see, moving the plant after it already started blooming kind of messed up the flowers and shapeliness of the spike this year too. (P.S. I also still have a few of these left for sale.)

NoID mini Phal. Same problem, oh well.

On to the Cattleyas!

Cattleya lawrenceana 'El Hatillo' x 'Manantial' decided to push out some more flowers. Also that's definitely not an old store display rack I use to grow some of my orchids on.

Cattleya Caribbean x lawrenceana. I've been patiently waiting on this one to bloom since I bought it in 2014. It's an H&R cross according to an older sales list. This also may be the 1st photo on the internet of the bloom as I can't find a single other.

Cattleya nobilior var. amaliae 'Miss Blue' x 'Select'

Last but certainly not least, Dendrobium.

Dendobium moniliforme 'Himeginsetsu'. This one's been blooming since fall, same as last year, what a great mini.

Lots more in spike, including my one of my favorite Cattleya species, so it should be a good year for orchid blooms!

A Few Orchids That Bloomed Last Year

I hadn't gotten around to posting all the orchids that bloomed late summer through December 2015, so here are some that I remembered to photograph now!

This nice species Oncidium ampliatum decided to bloom, rather largely for being a 2 pseudobulb plant at the time.

Maxillaria tenuifolia had it's best bloom year ever.

Then  in December, this Cattleya lawrenceana I've had for 2 years finally bloomed. (Species cross with color forms 'El Hatillo' x 'Manantial') Hey, you think this one needs a repot yet?  ;)

There were so many that bloomed that I forgot to photo or was too busy to notice until they were fading. That was disappointing, but sometimes life gets gets in the way and I'll have to remind myself this year to stop and smell the orchids, or roses, or whatever.

Encyclia Care & Some Blooming Encyclia Pictures

As you may have noticed I went through a bit of an Encyclia phase last year, scooping up any new species I came across, along with some hybrids. I've learned a few things about caring for them since. If you've got some tips to grow these beauties to share too, let me know below!

Encyclia maderoi

Encyclias like to dry out between waterings, a lot like growing Cattleya orchids. Encyclia are native to South Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico, and down through South America and in their natural environment they experience a dry season, but the humidity stays on the high side year round. Water heavily, then let it dry out completely before watering again in the spring, summer, and fall.

Rot is always the enemy here in Florida. Although we experience less extreme wet and dry seasons here, during our rainy season it would make sense for the weatherman to just say 50/50 chance of rain, at some point in the day, every day. So I make a point to keep good air movement,have nothing blocking the wind for them. I leave them totally dry through much of the winter months when it gets cooler here. I'm heavily considering mounting them for the future. As long as the lead pseudobulb isn't shriveled, you're watering enough. More people kill these through over-watering than under, which is why I'm leading with this care tip.

Encyclia guadalupeae

Encyclias like high light. I let mine get direct sun for hours a day, a few in the morning, a few in the afternoon, only somewhat protected from midday sun. If your Encyclia isn't blooming, try giving it more light. Adjust it to higher light slowly though, as just like with any other plant, it can burn with direct sun if it isn't used to it.

Encyclia cordigera

These are some of the easiest species I've cared for so far. Nothing is easier than to just find a good spot for them outdoors when the weather is warm and for the most part, leave them alone.

Encyclia tampensis

Pictures From: The Greater Orlando Orchid Society's Show & Sale. Part 2

Continuing on....Part 2. If you missed it and want to check it out, click for Part 1 of the GOOS Show & Sale pictures.

Trichopilia suavis

Psychopsis

Psychopsis side shot

Dendrobium speciosum

D. speciosum flower close up

An alba color form Psychopsis

Some Paphiopedilum hybrids 

Tons of Oncidium intergenetic hybrids

Paphiopedilum 

So much Dendobium kingianum

Love me a gigantic Myrmecophila 

Vanda Kultana Gold x Ascda. Thai Spot

Beautiful NoID Cymbidium hybrid just opening up it's flowers

Lc. Log Cabin....So, uhhhh yeah? That's what you're naming this orchid? ok...

Epidendrum Rene Marques

Cattleya hybrid

Some more giant floofy Cattleya hybrids

Dendrobium Oriental Smile 'Butterfly'

Cattleya hybrid

Vanda Two Tone 'Paresian'

Oncidium

Phragmepedium hybrid

Phrag. Vampire Slayer

Art Shade Phalaenopsis hybrid. I do like these, they look so genetically messed up to me.

Rhynchostylis gigantea (Spots? Tag hard to read)

Rhynchostylis digbyana

Cymbidium Dame Catherine 'Spring Day' just opening

Paph. spicerianum

Rhynchostylis gigantea (white flower form)...You guys sick of these yet? Too bad, I'm not.

Rhynchostylis gigantea 'Beauty Paints'

Ascda. Princess Mikasa "Blue"

Dendrobium Green Flash

Lc. Mount Anderson "Pink Dust"

For those of you who liked this mini Phal from Part 1.... found a picture with the name in it! Might have to hunt this one down and buy it. I don't remember seeing any for sale at the show.

Phal. Mem. Liu Jin Chyuan '#3'

Phal. Mem. Liu Jin Chyuan '#3'

Hope you enjoyed the pictures. I've got a lot of Orchid Shows in the area I plan on going to this year so if you love orchids or absolutely hate orchids and do or don't want to see more, comment below and let me know about it!