Trip Report: OKC Orchid Show, part 2

I have already posted about a dozen photos from the OKC Orchid Show, so check those out, if you haven't already.

Blc. Waianea Leopard 'Ching Hua'

Just like there are "Vanda People" and "Slipper People," there are "Catt(leya) People." I have to say that I am not one of those people. Cattleyas tend to be large flowers that are kind of frilly like bearded Irises, and they just don't appeal to me that much. That being said, I do enjoy some Cattleyas, mainly the spotted ones, and I am posting photos of those.

Cattleya Green Emerald 'Queen'

Cattleya schilleriana

Brassavola nodosa is a popular orchid that is known for its fragrance, but only in the evening. There are several cultivars or hybrids made with this species, including Brassavola Little Stars (below).

Brassavola Little Stars

By far the coolest thing I saw at the show was the Dendrobium Black Spider. I haven't ever seen a black Dendrobium, or really anything close to this dark. When I was helping tear down the exhibits on Sunday I complimented the grower on her black Dendrobium and she kind of shrugged and didn't say anything. I guess some people are less interested in discussing their plants than others. Or maybe she was just tired from the weekend...

Dendrobium Black Spider

I don't know whether Encyclias are more popular around here than I had previously thought, or if I am just paying more attention to them this year, or if this is just a really good blooming year for them. Whatever the case, there were many Encyclias on display in Wichita and in Oklahoma City.

Encyclia alata

The plant above is the species Encyclia alata and the plant below is a primary hybrid of Encyclia alata and Encyclia mooreana. Both are awesome plants.

Encyclia alata x mooreana

The large primary hybrid above and the species below were both featured as the centerpiece of their respective displays. In fact, that photo above was taken before any of the rest of the plants were in place. (I wouldn't have been able to get such a picture of just this plant once the exhibit was assembled, because many other plants were crowded around it.

Encyclia alatum majus

Don't you just love the colors of the Encyclia hanburii (below)?  Just awesome!

Encyclia hanburii

The odd ball Encyclia at the show is one of those that keeps getting shuffled around taxonomically.  It has been in several different genera, including Encyclia, Anacheilium, Prosthechea and, of course, the original catch-all genus Epidendrum.  According to orchidspecies.com, which is what I normally consider the authority, it is currently classified as Anacheilium radiata.

Encylia radiata

I hope you enjoyed your virtual participation in the Oklahoma Orchid Society show.  If you're in the area, you should try to attend in person next year.  We always have our show on Mother's Day weekend at the Will Rogers Garden Center in Oklahoma City.

A time for orchid growth

Many orchids bloom in the spring and subsequently start new growth.  This year my orchid collection grew quite a bit.  Some of the orchids I purchased while they were in bloom or just after they finished blooming.  It will be almost a year before I get to see if they will bloom for me.  In the meantime, there is a good sign in that many of my orchids are producing new growth.

Bepi 'Femme Fatale.'  New growth can be seen coming from the base on the left side.

I'm still holding out hope that the Bepi above will bloom for me.  The bloom spike is still present, just emerging from the center of the plant, but it is doing so ever so slowly.

Blc 'Golden Tang.'  The bright green is new growth.

Most of my new orchids are sympodial, which means that they produce offshoots, rather than continuing on the original growth.  Above you can see a tall, new "lead" growing from the side of my Blc 'Golden Tang.' This is a Cattleya hybrid, more so that any of my other orchids, these hybrids really enjoy the heat.  They are growing like crazy right now.

Polystachya paniculata new growth

One of my Ethiopian orchids, Polystachya paniculata, has a small offset that has been present since I bought the plant.  Now it is starting new growth from the original and tall stem.  I don't know if this is normal for this plant or not.  But it seems to be happy, so that makes me happy.

Dendrobium atroviolaceum new growth

I'm also holding out some hope that my Dendrobium atroviolaceum will bloom for me.  There is one large bud that has been on the plant since I received it over a month ago.  It still hasn't opened for me.  There are also several bloom spikes that are starting to emerge from the top of a couple of the stems, but they aren't really doing anything lately.  It might be the heat.  The good news is that there are 4 or 5 new growths starting from the base of the plant.