Year of Encyclia

2018 has been a banner year for my Encyclia collection. I have never had so many species bloom before. I just wanted to post a bunch of photos of their beautiful flowers here together to share the variety.

In all, I had at least 16 Encyclia plants bloom this year, as well as about 8 other orchids.

• Encyclia alata (syn. belizensis)
• Encyclia angustiloba
• Encyclia atrorubens
• Encyclia 'Belize 82'
• Encyclia hanburyi
• Encyclia phoenicea
• Encyclia plicata
• Encyclia ramonense
• Encyclia seidelii
• Encyclia tampensis
• Encyclia tampensis v. alba
• Encyclia unaensis
• Encyclia Faerie Glen
• Encyclia Gay Rabbit
• Encyclia Grand Bahama
• Encyclia Orchid Jungle

Encyclia spikes in January?

This is the time of year when I usually find several Phalaenopsis spiking or blooming in my greenhouse, but little else going on with my orchids. Most of my orchid collection is from the genus Encyclia and those plants typically bloom for me in the heat of the summer. Appallingly, I never have any of my favorite Encyclia in bloom during the annual local orchid show, so if I enter any plants they are just run of the mill Phalaenopsis. Something is different this year.

I don’t know why, but I have 3 Encyclia plants spiking right now, in addition to 2 Phalaenopsis and 1 Dendrobium. Two of the spiking Encyclia will be first earned blooms for me, so perhaps these species typically bloom earlier, but the other spiking Encyclia is one that bloomed last summer for me. It looks like I might actually have some Encyclia to enter in the orchid show this year!

Encyclia angustiloba
Encyclia hanburyi
Encyclia Faerie Glen (diota x mooreana)
Phalaenopsis NOID
Dtps. Jiaho's Pink Girl
Dendrobium anceps

Encyclia inventory

Over time my collection of plants changes quite a bit. I buy new plants and other plants perish. At times I have tried to keep a comprehensive inventory, but my commitment to keep that inventory updated doesn't last and it gets to a point where it is so far behind I almost feel I need to start over.

E. tampensis v. alba

E. atrorubens?
This plant is labeled as E. guatemalensis, but that is not a recognized species.

E. tampensis
This plant FINALLY bloomed this year after having been in my collection for almost 6 years.
You'll notice it looks very similar to the first plant pictured in this post, except the first plant is lacking the pink,
since it is the "alba" variety.

Recently I decided to inventory my plants in groups. I'm starting with my collection of Encyclia, which is probably the genus of which I have the most plants. It's fun to post this list now because a lot of them are blooming or bloomed recently.  It turns out I have more than 35 Encyclia plants, consisting of 22 species and10 known hybrids.  (I know, 22 and 10 do not add up to 35, but I have a couple of duplicates and a couple of unknowns.)

Complete inventory of Encyclia species:

• E. angustiloba 
• E. aspera
• E. aspera
• E. belizensis **
• E. cordigera
• E. fowliei x fowliei 'Duncan'
• E. fucata
• E. gracilis
• E. guatemalensis * (may actually be E. atrorubens)
• E. hanburyi 'Mem. Merlin Rigley'
• E. kennedyi
• E. moebusii
• E. navanjapatensis
• E. patens
• E. phoenicea
• E. plicata **
• E. polybulbon
• E. ramonense 'Dr Pepper' **
• E. randii
• E. seidelii *
• E. tampensis *
• E. tampensis v. alba **
• E. unaensis

* indicates a species that has bloomed for me

** indicates a species that blooms regularly for me

I'm not a complete species purist, but I do concentrate on collecting species.  Most of my hybrids are ones that I acquired in eBay auctions of multiple plants, and they were bundled with species I was interested in purchasing.  In all I have 12 hybrid orchids that include Encyclia among the parents or grandparents.

Complete inventory of Encyclia hybrids:

• E. Faerie Glen (diota x mooreana) *
• E. John Brunton (mooreana x tampensis)
• E. phoenicea x tampensis
• E. tampensis v. alba 'Mendenhall' x plicata 'Cherokee'
• E. Cindy x dickinsoniana
• E. Orchid Jungle (alata x phoenicea)
• E. Gay Rabbit ([alata x cordigera] x cordigera) *
• E. (unidentified hybrid potted with Gay Rabbit) *
• E. (unidentified, possibly Grand Bahama)
• Epy. Mabel Kanda (E. cordigera x Epi. paniculatum) *
• Epc. Siam Jade (C. Penny Kuroda x Epc. Vienna Woods)
• Eplc. Pixie Charm (Lc. Pixie x E. alata)

* indicates a species that has bloomed for me

Epy. Mabel Kanda
An intergeneric hybrid between Epidendrum and Encyclia.
I had to look up the correct abbreviation for this one in the RHS register.

E. Faerie Glen
This is a new plant that I just purchased at Santa Barbara Orchid Estate when I was in California in March.

The hybrids are a mix bag of primary hybrids (a pure species crossed with another species), multi-generation hybrids, and even intergeneric (plants from different genus being crossed) hybrids.  A lot of Encyclia are used in orchid hybridization, especially crossing with Cattleya, Laelia, and Epidendrum.  You'll notice that Mabel Kanda hybrid is a cross of an Encyclia and an Epidendrum, while Siam Jade is a second generation intergeneric hybrid - a Cattleya crossed with a hybrid of an Encyclia and a Cattleya.

Unidentified Encyclia hybrid

The Encyclia above is a mystery because it is in a pot labeled Enc. Gay Rabbit. There are a lot of pseudobulbs in the pot and I have actually had two concurrent spikes with different flowers.  One set of flowers has a white lip with some dark pink streaking (as shown in the photo), while the other flowers have a solid pink lip.  I believe one is correctly labeled Gay Rabbit and the other (pictured above) may be something different.  It is also possible that both are the same hybrid from the same parents and they are just displaying some of the variation expected for this hybrid.

I have one other plant that is missing a label.  I am pretty certain it is an Encyclia species or hybrid, because the pseudobulbs and growth habit match and it is sitting with all of my other Encyclia.  Based on my past records, I think it may be E. Grand Bahama (tampensis x plicata).  I'm going to put that tentative label on it for now.

Encyclia season

I really like Encyclias.  They have become my favorite orchid genus for a number of reasons.  They have interesting, colorful, but not overly showy flowers.  There is a wide variety of species and colors produced by these species.  They grow well in my climate and with my care.  They are decently attractive when not in bloom.

I have collected quite a few species and hybrids over the last few years, but I have only brought a small group into bloom.  I have had multiple flowerings of Enc plicata since I purchased it three years ago.  Otherwise, my plants have been growing, but not blooming.  This year has been an exception.

Encyclia 'Gay Rabbit'

These flowers look very different from the ones that were on the plant when I purchased it two years ago.  The pot is large, with many bulbs, so I am thinking that it is possible I have two separate plants and the one that bloomed this year is not Gay Rabbit.  Hopefully next year I will have multiple spikes and we can see if there are different plants in this pot.

Encyclia seidelii

Encyclia seidelii in macro

These were my first blooms from  Enc seidelii.  I wasn't expecting any since this is a small plant.  The flowers themselves are small very striking.  The pictures don't really do them justice.

Encyclia belizensis

Encyclia belizensis in macro

These are also my first flowers for Enc belizensis.  They are primarily a creamy yellow with a white lip and touches of pink here and there.  These are the largest flowers of the species I have currently in flower.

Since I had several species in bloom at the same time I decided to try my hand at hybridizing.  I did it a little haphazardly right before leaving town.  I just used my finger to remove pollinia from one species and move it to the next.  It looks like some of the crosses are taking and seed pods are forming.  If all goes well, I will send my pods off to an experienced hybridizer to germinate them and grow them out.

Encyclia ramoense 'Dr Pepper'

Encyclia ramoense 'Dr Pepper' in macro

This is a really neat flower, due to the unique shape and colors, as well as the fragrance.  I am told the regular species, Enc ramoense, has blooms that smell like Dr. Pepper.  This particular cultivar was labeled 'Dr Pepper' so I guess it has a marked fragrance like that favorite beverage of mine.  Anyway, we discovered something interesting about this plant.  I couldn't smell any fragrance from the flowers in my greenhouse.  I brought the plant out to the picnic table on our back deck and smelled it a little later and - voila! It smelled like Dr. Pepper!  I took the plant inside for Christie to smell: nothing.  I took it back outside with her and the scent returned!  It seems to be triggered by sunlight.  I don't know if this is a known phenomenon or not, but it sort of makes sense that plants could regulate a chemical reaction by sunlight.

Encyclia Grand Bahama (tampensis x plicata)

My other Encyclia in bloom right now is a primary hybrid between Enc tampensis and Enc plicata.  It has dainty blooms that are lightly fragrant with a chocolate smell.

Encyclia Grand Bahama (tampensis x plicata) in macro

Last, but not least, I want to show off some beautiful leaves.  Encyclia guatemalensis hasn't flowered for me yet, but these leaves are just amazing.

Encyclia guatemalensis

I imagine the colors would vary based on light conditions.  I hope my leaves stay this color and I get some blooms next year.

As usual, my Enc plicata is now producing a bloom spike, so I should have flowers in August and September.

Ceratostylis rubra in bloom

I have admired Ceratostylis rubra for several years.  It is not a flashy orchid with big, colorful flowers or even fragrant flowers.  It's just simple and interesting.  One of the features I really like is the woody look, caused by the papery, brown cataphylls that surround the base of each leaf.

The flowers are also beautiful, if you take the time to look at them.  They are small and orange, but have the opalescent shimmer commonly found in orchids.  The center is pure white.  When I look at these flowers I think of creamsicle.

I bought my plant in April and this is the first time it has bloomed for me.  Because the flowers are held so close to the plant, it is easy to miss when in bloom.  I was lucky to notice it and will have to watch closely for it each year.  I assume it will probably flower around the same time again next year.

Local orchid show

My local orchid club, Oklahoma Orchid Society, held our annual show and sale on Mother's Day weekend.  I took off work on Friday to help set up and then ventured back on Saturday with Christie and Myla to enjoy the show.  It was a small show, as usual, but nice.

Enjoying her first orchid show, laughing with mommy.

I carried Myla around while Christie took photos for me.  First, I'll show off the Dendrobium.

Dendrobium lawesii being sold at one of the vendor tables.

Dendrobium lawesii - different color variant - also being sold.

Dendrobium Aridang x Burana Sundae

Miniature, deciduous, upright Dendrobium

Nice purple Dendrobium

Nice pendant, deciduous Dendrobium, profusely blooming

A couple of nice Cymbidium.

An unregistered cascading hybrid Cymbidium

Cymbidium Little Black Sambo, upright and very dark

Miscellaneous other plants.

Laelia hybrid. I love this color and the faint pattern on the lip.

Very happy Cattleya

Anguloa hohenlohii x Ida locusta. Very interesting primary intergeneric hybrid.

Pleurothallis penelops. Awesome species that looks very similar to Pleurothallis dilemma.

Large, mounted specimen of Dendrochilum aurantiacum

There were a total of eleven plants pulled out for AOS judging (including the one pictured above).  One of those eleven plants (a Paphiopedium) was awarded an HCC.

Encyclia plicata in bloom

This time last year I purchased my Encyclia plicata from Ruben in Orchids on my Florida trip.  At that time, it had just a couple of flowers left on its bloom spike.

Encyclia plicata flowers

True to schedule, my Encyclia plicata has been blooming for the past several weeks and this time I have gotten to enjoy the wonderful fragrance of these blooms.  I don't really buy orchids for their fragrance, but this one would be worth it.  This just might be my favorite color combination of any of the orchids I own.  All things considered, this is pretty much a perfect orchid in my book.

Dockrillia wassellii in bloom

It is always exciting to see a plant bloom for the first time. I have seen pictures of Dockrillia wassellii blooms, but this is the first time that my plant has put out a bloom spike.

Dockrillia wassellii

The flowers are quite small, but they have really beautiful intricate details.

Dockrillia wassellii blooms

I purchased my plant at the beginning of the year, mounted on cork bark. It hasn't really grown since I got it, but it hasn't lost any of its leaves and has seemed happy. The blooms are good confirmation of that.  When it has finished blooming I will move the plant from its current location onto the mounted orchid rack.