Cymbidium Orchid: Flowering in Progress

It’s always a pleasure to see cymbidium orchids in flower. On one spike, flowers open up in a slightly staggered time frame. As  shown in the photo, taken minutes ago, the top center flower is almost fully open, while the other ones look like they’re about to burst out!
Notice the lovely cascade of wine-colored flowers [...]

Epidendrum Orchids: White Roots

Epidendrum orchids are very easy to grow in containers in a shade garden. Click on the photo and you’ll see the beautiful white roots originating from the stems. Also known as aerial roots, these structures help with photosynthesis.
On the lower left are leaves from the Japanese boxwood. The long, sword-like leaves are from cymbidium orchids. [...]

Christmas Kalanchoe: Closer To Bloom Time!

Oh, it’s going to happen, hopefully soon! If you click on the photo, you’ll see many salmon pink “dots” peppering these plants – these are future flowers. The kalanchoe are happily residing underneath a mature Japanese aucuba. Trying to steal the act in the top center is an epidendrum orchid! All of these plants are in the [...]

Kalanchoe Container Garden!

It’s hard to believe but my kalanchoe (aka Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and Christmas kalanchoe) container garden is looking mighty fine at the beginning of autumn – and it only started with two plants I bought a few years ago. Look at them now! I can’t wait until Christmas, when the flowers should be making their appearance.
I [...]

Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe, or Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, or Christmas kalanchoe (so named for the holiday when it is often available in stores) is such a pretty plant, with petite, beautiful flowers and glossy, paddle-like leaves. It is a succulent. I’ve had this plant for nearly three years. It’s often described as an indoor plant, but I’ve always had it [...]

Epidendrum Orchid

It’s also known as a crucifix orchid, because the shape of the flower resembles a cross. I’ve been the lucky caretaker of this unknown epidendrum orchid for the past several years. It produces small but intensely colored red flowers. One of the interesting things about this quickly growing orchid is that the the taller it [...]

Cymbidium Orchid

I’m not sure exactly which cymbidium orchid this is (it was a gift), but it’s the last one standing in my collection of cymbidiums! The colors are truly breathtaking and the curves exquisite. Cymbidiums have been very easy to grow. I’ve had and enjoyed these plants for nearly 10 years now.
TIP: I grow all of [...]