Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Tropical garden #121, 1 by dyzzypyxxy

dyzzypyxxy wrote:
We've had over 5in. of rain since Friday, I just emptied my brimming rain gauge. Woo hoo, a tornado warning out on Longboat Key right now! Airport has gusts over 40mph. right now, too.

That's my favorite orchid, too, Alice. I love the simple flower form. It's a NoID Brassavola I got at the Master Gardener plant sale last October. This is the second bloom spike I've had on this one since October, and it has two more coming. Some of them are fragrant at night although this one isn't. I have six different types of Brassavolas right now because they're easy, bloom often and I love the flowers. You can see in the picture I just took a minute ago the new bud opening is sort of rosy, but as the flowers mature they get more yellow and end up almost orange.

KayJones, if you're going to start out with orchids, Brassavola hybrids are some of the best ones to start with. Find a friend with a clumpy Brassavola, they can give you a division easily, and it will be nice, easy care and bloom at least twice a year. They love to grow in a basket hanging in a tree for most of the year, and then (naturally) hang it in the greenhouse or indoors if the weather gets cold.

Just my opinion, but people who say Phalaenopsis are "beginner" orchids are out to lunch. They're the only ones I've had that are really fussy, don't like being moved, wilt and get sunburnt and generally are terrible divas. Maybe they do better if you grow them indoors, but that's not an option for me.