Laelia sincorana

Laelia sincorana, now reclassified as Cattleya sincorana is one of the smaller species and a real jewel.  It is from Brazil and blooms here in the spring.  The round pseudobulbs with their leaves are 10 cm tall and the flowers the same size or a bit larger.  The flower spikes emerge from within the leaves just as the leaves begin to unfold and the flowers are usually born singly, though occasionally I get two flowers from a flower spike.  I grow the plant with the highest light I can give it in cool to intermediate temperatures and mounted on a piece of tree branch.

Buccella molossus

Purchased as Buccella or Masdevallia molosoides, this has been identified as a similar-looking species, Bucella molossus.  The former is from Costa Rica and Panama.  This is from Colombia.  It is a tiny plant, 4-5 cm tall with 1 cm flowers born singly.  It prefers cooler temperatures and blooms in the spring.  I grow it in a net pot in sphagnum moss.

Luzama carmenensis

Luzama carmenensis or Masdevallia carmenensis is a small species from Colombia and Ecuador.  It blooms in the spring and has large flowers in proportion to the plant.  The plant is 5 cm tall and the flowers are also 5 cm from the base of the tube to the end of the sepaline tails and from tip to tip.  The flower spikes are 9 cm and carry a single flower.  Because the flowers are semi-pendant the plant seems to do best mounted and mine is on a piece of cedar with a bit of moss around the roots.

Porroglossum meridionale

It seems to be Porroglossum season.  Almost all of mine are in bloom at the moment.  Porroglossum meridionale is another species from this genus of insect-trapping flowers.  The flowers have hinged lips and  when disturbed by a small insect the lip suddenly snaps up trapping the insect against the column, effecting pollination.  Most of the pictures show the lip open but the close-up photo shows it shut against the column.  The plant is 6 cm tall, the flower spikes 10 cm in length, and the flowers 1.5 cm.  It hails from Peru.

Dendrobium seranicum 'Brendan'

This is my awarded plant of the species.  Dendrobium seranicum is from the island of Seram in the Moluccas, loves cool temperatures and high light, has very long lasting flowers on a miniature plant, and is one of the Oxyglossum Dendrobiums.  The plant is 8 cm tall and the flowers are 3 cm, usually produced in pairs from the top of the pseudobulbs and between the two or three succulent leaves.

Mount Baker Orchid Society Show

February 28 was our orchid society's annual show.  The Mount Baker Orchid Society is a very small society but the show was well received.  I put in my usual display using a purpose built show case and an insert that looks like a lava cliff with water running down it and spent the day helping with the show and taking photos.  Photography at a show is always a challenge because the flowers are massed together, lighting is not always good, and often one has to contend with poor backgrounds, tags and other paraphernalia used for displaying the plants.  These were some of the better photos I was able to get.  We hold our show at a local nursery and so one has to contend with nursery traffic as well.  The photos of my display case were taken after most of the show was dismantled.

Cattleya loddigesii

Encyclia polybulbon and Encyclia cochleata

 Encyclia cordigera

 Laeliocattleya Gold Digger and Brassolaeliocattleya Mem. Ana Balmores

 Oersatedella centradenia

 Epidendrum roseosceptrum

 Burrageara Nellie Isler

 Odontocidium Golden Trident

 Brassia arachnoidea

 Oncidium croesus

Phalaenopsis Baldan's Kaleidoscope

 unnamed Phalaenopsis

 Phalaenopsis Chien Xen Violin

 Phalaenopsis schilleriana

 Phalaenopsis Tyang Shin Orange Crush

 Phalaenopsis Taida Sunflower Diamond

 Phalaenopsis Fusheng's Mystical Dream

Phalaenopsis Old Yeller

Dendrobium Sea Mary

 Dendrobium atroviolaceum

 Dendrobium Proud Appeal

 Dendrobium Mingle's Sapphire

 Dendrobium sulawesiense

Paphiopedilum Hawaiian Illusion

 Paphiopedilum Norito Hasegawa

 Paphiopedilum Fairly Stoned and Paphiopedilum unnamed

Paphiopedilum Royal Anthem Lyric x Royal

  Phragmipedium Peruflora's Spirit x d'alessandroi

 Bulbophyllum appendiculatum

 Dendrochilum glumaceum and Dendrochilum wenzelii

 Bletilla ochracea

 My Showcase