Private Collection

Here’s some of our recent orchid flowers that you might enjoy…. We wanted you to be able to enjoy what here you are seeing!

Here are other wonderful plants. Below are their descriptions.

Phrag. besseae: We grow a number of different plants of Phrag. besseae. We have siblings, selfings and a few colchcine treated plants. Our intent is to use the best in our breeding program. We love red and seeing these plants in bloom is always an excitement for us. The plants bloom several times a year, with the best blooming in the cooler part of the year, fall, winter and spring. We have plants in various stages of bloom year ’round. We have grown our phrags. in a variety of mixes, BUT the best results so far have been with coconut husks. As plants come into bloom we intend to develop a photographic history and put them on our website. Hopefully, in the future, we can release some of our babies to the public.

Paph. White Knight ‘Sir Gallahad’

What can we say? We love white paphs and currently grow about 50 white paphs of which a dozen or so are White Knights. Our awarded White Knight ‘Sir Gallahad’ has been a joy to own and a vigorous grower.

Paph. Transvaal ‘Orchid Loft’ AM/AOS

A recent acquisition for us (10/1/2002) , considered to be among the best of the muti-florals. We hope to bloom it, breed it and share it at some point. Our plant is in a 2.5 inch rosepot and we eagerly anticipate its first bloom. The division is a much appreciated addition to our collection.

Species Currently Being Grown

We have always loved the species and feel dutybound to reproduce them for future generations. Listed below is an inventory of what we have and we hope to breed them and offer them in our catalog at some point.

Amesiella philippinensis: a true miniature, like a mini-phal. White and beautiful when in bloom, it usually has three to four flowers per bloom spike.

Angraecum sesquipedale: From Madagascar the large white flowers with the very long spurs are deliciously fragrant. We have the clone ‘Orchidglade’ FCC/AOS.

Baptistonia echinata: This showy species is from southern Brazil and is difficult to find. We have grown them for years in bark. They passed on!!! Now, with our coconut husk mix, they are thriving and two plants are now in spike. Blooming period is from February to April. They do not like wet feet. Our goal is to make a sibling cross and then offer the seedlings to the public. The miniature plants are about three inches tall in 2.5 inch rosepots. Like most orchids, they prefer to be grown in the smallest size pot that will accomodate the roots. The brown and yellow stripped flowers, grow in clusters like grapes and remind us of bumblebees. These plants are a pleasure to grow and make nice specimen plants. The trick is to be careful not to overwater or overfertlize. We have 5 clones to choose from and hope to be successful in propagating them.

Bletilla striata: Sometimes referred to as the hardy Chinese Orchid, it grows in our front yard like a weed. It is planted where it receives full morning sun. We have grown bletillas for about 15 years. The flowers resemble miniature cattleya orchids, are purple with white striations in the throat and usually are borne 8 to 12 flowers per stem. We love them for early spring to summer flowering.

Brassavola nodosa: Ah yes…the “Lady of the Night” orchid! So called because it is extremely fragrant in the evening. Our clones are a cross between an FCC and an AM. We have not seen them bloom yet, but with the bloodlines used, we are hoping for extraordinary flowers. The flowers can reach eight centimeters plus in diameter and our previous clones were indeed wonderfully fragrant at night.

Comparettia speciosa: These plants have been challenging to grow! We fell in love with them when they first bloomed and they are in demand by serious collectors. Assuming we can get them well established, we will definitely cross our clones and make them available. They are a treasured addition to any collection but whether or not they will take hold and truely grow for us remains to be seen. The miniature plants from central Ecuador and Peru have orange to reddish orange flowers that reach a diameter of up to five centimeters. We have had difficulty getting them to make vigorous roots therefore, we cannot currently recommend them except for the most patient growers. We hope our coconut husk mix does the trick this fall and winter. The next several months will tell!

Cycnoches chlorochilon ‘Norman’: What we are growing is the best of the cycnoches cholorochilon we have ever seen. It is actually a meristemed clone with wide and thickly textured petals and sepals. Frequently referred to as the ‘Swan’ orchid, it has always held a special place in our hearts. The plants will produce male or female flowers! High light tends to produce male flowers and lower light conditions, female flowers. It still takes ‘two to tango’, so if you want to breed these guys we suggest growing one plant in high light and one plant in lower light. The flowers are very fragrant and long lasting. Every serious species collection should include at least one variety of cycnoches.

Z 3843 Paphiopedilum purpurascens (‘Elf’ x ‘Lasco’) : A delightful miniature ladyslipper. We hope to at least self it at some point or better yet do a sib cross.

Oerstedella centradenia : A warm growing species from Costa Rica and Panama. It grows well on a twig or for us, in a 2.25″ rose pot with coconut husks. Ours has a keiki with buds on it!!!!!

6193 Epidendrum stamfordianum ‘Darkie’ x Epidendrum ilense ‘Newberry’ : A showy primary hybrid that is warm growing. The ilense definitely dominates, especially in the lip. It also has an unusal fragrance of watermelon.

Bulbophyllum rufinum: This orange-flowered inflorescence rises laterally from the psuedobulb rather than from the apex. These tiny flowers are in the range of 1 – 2 cm.