New Orchids!

Orinthocephalus

This weekend my parents and I went down to Santa Barbara, CA, for our one and only vacation this summer because of my SAT camp....sigh.  On a happier note, we attended the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate Open House and the Santa Barbara International Orchid Fair.  So many orchids....It was so hard to restrain myself from buying too many orchids since I now have to take the amount of space I have into consideration. 

Check these out:

Neofinetia Falcata Shutennou buds

Above: My first miniature orchid that is about the size of a half dollar coin.  I got it at the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate Open House from one of their $7.50 specials.  I mounted it on a piece of a broken clay pot with sphagnum moss and held it together with some fishing line that I found around the house.

Right: A Japanese Wind orchid that I got from a Japanese Vendor at the Orchid Fair. It has two spikes with these buds that are just about to burst anytime soon.  These are supposed to be a pink version of the orchid.  My mom was kind enough to buy me the two Neofinetia because she just had to have it, meaning have it around the house not growing it.  This was on my "to grow" list anyways, so THANKS MOM!! ...adding more gasoline to my orchid obsession. <3

Neofinetia Falcata Amami-Furan Spike

Left: This is the white version of the Neofinetia also from the same Japanese vendor.  It has two spikes that will hopefully be blooming next month.  This is cheaper than the pink version because it is more common.  It is supposed to smell heavenly which I can't wait to experience.

Pot. Hoku Gem

Left: A purchase from the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. I have been having a feud with the Cattleya family.  I just can't find anything elegant or beautiful in the big colorful blooms.  They are colorful and could make beautiful corsages, but I just don't like them.  Anyways, this Potinara is as close as I am to growing cattleyas.  It is a hybrid of the all the orchids that look like cattleyas.  This picture cannot do the orchid justice with its maroon spots and lava orange color.


                       

Burr. Nelly Isler "Swiss Beauty" 

Left: A Burrageara is something that I have never seen before.  It is from one of my favorite vendors called Kawamoto Orchids located in Hawaii.  He was selling some fantastic orchids that were as cheap as his ebay orchids without the hefty shipping price.  I thought this was a wonderful find because I never had  four of my favorite orchids mixed into one orchid.  It has oncidiums, miltonias, ondontoglossums, and cochlioda in it.  It is truly a beautiful orchid.