Orchids of the DC Botanic Garden

United States Botanic Garden

In November I traveled to Washington DC for work.  So, of course, on my last day in town, I went to see the Conservatory at the United States Botanic Garden looking for orchids to photograph.  Built in 1867, the Conservatory offers free entrance, and features models of landmarks from around the capital city, amid a lush greenhouse.

Where are the orchids?

I walked around the greenhouse, and explored the elevated walkways looking for orchid flowers.  At first I was worried that I would be leaving empty-handed. But as I walked deeper into the greenhouse, I started finding specimen sized orchids. And then I came to the orchid room.

Orchids blooming at the US Botanic Garden

Although a relatively small space, this room had nearly a 100 different species and hybrids of orchids beautifully blooming on display. I saw more paphs and phrags than ever before.  In fact, there were so many different varieties of certain orchids, that I will be saving them for a future post.  But for now, check out some of these beautiful orchid flowers!

Angraecum eburneum var. giryamae 'Penn Valley' specimen

Angraecum eburneum var. giryamae 'Penn Valley' closeup

Brasiliorchis picta 

Brasiliorchis picta closeup

Bratonia Charles M. Fitch 'Izumi'

Calanthe Rozel 'Mendenhall' x Calanthe Rozel 'Newberry'

Cattleya Eleanor Roosevelt

Coelogyne rochussenii

Coelogyne rochussenii closeup

Coelogyne trinervis

Cymbidium Cherry Cola

Cymbidium Milton Carpenter 'Everglades Gold'

Epicatanthe Volcano Trick 'Orange Fire'

Fredclarkeara After Dark 'SVO'

Fredclarkeara After Dark 'SVO' closeup

Laelia rubescens

Laelia rubescens closeup

Mesadenella cuspidata

Mesadenella cuspidata closeup

Mormolyca ringens

Oncidium Sunlight 'Hilo Honey'

Rhyncholaeliocattleya Hausermann's Holiday 'Christmas'

Vanda Pachara Delight 'Pachara'

Vanda Sonpon

purple Vanda hybrid

Vandachostylis Colmarie 'Carmella'

Vandachostylis Colmarie 'Carmella' closeup

Zygopetalum maculatum

Zygopetalum maculatum closeup

And this is not everything! I had to leave out all the bulbophyllums, dendrobiums, paphiopedilums, and phragmipediums, because each one of those categories could easily be a new post the size of this one.  I have never seen such variety of orchids in one place.  Anyone who loves these beautiful flowers should visit the US Botanic Garden if they get the chance.

2017 New York Orchid Show: Phalaenopsis

New York may be stuck in winter, but the New York Botanical Gardens are in full bloom with the 2017 Orchid show. The Phalaenopsis is the flower that first comes to my mind when I think 'orchid'.  Phalaenopsis were the first orchids I ever owned, and the first orchids I managed to flower. Often taking center stage at this year's show, the gorgeous displays of phalaenopsis blooms create the quintessentially 'orchid' atmosphere at the Conservatory this month.

Phalaenopsis Surf Song

Phalaenospsis Surf Song

Phalaenopsis Surf Song

Phalaenopsis Fuller's Sunset

Phalaenopsis equestris

Phalaenopsis I-Hsin Spot Leopard

Phalaenopsis I-Hsin Spot Leopard

Phalaenopsis Kimono

Phalaenopsis Reyoung Corona

A crossing of two giants: Rhynvandopsis Memoria Mary Nattrass

Rhynvandopsis Memoria Mary Nattrass (aka Opsistylis)

This orchid is absolutely one of my favorite flowers.  I love the sharp contrast of the patterning on these large waxy flowers. Rhynvandopsis Memoria Mary Nattrass is a primary hybrid between Vandopsis gigantea and Rhynchostylis gigantea, registered in 1972.

Parentage of Rhynvandopsis Memoria Mary Nattrass

Image credits:

Vandopsis gigantea , by Malcolm Manners, Wikimedia Commons image

Rhynchostylis gigantea by Elena Gaillard, Wikimedia Commons image

The parent species are themselves large and showy orchids.  Vandopsis gigantea reportedly has leaves that can reach half a meter in length, while Rhynchostylis gigantea can produce as many as 50 flowers on each inflorescence. 

Interestingly, Rhynchostylis gigantea comes in a great number of variants--the flowers can be white, pink, peach or wine colored, with very different amounts of speckling. This variability translates to Rhynvandopsis Memoria Mary Nattrass as well, which can have different hues and color patterns depending on which variant of Rhynchostylis gigantea was used to generate a given hybrid.

More images of the stunning Rhynvandopsis Memoria Mary Nattrass: