Phalaenopsis Gold Tris 'Desk Pot' keiki in full bloom

Phalaenopsis Gold Tris 'Desk Pot' 

About 3 months after I first noticed the start of a spike, my little Phal Gold Tris Keiki is in full bloom!  The flower spike is bigger than the orchid itself, with 4 full-sized yellow flowers. Of course, the mother plant produces larger numbers of flowers and multiple spikes, but this is still one precocious bloomer!

Closeup of Phalaenopsis Gold Tris 'Desk Pot'

The color is less saturated than usual, most likely due to the very warm weather of the last month.

Flower spike on a tiny keiki

A 1 year old phalaenopsis keiki

I first wrote about this Phalaenopsis Gold Tris keiki just over a year ago.  Keikis are orchid clones that sometimes grow on a mature orchid plant. Late last summer, when its roots had grown over 3 inches, I cut the keiki from its mother orchid, and planted it in the pot shown above.  The little orchid has more than tripled its roots system since then, but hasn't done much growth with its two leaves.

flower spike on a 1-year old keiki

Today, I noticed a green nub growing to the side of the orchid's base.  Much to my surprise, this wasn't some errant root, but actually a tiny new flower spike!  Although I have heard before that keikis sometimes flower within a year of growth, I never expected it from an orchid this small.  Its flowers would be almost as big as the entire orchid plant!

I'll be watching closely to see how this flower spike develops.

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

New York Orchid Show 2017: Thailand

New York Orchid Show 2017: Thailand

My favorite time of year has come around yet again.  The days are getting warmer and lighter, and the orchid show has opened at the New York Botanical Garden.  This year's theme is Thailand.  The show's typical lush displays of color feature many Vanda orchids, which are native to Southeast Asia.

I'll be putting up many more pictures from the show in the coming days, but here is a preview of what is to come:

I got to the garden right as it was opening, avoiding much of the crowds that would descend on the orchid show later in the day.

Phalaenopsis orchids arranged to resemble palm trees

Miniature orchids display

Deep purple variety of Dendrobium kingianum

  

Zygopetalum flowers

A rainbow of vandas so colorful, they don't even look quite real

Dendrobium hybrid

Many colors of dendrobium hybrids

Morning light shines through Oncostele Wildcat

More Oncostele Wildcat flowers