u/wonderaroundmydude

Had a really fun orchid society meeting today with Mark Reinke of Marble Branch Farms!

Mark gave an excellent talk on Cymbidiums and did such a good job explaining them that I somehow left the meeting with my first Cymbidium in years. 😂

He also brought a huge variety of orchids for everyone to choose from, which was probably dangerous for all of us.

Mark happens to know that I have a weakness for Catasetinae, so naturally I also added two more of those to the collection. 😭

So I went to a meeting to learn about Cymbidiums and came home with three orchids.

Sounds about right.

Really enjoyable meeting, great presentation, and an awesome selection of plants from Marble Branch Farms.

Catasetum Vitalii, its color is deep purple this year. Its form has improved tremendously with the DNA helix look. The fragrance is delicious with creamy mint.

Enjoy the show!

This hybrid is almost pure green with minimal burgundy spots, if you pay close attention. Fragrance of spearmint. Overall, it's been a great plant to have in the collection. Does anyone else have this hybrid?

Enjoy the show!

Catasetum Red-faced Monkey is putting on an amazing show for its first time. I really like the way it blooms with an upright spike. The colors are really cool especially inside the lip with some type of pattern. Fragrance, super intense, spicy, sweet, kinda like clove. This plant is being very ambitious with a third spike emerging. I'm definitely looking forward to how well it will do.

Has anyone else got this hybrid?

Enjoy the show!

Here is another myrmecatavola hybrid. This is a really good vigorous plant. Blooms a lot and changes color from red to yellow. Makes looking at this plant a new venture every time.

Enjoy the show!

My galeandra Penny Lane 'Blushing Sunshine' is putting on a great show this year. Four new pseudobulbs and this is just the second one. The trait that I like about the galeandras is they will branch from the same flower system, kinda like a phaleanopsis. It started to bloom in the beginning of July. I'm detecting the light fragrance of roses with a hint of baby powder.

Enjoy the show!

Ctsm Richie Moran putting on a show. This plant has decided to produce four pseudobulbs and the others have started a flower spike. It's going to be a great show later on. The red lip reminds me of a red heart.

Enjoy the show!

Both of these two catasetums have bloomed at the same time. Both have ctsm Richard Fulford as a parent. The inflorescence started completely straight but then the weight of the blooms had them pendulate. Both are fragrant mint and floral . Does anyone else have any of these hybrids?

Enjoy the show!

Fully open, cyc. Jumbo Copper is putting on a great job. There are a total of 12 flowers and the fragrance is amazing with rich vanilla. I'm going to take it for show and tell at the orchid society meeting today.

Enjoy the show!

Ctsm Karen Armstrong is putting on a show and I'm loving the yellow on it. This is one of the last late growers in my collection that got put outside with the others in my collection. Anybody else got a Karen Armstrong?

Enjoy the show!

Ctsm Graham Wood putting on her show. Not sure why the growth habit is weird. The new growth started strong then stalled out and began to ro. I got it under control and began a new growth. We'll see how it goes this year.

Enjoy the show!

I love me some multi floral paphs, especially the summer blooming types. I have two that bloomed around the same time to each other due to the philippinense parentage in their genetics. The Saint Swithin hasn't bloomed in almost 3yrs. Last time, it bloomed 8 flowers on two fans and is doing it again with this spectacular show.

Crouching Tiger, I got in the orchid show of South Carolina from Marble Branch Farms. He always has great paphs for sale. This blooming came to a total of 10 flowers. Might be another 2yrs but as always I'll be looking forward to it.

Enjoy the show!

The flowers are getting better and better after each blooming session. I hope to see more flowers in the next round. I really like the lip on this and the color and spotting. Fragrance, citrus with mint, very pleasant.

Enjoy the show!

Ctsm Melana Davison has put out its first bloom spike. The shape and color are amazing. I have been waiting to get one for awhile so when it came up on Sunset Valley orchids catalog I had to snap it up. Is there anyone who has gotten one, if so, how's it doing now?

Enjoy the show!

Here's a species that has pushed hybridization for many crosses. I like the yellow color and burgundy spotting. I'm hoping this growing season it grows vigorously. Fragrance of spearmint. Does anyone else have good species?

Enjoy the show!

Here is one of my reliable bloomers in my collection. This particular plant's flower shape leans in more on the denticulatum than its sibling that leans in on the pileatum. These will bloom multiple times as well. A fragrance of minty creamsicle. Anyone else this hybrid?

Enjoy the show!

Today, we have ctsm Maquiabelo. This is a primary hybrid of tenebrosum and ivaneae. The form and color is much better than the first time it bloomed. Fragrant spearmint.

Enjoy the show!

Here is a species putting on a good show, ctsm pileatum. The blooms are about the size of my palm. Along with a strong fragrance of minty creamsicle. I have used this species for my pollination from last year so I'm looking to get another round with this one. Has anyone else got a pileatum in bloom or growing?

Enjoy the show

Here are the female blooms of one of my favorite hybrids, Francisco Berrios Gines. This catasetum loves to produce female flowers making it a great candidate for breeding. The fragrance is very powerful with creamsicle and a hint of mint. The challenge is now, which catasetum pollen to use 😁