Orchids - Dig This!

Rhyncholaelia Digbyana that is -

I got blooms last year in December and January, and this year it is blooming in November. Could be the really cool nights we are having right now!

I have quite a few orchids with flower spikes, mostly the Schumbergkias. My Oeceoclades bloomed in September. I have quite a few that I have yet to accurately identify, so am eager for the blooming to begin.

Puppy Update - Corre went to live with Gary on September 19. Reports are that both are happy! I have avoided asking for a visit, just too difficult; But hear through mutual acquaintances that all seems to be well.

We had 2 people interested in Tech but both were unwilling to take her until all parasites were gone, which here in the tropics is practically impossible and is only effective with regular quarterly drugs. Even healthy dogs apparently require the quarterly maintenance drugs. Being from Colorado, the high desert, we never really had to deal with any of these issues so it's been a real learning experience. So anyway, with only ONE puppy in residence the dynamic changed tremendously and we've decided to not say 'Good-Bye' to Tech.

Somehow she seemed to know - Duh, just look at that face!

HUH?

Here she is helping Tom to clean papers from the file cabinet, She's the safety shredder.

Orchids I keep - Oeceoclades maculata

I keep orchids. I wish I could say I grow orchids, but in reality I acquire them, try to do what I read or hear works, and they usually manage to make it. Sometimes they even bloom.

In January of 2007, on a trip to Chichen Itza with friends I acquired this orchid. (don't ask)It was in loose rubble of stones and woody debris. I decided since I found it in ground I'd plant it in ground, this is called terrestrial.

Orchids are quite difficult to name until they bloom. For whatever reason I have not been able to find a source to identify orchids by leaf, only by bloom.

Therefore until it bloomed this was just simply my Chichen Orchid.

So, I have had this orchid since January 2007 and it is blooming. This is a small plant and the blooms are no bigger than a dime. The flowers are not flashy or showy, and in all honesty kind of a boring little flower, but hey, it's mine, and it's blooming. I'm thrilled.

the pencil is for scale, just a standard #2 type pencil

According to my Orchid book this particular orchid is NOT native to the Yucatan, but is considered a noxious weed. This plant made it's way to the N.American continent from Asia in grass seed.

I don't have the ability to take a good close-up so have pulled this photo from the internet just so you can see a good representation.

Oeceoclades maculata - Photo © Peter M.C. Werner