Phalaenopsis orchids are also known as moth orchids because the flower shape resembles a moth in flight. They’re very popular with growers because they’re relatively easy to care for and bloom for a long time. This popularity has also resulted in growers producing numerous hybrids of this orchid.
These blooms were at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, near Hilo. For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
This week’s Sunday Stills theme is ‘Orange.’ (See more responses here.) Usually I pick one subject for these challenges, but I had two recent subjects that fit the bill and I couldn’t make up my mind, so I’m including both.
The flower photos are of a dendrobium secundum orchid, which is also known as a toothbrush orchid. The flower color can vary from pale pink to purple with an orange labellum at the tip. These flowers were soft and delicate looking, yet so lush.
The bottom photo is from the recent Ironman race on the island. I liked the pop of this cyclist’s outfit and how his water bottle matched his orange helmet.
This phragmipedium orchid is Eric Young 4N, a hybrid of Mont Millars and Sorcerer’s Apprentice. It belongs to the family of slipper orchids and was at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden near Hilo.
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
Renanthera imschootiana orchids are from southeast Asia. This one was at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden.
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
This spathoglottis orchid is probably spathoglottis picata, though it could be spathoglottis kimballiana. This one was at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, which lists the kimballiana but not the picata in their plant database. However, that database doesn’t list all their plants, so it’s not conclusive. The closest images I found online looked more like the spathoglottis picata.
Bottom line is that it’s a beautiful flower whatever its exact name (but I’m always open to help in getting the correct identification for plants or anything else on the blog).
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
Arpophyllum spicatum is not a typical-looking orchid, but it is a member of the orchid family, originally from Central America. It’s sometimes called the candlestick orchid because of its tendency to form a dense column of flowers. This one, at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, is a little looser.
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
A favorite place I try to visit several times a year is Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, north of Hilo. There’s always something different in bloom, something new for me to see, such as this orchid.
As usual with orchids, I offer an identification with some trepidation. I think this is a cambria orchid, though exactly which type, I couldn’t say. Regardless, it’s a most striking and beautiful flower and that’s enough for me.
If anyone knows of a good orchid identification site online, please let me know.
For more information about Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, go to htbg.com.
Posted in response to the WordPress photo challenge, ‘Favorite place’.
The dendrobium spectabile orchid is sometimes referred to as the alien orchid, and no wonder. The curly, twisted flowers are very different from the usual orchid look. In addition, the flower is hinged, which prevents it from being fertilized by flying insects but allows crawling insects access.
A strange, but beautiful orchid, it hails from Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
Posted in response to this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge, ‘Out of This World.’
Graham's Island 