Something wonderful happened to the Oncidium though! For a few years now i suppose it is virus infected, as Oncidium varieties are really very susceptible to viruses. The flower buds just die and most of the time only 2-3 buds continue to open. So we just left it there, self supporting. Come this very dry season, when many fruit trees died and no annuals endured the very hot weather. Even with the leaves turning yellow due to extreme sun, this Oncidium flowered as it always does, but this time all the buds opened and spread its wonderful sweet scent especially in the mornings. It continued to be there for six (6) weeks now. Probably the virus become dormant due to the extreme heat. But that is only a speculation, as i am sure it is still there. I will see this rainy season if the flower buds will continue to abort.
If only i can share its scent here, it is really awesome, sweet and wonderful.
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Whenever people tell me that orchids are hard to grow I always tell them to try oncidiums, encyclias and cattleyas. They're so tough and forgiving!
ReplyDeleteGood pictures, Andrea! I can see the dancing lady in each of the bottom 2 pictures!
ReplyDeleteAndrea, these dancing ladies are so special... the colours and so many in one spike! They are show stoppers. You are so fortunate. The scent is the much desired added bonus for orchids. You must have been giving the plant lots of TLC. Good job Andrea :-D
ReplyDeleteAndrea, oh, ok, good job to your mum as well :-)
ReplyDeleteAndrea, your gardens are so colourful. It must bring such joy to see the flowers open. My sister in law grows orchids in her conservatory.....she has a huge collection and they are very beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWe have had the dryest six months since 1929. Some of my trees have a fungus due to the lack of water at the roots. The planet is getting hotter......
Tku for sharing your beautiful blooms.....
What a gorgeous shot of such a lovely flower.
ReplyDeleteOh Andrea it was so exciting to see a new colouration to a dancing lady. That little orchid sure is a fighter - the heat has probably stressed it alot and it thinks its dying hence sending out some flowers. I love their scent but I've only ever experienced that from potted ones - it must be amazing having that scent in the garden every morning........ and for so long.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely week :) Rosie
Ooh, I wish I could smell that sweet scent! I find myself coveting all the dancing ladies I keep seeing on the blogs. Such a beautiful flower! Hope yours stays healthy for you when the rainy season returns.
ReplyDeleteThe person who comes up with a smellavision will be rich indeed. I wish I could smell it!
ReplyDeleteToo funny on the monarchs being Mexican and liking the Mexican butterfly weed. Never thought of that but it sure makes sense! Love it!
What a stunning flower! I have never tried oncidiums but I'd sure love to. I'm new to growing orchids but the 3 I own are re-blooming (shock of the world) so I'm feeling much bolder now! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely bloom! I hope the virus is gone for good; this dancing lady is a stunner.
ReplyDeleteRainforest Gardener - i am amazed as i've just posted it and you are already posting comment, thank you so much. I don't know about Encyclias but the two i am familiar with. Yes orchids are definitely hardy and difficult to kill, hehe.
ReplyDeleteLinda - thank you for appreciating, though i cannot get as nice as yours yet!
Steph - actually my mother doesn't water them religiously, she does if she remembers! hehe
Cheryl - yes we are already experiencing the feedback for what we did to our world. The cold gets colder and the hot gets hotter, i wonder what the future holds, maybe no more crops! Research cannot cope with the fast changing times.
Birdy and Aaron -thank you for the visit and kind words.
Rosie - yes your theory could be right, most plants respond like that. But the leaves are still green though suffered a bit of yellowing due to heat, maybe the virus suffered first than the plant, hopefully!
Floridagirl - if only i can send you a cutting, it definitely will thrive there. Hopefully the virus is not as resistant as the plant.
Tina - yes smellavision will definitely be famous. If only scents can be bottled easily, as it is difficult to get the oils from so little pollens of these. I surmise the pollens or the stigma emits the scent. BTW, we dont have butterfly bushes or weeds here, but we have species of monarchs. I wonder what they eat, surely though they are not from Mexico! haha
Kate - if you have successfully grown one you can grow many, just get the species which suits your climate and conditions favorably well, and you will be rewarded. thanks for your visit.
Rose - i do hope too, that the virus is less resistant to heat than its host is!
Sorry to note that the hot weather had caused a lot of damage in your garden.
ReplyDeleteHowever, its really nice to see these really beautiful flower that bloom in your garden - sort of say, that all is not loss.
That sometimes, there is an extreme beauty emerges in the midst of the desert.
Thanks for sharing this.
Andrea, this is truly a wonderful and beautiful oncidium, a real fighter. The best part is that it evokes fond memories for you. Oncidiums are my mom's favourite orchid and it is she who told me that it looked like a dancing lady. However, whenever I look at oncidiums, I imagine the lower part is the lady with the gown and the upper part is her partner holding her. How I wish they'd name this orchid 'dancing partners' !
ReplyDeleteI am so very delighted that because you have such a wealth of knowledge and pictures, we can synchronise our posts quite often. Yay!
Hi James - it looks like you are like me, sometimes not passionate enough to post. I have been checking your site and no new yet, hehe. But the orchid cannot suffice for the lost fruit trees, though it is a consolation to pacify depressing thoughts.
ReplyDeleteAutumn Belle - i cannot see the partner whatever angle i look at it. I can see the lady's head (pollen sac), arms stretched out, small waist and flowing gown....yes it is really delightful to be syncronizing our posts because we almost have the same vegetation. I have lots of photos, it is the time which i dont have and the passion to post, and also sometimes i lack enthusiasm especially when very few people comment on my post. I feel like being betrayed, hehe! joke
aloha andrea,
ReplyDeletecongrats, nature has a way sometimes of correcting...hope it dissapates and you get more lovely blooms, thanks for sharing
what a beautiful flower. I have never seen that before, related to orchids I suspect. I will have to investigate. so pretty. glad you are enjoying it for so long. great pics.
ReplyDeleteNoel - yes i hope the blooming continues without any more abortions of flower buds. That will be a lovely reward.
ReplyDeleteTeresa - hahaha, if you only read the text, it is not only related to orchids, it really is an orchid, Oncidium species in particular. It really is pretty with very sweet scent. thanks for your visit.
Andrea, I came back to see your reply, haha! Actually, I don't understand why I keep seeing the top portion of this flower as a male partner with hat and wearing a tuxedo! Maybe I am over imaging things :)
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