USBG Visit

Last week my plant cruising buddy, The Larry, and I went downtown to the US Botanical Gardens. A lovely place to visit if you are ever in the area. I go there at least once per year with Larry, and we ogle all our favorites and whatever is new, and engage in nerdy plant discussions.

Every time I'm there I lust after their staghorn ferns. I do the same thing at Longwood Gardens. The fine, imposing specimen here is Platycerium willinckii. I absolutely love staghorn ferns, but though I can keep them alive they have never flourished for me. In all likelihood I don't water enough.

We also admired their nicely grown specimen of Zelenkoa onustum, a.k.a. Oncidium onustum. Yes, that's right, its mounted on a live cactus. This is a species I like to mention to people who are convinced all orchids live in the tropical rain forests. The fact is, there are orchid species from all kinds of environments - warm to cold, wet to dry, temperate to tropical. As you might guess, this one comes from the deserts of Ecuador and Peru, where it grows in full, blazing sun. If you ever get one, make sure you respect that or it will rot clean away!

They always have a little corner with Gesneriads, as well. These are Sinningia eumorpha (top) and lineata (bottom). You may be more familiar with the family through the 'florist' gloxinia and African Violets, but the more obscure species are also quite rewarding to grow. For more information on Sinningias and other Gesneriads, you can get started with this site.

In Bloom: Dendrobium rigidum, again

I know I already posted a closeup photo of Dend. rigidum flowers, but I realized today that I should have also posted a photo of the very unique foliage. So since the plants are in bloom again (which they do intermittently throughout the year it seems) I took a few new shap shots. Here it is in all its pebbly, succulent glory.

In Bloom: Orange Things

Ok, these aren't actually in bloom right now, but instead bloomed earlier this summer and I didn't post them then. But both are very neat species I think you'll like. First is Ascocentrum miniatum. This is a compact growing Asctm, with shockingly orange flowers densely packed on usually multiple inflorescences. They're equally at home in a basket or pot, but we prefer to grow them in an aggregate (hydrocorrels or "cocoa puffs", as Al calls them). For a Vandaceous thing they're very easy to grow. (For this & some newly added Civias, please check out my shop!) :)



This second species is Dend. unicum. This is something that was all over the place several years ago, to the extent that I actually overlooked its charms initially. Only recently did I learn that it is fantastically fragrant! It smells somewhat like peaches or other fruity substance. flowers are borne singly or in small clusters along the leafless canes. The plant tends to go semi or fully dormant in winter and will look rather shabby until spring, when it starts to grow and send up buds. Then suddenly it looks smashing again. Plant has a slightly sprawling habit for me, with the canes sticking every-which-way.

In Bloom: Dendrobium wassellii

Hi folks! Yes, I'm still alive, its just been a tough summer for me. But we're not here to talk about that. No, we're going to have some orchids! yay!

This is Dendrobium wassellii, also known as Dockrillia wassellii. A really awesome species with thick terete leaves approximately 4 inches long and, as you can see, a really high flower count. The flowers are somewhat fragrant. Inflorescences arise rather suddenly and develop quickly. Like most terete leaved species, it likes rather high light.

(Remember, you can click on the photo for a larger version of the image. Take a peek at those nifty flowers!)

How to dispose of cauliflower greens

Option 1: Chickens.

The girls had a good time tearing up these leftover greens from our cauliflower plants. When they were done, I moved to-

Option 2: Horses.

That was a speedy step. Didn't take any photos.

Market Day this Sunday!

July 12 is our next market day! Come out and hang with the plants from 10AM to 1PM at the Clarksburg Farmer's Market! While you're there, you can get some veggies, coffee, crepes, and maybe some crab cakes, crafts, and BBQ!!! How awesome is that?

In addition to some interesting plants, I'm planning on also bringing some potting mixes and will bring a couple plants for potting demonstrations.

Hope to see you there!

A variety plaque

Like container plantings with all their variety? Interested in plants other than orchids? Interested in something sure to be a conversation starter in your living room window? Why not setup a little community plaque with a variety of interesting little plants?

This is an example I just started recently, so the plants are not established yet. We have a bromeliad (Cryptanthus bahianus), a Dischidia ovata cutting, and the runts of the litter for both Phalaenopsis (lindenii x pulcherrima) and Dendrobium Maiden Charlotte (all other plants I have of those are more mature). The trick is matching up a variety of plants with similar requirements for light, water, and temperature. I've also selected for this plaque four plants that will stay relatively compact and not overwhelm each other, although that dischidia could one day have many vines, but they're easy to pull off things and send off in another direction.

I'd really like to make another community with a Dend. tetragonum, but can't decide what would work well with it. Dend. tetragonum is a semi pendant species. I wouldn't want it to get visually lost among its companions. Perhaps something squat like Sophronitis cernua would work, but their water requirements are a little different. They might adjust though. I'll have to think on it.

If you make one, please send me a photo!!