Orchid Fever

I thought that when I approached retirement, I could become one of those guys that would smoke a pipe and tend to his orchids while wearing a corduroy jacket. But my youth would be spent on less reserved pursuits, like rock and roll.

Well, I've recently picked up the habit of listening to books on CD, (I never realized how much I was in my car) and I couldn't resist a book with the word "obsession" in the title. I had enjoyed Adaptation, so I gave The Orchid Thief a try.

Midway through the book I told my wife that I was going to wait a few years before I started buying orchids. Then the next day I told her I wanted some orchids for my birthday.

We scoured the plant nurseries, and the orchids were pathetic and expensive. The best ones were at Lowe's, of all places. I said I'd sleep on it, and then I checked out and read about 8 books on orchids. The next day, we went to the Lowe's across town when a tremendous thunderstorm hit. It hadn't rained like that in months. The sound of the deluge and the cool gusty wind was a perfect backdrop while we shopped the delicate orchids under the Lowe's greenhouse.

I picked out a yellow and purple phalaenopsis in bloom that had plenty of buds and healthy looking leaves. I read that they are good for beginners. I also picked a small cattleya that was packaged in a mesh bag. It will be my project. If I can get it to bloom then I'm the man. Altogether with the fertilizer and planting material, it was about a $50 tab for the two plants.

I have a bookshelf in my south-facing sunroom (which you may recognize from my About Me pic) that gets plenty of sun for the cattleya, but not too much for the phalaenopsis if I place it further away from the window.

Here's a picture from when I first got it (click for bigger view).

The bloom almost looks like a person. It's pretty, and perhaps slightly sexual, but not overly so like some orchids can be, and almost has a pouty elephant face. It even has an evil dragon-teeth look to it. Its strongest quality is that it's subtle and represents many qualities of all orchids in general, without committing to any of those qualities too strongly.

The amazing thing is that the bloom is still there. I'm told the blooms last for months. I water it about once or twice a week and I fertilized it, and kaboom! It now has thirteen blooms with more on the way.

Here's some pics of it from yesterday morning.

Look at all those blooms!

I like this picture because the blooms look like they are yearning for the moisture condensing on the window, like they are about to lick the windows with their tongues.

I must say that I recommend the Lowe's phalaenopsis, because I feel I already got my money's worth and I'm just a novice.

Actually, it's a phalaenopsis hybrid, specifically: P. New Cinderella x Dtps. Minho Valentine.