Our New Stanhopea flowering season

Here are we are right in the middle of our stanhopea’s flowering season now and all of my plants displaying their much awaited flamboyant blooms. The greenhouse filled with unmistaken scent of these special orchids and Nature continue to delight me with beauty of these exclusive blooms.

This summer been very difficult for the whole country with bushfires and so much loss on so many levels that its difficult to comprehend the scale of distraction but here we are witnessing the strong sense of community and the Australian spirit of 'never giving up' in the face of such devastation and adversity.

Stanhopea saccata

Stanhopea inodora alba

 

 

Stanhopea graveolens aurata

Stanhopea devoniensis x Assidensis

 

Stanhopea maculosa

Stanhopea oculata ornatissima

Stanhopea impressa

Stanhopea impressa1

Stanhopea impressa2

Stanhopea impressa3

 

Not long ago one of my stanhopea impressa plants decided to bloom, I’ve been waiting for a while to see it’s beautiful flowers.
It’s first was described and documented in 1898 by Rolfe, It’s native to a few selective areas of western slopes of the Andes of Ecuador and in a small area of southern Colombia and grows in a very wet forests.

Flowers are large and full , white/yellow color with many red spots on the petals and the scent is strong herbal/ spicy with smell of basil and rosemary and many other strong herbs. Piercing kind of smell, without any sweetness to it.

The plant is strong and robust and grows quite quickly providing it’s watering requirements met, otherwise it refusing to flower - it likes copious amount of water during it’s growing season.

Another beautiful stanhopea for anyone who appreciates these special orchids.

Stanhopea xytriophora

Stanhopea xytriophora 1

Stanhopea xytriophora 2

This special and very rare stanhopea just finished it’s flowering season and it gave me a great pleasure to see this beauty in bloom. It’s one of the rarest species in the stanhopea orchids range and not many plants of stanhopea xytriophora around, making it very desired stanhopea for any serious collector.

 Stanhopea xytriophora specie was first documented by Reichenbach in 1868 - he received unknown orchid from Peru, studied it and gave it it’s current name - xytriophora and for a while no more plants of this specie was collected. Later on, in 1921, in 1958, in 1965 this specie was mentioned in some publications by various collectors, including Barney Greer in 1998. My plant is one of the plants from his collection that I treasure.

 It’s beautiful stanhopea with white/creamy medium size flowers, red eyes and many red spots on the petals with very strong, piercing scent of spices - there is no sweetness to the scent - just strong, spicy smell that lingers for a long time. The plant itself is of medium size and it’s rather a slow grower that perhaps will test the patience of any stanhopea collector because it’s flowering cycle truly left for the Nature to sort out  - stanhopea xytriophora flowering have it’s own timing and rhythm and all one can do just go with it. And then to enjoy it’s special, rare blooms.

Stanhopea insignis

Stanhopea insignis1

 

Stanhopea insignis2

 

This beautiful stanhopea just finished it's flowering and I always love to see this beauty in bloom. Stanhopea insignis is one of the first stanhopea orchids been discovered in 1818 and as usual it have very colorful and interesting history. In 1829 it ended in Kew Botanical Gardens  and from there on been appearing in various private collections.

To trace appearance of stanhopea insignis is like immersing oneself in stanhopea orchids history and archives - it's been described and mentioned in various publications by orchid collectors such as John Frost, William Jackson Hooker, Jenisch/Kramer of Hamburg,  Demidoff of Italy,  Hoffmannsegge of Dresden, Linden of Ghent, Loddiges of Hackney, and Sir Phillip Henry Earl of Stanhope the president of medical-botanical society in London - all of them made tremendous contribution to bringing stanhopea species to the world. Stanhopea insignis was the first stanhopea specie named.

The plant native to states of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Santa Caterina and Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and it's habitat rather dry which gives clue to it's successful flowering.

This specie extremely variable in  colors, there are quite a few different clones about, some a pure pristine white and my plant showing white background with many purple dots all over the flower. The scent to me smells like pure cinnamon - strong, piercing, penetrating.

Stanhopea insignis ( from Latin - remarkable) beautiful stanhopea orchid to love and to admire and to reflect on it's interesting history.

Stanhopea Tigrina x Assidensis

Stanhopea Tigrina x Assidensis1

 

Stanhopea Tigrina x Assidensis2

 

 

This beauty have an abundance of flowers and the scent is very strong and pleasing - it's everything every stanhopea grower and collector wants to see. It have multitude of sculptured blooms, heavenly scent, strong hardy and vigorous growth, plant not shy at all sending many flower spikes during it's growing season. My stanhopea's Tigrina x Assidensis frequently flower couple of times every season.

Technically, of course, it's 2nd generation cross since stanhopea Assidensis is a hybrid between tigrina and wardii and in this orchid it seems to be able to show it's fine qualities to the full. Standing next to this stanhopea when it's in bloom an experience not easily forgotten when one enveloped with strong, penetrating vanilla and marshmallow perfume.

Some of my flowering stanhopea's

Stanhopea Wetley Secret

 

Stanhopea Wardii Clear

Stanhopea Spindleriana

My stanhopea flowering season continues with many of my orchids putting up spectacular show.
Our weather is hot and humid at the moment and it's a race for me to take as many pictures as I can of my beloved stanhopea's while the flowers are fresh at their opening stage. Watering and misting of plants during this time is of paramount importance and after that - just enjoyment of beautiful scented blooms.

Stanhopea Hidden Agenda

Stanhopea Hidden Agenda1

 

Stanhopea Hidden Agenda2

 

 

This beautiful orchid just finished it's flowering season and it's stanhopea Hidden Agenda - rather special and interesting cross of stanhopea insignis and stanhopea posadae. it was registered in 2004 by D Pulley of California and it's extraordinary, unusual looking stanhopea.

I've been patiently waiting to see it bloom for a while and this season it decided to flower, it did not disappoint - bold, mysterious, unique, dramatic - hybrid created with huge respect to both parents by one of the leading orchid's experts. One can see an intelligently planned design in this cross with tremendous affection for stanhopea's.

 The plant is of medium size and the blooms of bright yellow with many burgundy color markings. The scent is just as mysterious as the flowers -   strong, heady with many layers of spices and herbs - sharp and penetrating. 

Hidden Agenda is a special stanhopea that will be much welcomed by any collector and grower of these beautiful orchids.

Flowering stanhopea's this week

Stanhopea Bellarensis x inodora

 

Stanhopea nigroviolacea

Stanhopea inodora x wardii aurea

Our stanhopea flowering season continues with many of my new plants started it's blooming season and some old favorites showing off it's beautiful scented flowers.

Every stanhopea grower knows that each season brings something different and it's all to do with weather changes during the year. All the elements are playing their part producing this wonder of Nature so when your plants start flowering it's always an anticipation to see beautiful orchids once again.

Stanhopea nigroviolacea x self

Stanhopea nigroviolacea x self 1

Stanhopea nigroviolacea x self 2

We are currently in the middle of our summer and many of my stanhopea's blooming at the moment. Our hot and humid temperamental weather seems to bring strong and vivid colors of my stanhopea's and major task right now is to keep them well watered.  And of course, to enjoy their fabulous blooms and scents.

This nigroviolacea x self just finished it's flowering showing off it's huge, majestic flowers and heady, strong vanilla/chocolate perfume. Technically, of course it's stanhopea tigrina var nigroviolacea and this clone displaying clear, strong, brilliant colors enjoyed by everyone.

Stanhopea Great Expectations

Here is an interesting stanhopea cross from my collection - it's a hybrid between stanhopea nigroviolacea and stanhopea hernandezii, registered under the name Great Expectations by D Hartley of England in 2007.

It flowers with beautifu, flamboyant blooms and one can see both parents in the structure of flowers. It always producing flower spike with two flowers, just like hernandezii and it's always showing very clearly hernandezii lip structure, but the petals of the flowers inherited nigraviolacea coloring. The scent isvery sweet vanilla with herbal undertones, very strong and penetrating.

Stanhopea Great Expectations is another attractive addition to any stanhopea collection.                                                                                                                                                                  

  

Stanhopea panamensis

This beautiful stanhopea bloomed right at the end ouf flowering season and it's stanhopea panamensis. Its native to Panama and it appears to be only growing in the area of the Cerro Campana, approx 50 km southwest of Panama City in high altitude of wet rainforests.

It was first mentioned in one of the orchids publications in 1988 and to date number of colored plants been discovered from pure white to heavy spotted varieties however all of them have stretched hypochil, flat and long.

My panamensis orchid have light coloring with a few spots on the petals, very interesting combination and it flowered with the most magical scent, layered with many tones to it. One can smell top floral tones followed by musk followed by herbal mixture - pure delight!

This specie well worth growing for any stanhopea collector, it's unusual and sometimes temperamental in cultivation - some years it appears to be just resting and then suddenly decides to reward patient stanhopea grower with beautiful blooms.

Stanhopea's New 2014 blooming season started!

Well, it's been a long weit for me, but finally new stanhopea flowering season is upon us here in Australia. For a dedicated "stanhopea lover" like me a few months without fabolous flowers at times difficult to endure, yet while logically I understand that one can not harry-up Nature, good luck explaining THAT concept to the heart...

What helps me during cold winter months is going over many many stanhopea pictures that I take during blooming seasons, remebering scents and smells, reading and learning more about natural envirnoment of some of the species, trying to replicate at least some of them in cultivation and collecting more of these beautiful plants. As with any stanhopea collector, it all comes down to patience - these orchids have way of testing it like no others...

And of course when one finally discovers some flower spikes pushing through the planters - everything is forgotten - just huge anticipation from seeing old friends in bloom again and meeting and discover new for me varieties and species.

 

Stanhopea anfracta

This beautiful stanhopea bloomed right at the end of our flowering season and it's stanhopea anfracta, special orchid from Peru, from the eastern side of the Andes.

It was first discovered in late 1890,s and susequently ended up in Shuttleworth's collection in Heaton, England who first documented this specie.

My stanhopea anfracta is a pale form of this specie and there are many vartations to this stanhopea - it very variable in color from pristine white to darker, almost orange hues.

It;s beautiful stanhopea with heavenly scent that have many layers to it - initial strong sweet/herbal mixture that follows by strong scent of murrh - an absolute delight! Beautiful creation of Nature and another special stanhopea for any collector of these unique orchids.

Flowering season continues

Here more pictures of my flowering stanhopeas. Some of my mid-season blooming plants started to put up a show and it's always nice to have in a collection plants that extand flowering season.
Some varieties and crossess flower early. some mid-season and some quite late giving much pleasure and enjoyment to any stanhopea collector.

 

 

Stanhopea tigrina var albescence

Stanhopea embreei x wardii

Stanhopea pseudoradiosa

Stanhopea connata

This beautiful stanhopea from my collection just finished flowering this season and it's another stanhopea with colorful and interesting history.

Stanhopea connata was first described and documented in 1850's from the plant collected by famous orchid collector Joseph Warsewicz on his last voyage to Northern Peru. The living plant reached collection of Kunst and Matthieu in Germany where it was studied and called new stanhopea species. At the later stage it ended in herbarium in Berlin. In March 1943 after intense Allied bombing raid Berlin's herbarium was totally destroyed by fire, together with all plant material. What we know now about this specie due to huge contribution by various collectors, botanists and plant historians.

Stanhopea connata ( connate, connected) named this way due to the structure of the column connected with the basis of the lip in a unique for a stanhopea way. It grows along the eastern slopes of Andes in Peru. Plants often grow directly above open water, which gives clue to their sucessful cultivation.

The plant itself is of medium size and it displays beautiful orange colored blooms with many marks on the petals with darker rounder middle and the scent is very complex and multi-layered. One can smell many spices and herbs, heavy aroma's and almost buttered fragrances. It's one of those scents that is so difficult to describe that comes in waves and spending a few minutes with a flowering plant gives huge feast to the senses not easily forgotten.

Another special stanhopea  for anyone who appreciates these orchids and I am delighted being able to see this beauty in bloom this season.

 

Stanhopea connata

Stanhopea connata

Stanhopea posadae

This week one of my rare beautiful stanhopea's flowered first time.

Stanhopea posadae is relatively new species from Colombia, first been described by Rodrigo Escobar in publication "Native Orchids of Colombia" in 1992 and since then been very desired stanhopea for any collector of these marvelous orchids. It's rather rare in cultivation and I am quite trilled and delighted being able to see this beautiful stanhopea in flower.

The plant and blooms are of medium size with yellow color flowers and dark burgundy spots and the scent is very herbal / spicy with many sharp undertones that lasts a long time. In our hot weather flowers opened up bery quickly, but I managed to take some pictures as the flowers were unfolding.

Stanhopea posadae is another striking, dramatic looking and handsome stanhopea to enchant any stanhopea collector.

 

Stanhopea costaricensis

Here is another of my stanhopea's that was flowered later in the season, its stanhopea costaricensis, one of the oldest documented stanhopea species. It was first described in 1860's from a plant collected in prior years. It grows in wet forsests of Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama and Costa Rica in altitudes up to 15000m.

Its beautiful orchid with large bulbs and leaves and nicely sculptured blooms of mustard/pale yellow color with many spots and blotches and dark distinct black pair of eyes. The scent is very strong herbal mixture of clove, spices and at times smells like old fashion medicine mixture. There are many layers to the scent, its plesant and unusual.

Stanhopea costaricensis old time favoured and loved and admired by collectors of these special orchids for it's unusual appearance, sculptured blooms and strong and remarkable scent.

Stanhopea bucephalus var roezlii

One of my beautiful and rather rare stanhopea's finished it's flowering not long ago - it;s stanhopea bucephalus var roezlii, very nice and special orchid native only to small area of sourthern Ecuador that was discovered in 1830's. In it's native habitat it grows in the altitude of 1500m in the very wet montain forest.

It have very decorative flamboyant looking sculptured flowers of yellow/white tones with many purple dots all over the blooms and the scent is very strong sweet and fruity with a touch of cinnamon in the background. The plant itself is of medium size and the flowers are large, of generous proportions.

This is stunning and rare stanhopea to have in one's collection and I am always delighted in seeing this beauty in blooms.

Stanhopea inodora var alba

Another beautiful stanhopea just finished it's flowering season - it's stanhopea inodora var alba, very nice form of inodora.

The flowers of this variety are huge, very nicely sculptured, pristine white color with almost non-existent, faint scent. Most of the inodora's don't have any fragrance ( inodora means non-fragnant) and this variety is true to it's name. But it's compensating by abundance of blooms with each flower spike developing five to six large perfectly shaped flowers.

The plant itself is large, with long shaped leaves and it takes it time to come into flowering stage, but once it ready to flower it rewards any stanhopea collector with profusion. Stanhopea inodora alba is another gorgeous stanhopea for anyone who collects and appreciates these beautiful orchids.

Stanhopea shuttleworthii

Here is an introduction to another beautiful and rather rare stanhopea - stanhopea shuttleworthii. It was named afer famous collector Shuttleworth who was collecting orchids for a firm in Chelsea, England in late 1800's. Shuttleworth found this special stanhopea in 1875,  growing in New Granada ( today Colombia) on the boarder of Reo Magdalena in the state of Tolima and shipped it to England from where it was distributed to various orchid enthusiasts.

To this day this very decorative species continuous to be rare in collections and to see its flowering gives me great pleasure and excitement. The plant itself is of medium size, with smallish bulbs and leaves yet the flowers are large, appearing in pair on each flower spike.This season my plant developed two flower spikes and the one in the picture was the first flowering. The colors of the blooms very vibrant, bright burgundy with many spots on the overlaping petals with white/creamy background. The scent is very strong cinnamon with vanilla tones and lingers for a long time.

Stanhopea shuttleworthii is another beautiful orchid that delights any stanhopea collector who appreciates these stunning marvels of Nature.