Essence of Stanhopea: Stanhopea Tricornis x Insignis

Showing posts with label Stanhopea Tricornis x Insignis. Show all posts

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Stanhopea Tricornis x Insignis

Well, it’s March, beginning of autumn and here in Sydney days getting cooler and my Stanhopea Tricornis x Insignis just opened its flowers. This cross has very beautiful, very delicate sculptured flowers with strong jasmine scent. At this stage it’s developed 3 flower spikes and sent them through the sides of the planter. Each spike has 4 flowers and I always enjoy seeing beautiful stanhopea flowers later in growing season. Last year this variety was flowering well into the end of autumn and I am looking forward seeing more flower spikes.

If you’ve tried growing everything from Aspidistras to Zinnias and you haven’t tried Stanhopea Orchids, you don’t know what you’re missing. They are easier to grow than African Violets and far more majestic than any other plant. The variety available boggles the mind …

Be warn, though, ever since their discovery by English explorers to Europe in the 18th Century they have caused a “ Stanhopea mania” that continues to this day.

My own first Stanhopea orchid was Stanhopea Tigrina though I didn’t know it. Friend gave it to me as a birthday present – a trip to the library for some orchid’s books was quickly followed by the purchase of some more of these exotic, majestic, beautiful orchids and as they say – the fever had struck.

My fascination with orchids led to great friendships, lots and lots of reading, trips to exotic places (sometimes only through books) and the joy and frustration of growing the world’s most fabulous plants.