Pictures of the beautiful stanhopea orchids

Our flowering stanhopea season now is over, now I have to wait until next year to see these majestic blooms again. I still have a lot of pictures to feature in this blog for all the Friends of Stanhopea orchids.

Stanhopea posadarum1

 

Stanhopea posadarum2

Stanhopea inodora alba1

Stanhopea inodora alba2

Stanhopea hernandezii 1

Stanhopea hernandexii2

Stanhopea posada - new

Stanhopea posada 1

Stanhopea posada 2

Stanhopea posada 3

Stanhopea posada 4

Quite a number of years ago I’ve acquired few very small stanhopea seedlings labelled as “stanhopea posada - new species from Colombia” . Not much details were given and to this day I have no idea if this actually a new specie or natural hybrid. There is no stanhopea specie registered under this name, so I still don’t know any information about this plant, only that it came from Colombia. The plants were happily growing and maturing and finally this season decided to flower. 

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.

New growing season in full swing

My beautiful stanhopea orchids flowering at the moment - many already showcasing their special, majestic blooms and many sending out new flower spikes to bloom later in the season. This year our weather is rather trying here in Sydney - very very hot and very very humid conditions making the major task watering and misting of all of my plants making sure they all receive the attention they require.

If you been growing stanhopea's for a while you will know that every growing season is different, each presenting different challenges and one learns to adapt to Nature because it's flowering time for stanhopea's.
Of course, in this heat the blooms don't last as long as one wants and pictures have to be taken very early in the morning as flowers just opening up and there are many other small adjustments required to bring the plants to it's optimum flowering stage, but all of them really just for one goal - after full year to see beautiful stanhopea's bloom once again, to greet old time favorites, to welcome new species and varieties and to experience and to glimpse at the Essence of Stanhopea's orchids.

Stanhopea Memoria Paul Allen

Stanhopea Tigrina var nigroviolacea var “Eddon” FCC/AOS

 

 

Stanhopea costaricensis “Patsy”

Stanhopea devoniensis x Assidensis

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.

Stanhopea embreei x graveolens

Stanhopea embreei x graveolens1

Stanhopea embreei x graveolens 2

Our new stanhopea flowering season already started here and I am looking forward again being surrounded by beautiful and exotic creations of Nature. Hopefully, I will be able to feature and share some of my flowering beauties again in this blog.

The first one to flower in my collection this handsome cross  of stanhopea embreei x stanhopea graveolens. It came to me as small unflowered seedling couple of years ago and I've been waiting for a while to see it's blooms.

It's a strong, robust plant, strong grower that develops many leaves and bulbs during it's growing season, establishing quickly and the flowers are very nice and perfectly sculptured.
From graveolens parent it inherited deep yellow tones and from embreei many purple dots on the petals, distinct eyes and really strong fruity and spicy scent - really nice combination.

It's always great to welcome new variety of stanhopea to own collection and to love and admire and to reflect on the beauty of these orchids.

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 graveolens x greerii

This handsome stanhopea just finished it's flowering season. It's a very interesting cross of stanhopea graveolens and stanhopea grerii. I've been patiently waiting to see this beauty in flower for a while, since it have such a great parentage.

It have perfectly sculptured flowers and a kind of luminous appearance, special and strong heady scent reminiscent of herbs and many spices - there are many layers to it's perfume that comes in waves.

It's a beautiful addition to my ever-growing stanhopea collection and I am looking forward learning with it and seeing more of it's special, majestic blooms.

Stanhopea shuttleworthii - light clone Libano area

Stanhopea shuttleworthii - Libano 1 light clone

Stanhopea shuttleworthii - Libano light clone 2

Our stanhopea flowering season here already started and at the moment I have many blooming plants which I hope to feature in this blog soon.

One of the first ones to flower was stanhopea shuttleworthii, unusual and interesting light colored clone native only to a small area of Libano in Colombia - the whole blooms of the lighter pastel colors with very nice strong herbal and spicy scent. I purchased this orchid a few years ago and been waiting patiently for it to bloom and this season it's first flowering time - it did not disappointed - large, perfectly sculptured blooms with heavenly scent - another great addition to my stanhopea range.