Saturday, August 14, 2010

Orchid Mania


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Hawaii Island, also known as the Orchid Isle is filled with a plethora of orchid growers, nurseries and enthusiasts growing various species of orchids around the island.  When the Hilo Orchid club puts on their annual show in summer, you know that this is going to be an exciting time to see some of the most unique, one of a kind specimens and show stoppers.

Many of the growers and hobbyist here use this event to launch their new hybrids that they would like introduced to the market or just showing exclusively for competition. It is quite mind blogging to see so many new species being introduced all at the same time for public viewing.

Let me show you some of the  really unique stars that really stood out for me at this show.
First is this amazing chartreuse beauty called Blc Ports of Paradise – Emerald Isle.  I’m a fan of chartreuse colored flowers and this hybrid just oozes sexy and it has a nice gentle fragrance to draw you in to smell and see the details.

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Here’s one of my favorite blue orchids called Lc CG Roebling ‘Sentinel’, such a charmer don’t you think? A very subtle orchid bloom and yet this flower makes quite an impact to its viewers from close up and at a distance.

 

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This alien looking orchid that seems to just glow this surreal orange/yellow is called Gertrude Hauserman, its an amazing Cypripedium that won the blue medal in its species.

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I was mesmerized by these miniature orchid flowers, called Masdevallia erinacea, the flowers were only the size of my pinky nail and was blooming profusely even though the entire plant was only the size of my DSLR Canon.


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Well this beauty is truly unique, its called Paphiopedilum tigrinum, one of the more exotic of the lady slippers that originates from the Burmese/Chinese and Thai border areas. It was very hard to capture this with all the other phaps around it. I was almost tempted to lift it from the display just to take an individual shot and make it stand out more, oh well next time.


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I’m very drawn to monochromatic colored orchids, they tend to be more unusual for me to observe all the detailed features of its flowers. This attractive beauty is called Paphiopedilum Armeniacum and its yellow hued petals draw me in to take a picture and notice all its details more intimately.

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This orchid, I would say is one of the most bizarre and yet colorful beauties at the show. Its called LC Mini purple, Blue Hawaii, its soft purple hued stalk adds so much to its other worldy display along with the bizarre and twisted petals accenting the delicate lip.



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This dendrobium is quite stunning. Its flowers and leaves are a purple/black color and the details of its labellum are so dainty and frilly, its a nice complement to the steely edge of the petals. Called appropriately Dendrobium Negro, it really left me speechless and wanting a few of these to take home with me.


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Aren’t the leaves stunning and glossy, come on, I know you just love it too!

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Aaaaaah, here are some more beauties of the live hula variety, called the Tutus in their Mumu’s (no not really), these are some of our local tutu’s putting on a lively show with music accompany to add to our visual delights and giving us a rest period from all the intensity of this colorful show.


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Well this almost sensory overload seeing all these orchid flowers in one seating, lets take a break for now and I’ll continue this again in a future post.  I would love to show you some of the fancy frilly species, some of the most gorgeous flowers I was attracted to, and also some of my favorite photographs that captured these amazing plants.

This post is my contribution for the monthly bloom day celebration, come and visit other blogs participating today at http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/
Also please visit other scenic scenes of the world today at http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/

26 comments:

BernieH said...

How lucky you were to get to see such fabulous orchids. I was blown away with Dendrobium Negro ... simply outstanding! I've never seen anything like it before.

I would love to see Masdevallia erinacea up close ... so small but so beautiful. Then there was the colour of the Cypripedium 'Gertrude Hauserman'...fantastic!

Thanks for sharing these wonderful orchids!

Carol said...

Wow! What beauties and the human ones seem to be having so much fun! Thanks for the smile Noel! ;>)

Steve Asbell said...

The dark purple leaved dendrobium is my favorite, and I hope that it reaches retailers around here soon. I like the orchids that have showstopping leaves too.

Nelj said...

Wow! these are great and wonderful orchids!thanks for sharing Noel...i love them so much...

pls visit mine also..http://nelgin-thedove.blogspot.com/

lotusleaf said...

Amazing orchids! The Dendrobium negro is unbelievable! Your pictures are excellent.

Kimberly said...

Noel, either I've been in la-la land and have missed your recent posts or you've not posted in a little while. I've missed you! Your orchids today are so amazing!! I'm really enchanted with the mini Masdevallia erinacea...so sweet!! But the reall winner, in my opinion, is the extremely unique LC Mini Purple, Blue Hawaii. CRAZY color and form!!! SWEET!!!! I also like the Paphiopedilum tigrinum...it reminds me of a pitcher plant with a pretty flower...do you see it too? Finally, your last flower, the deep wine colored dendrobium is fabulous! Intense color in both the bloom and the foliage!! Great capture of it, too!! So glad you shared this orchid show with us, and great to hear from you again!!!

mARTy said...

what lovely pictures! I´d love to see them there- great macro pics-happy weekend

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

I like the dancers. You don't need to be young and slim to perform.

If my dad and mum are still alive, I would send them on a holiday to your beautiful island. They used to love orchids.

carolina mts said...

Orchids are so lovely - I grew them on my lanai in Florida but don't have any now in NC!

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Oh, how lovely. We have a version of the Lady Slipper orchid that grows wild in Minnesota. But, it's nothing like those stunning pics.

Cyndy said...

Wow - that was quite a show - my favorite pic would have to be that bluey purple sentinel: beautiful!

A Garden of Threads said...

Aloha Noel, Stunning pictures of the orchid. Happy GBBD.

Dorothy Borders said...

Sensory overload for sure! Such magnificent blossoms.

NatureFootstep said...

that´s a scenic sunday. So many fascinating shapes of your flowers. :)

Surfie said...

Oh wow! That Gertrude Hauserman orchid is so incredibly vivid. That's definitely my favorite. That would really spice up a flower arrangement.

Unknown said...

Noel, such fabulous flowers to see. I bet you have taken 100's of photos while at the show. Can hardly wait to see the rest.

Meredith said...

Oh, wow, Noel. These photos are gorgeous! :)

One said...

Noel, Excellent photos!!! I'll be back!

May I ask wrt stevia? Do use fresh leaves, dried ones or extract with coffee?

Rosie said...

Noel those orchids are amazing - so much more exotic than the ones I saw at our festival last weekend. Great compositions too.

klaraau01 said...

What a beautiful orchids, thank you for a wonderful show!

Rose said...

I've never tried to grow orchids before, but many other bloggers I know grow them as houseplants. I don't think any of theirs can compete with these, however--gorgeous! 'Blue Hawaii' is a stunner and such a unique flower. A belated Happy Bloom Day!

Ami said...

Noel: How lucky you are that you are able to go to such show! And lucky us having you being on that show, so that we got to see all these beauties! :) I also love chartreuse color, flowers or foliage, in the garden. That orchid is just so gorgeous!

That Dendrobium Negro is a real beauty! Yes, not only I love the flower, the foliage too! So unique in the orchid world!

George said...

Thanks for showing us all these beauties. I really can't pick a favorite as they are all simply gorgeous.
Thanks, too, for visiting my site.

Kirigalpoththa said...

very colorful and a superb collection!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Look at all those beauties! I love your "tutus in their mumus", but what would those ladies think of it? LOL

Thanks for your comment on my bloom day post.

Dee @ Red Dirt Ramblings said...

Goodness, Noel, you make me want to book a flight to the Islands. I'm loving your fair beauties. Happy Late (me) Bloom Day.

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