A beautiful early spring orchid

[Cindi]

I have an orchid that I got many, many years ago, it has grown slowly, years and years, and maybe only three times its original size.  It grows a very beautiful pink flower that blooms each year around this time.

In the morning, this orchid emits a beautiful scent, reminiscent of stocks, you know that sweet, almost clove like spicey smell.  It is strong, and as I stand infront of the kitchen sink in the morning, making lunches and breakfasts, this scent fills the air. How this tiny little flower can smell so strong is beyond me, but it does.  And my morning infront of the counter is filled with the pleasure of this scent.  It takes me to the dog days of summer, when beautiful fragrance fills the air everywhere from the myriad of scented flowers.  Beautiful day on this great planet we all share.  Cindi

[Bennettoid]

I've only tried to grow orchids once. I failed miserably.

[Cindi]

Bettenoid, I cannot grow orchids either, they always die.  This one is not the typical one stalk one that I have tried to grow before.  I have tried to a identification on this flower through a garden forum that I belong to, and was unsuccessful, there were so many types of orchids.  But this one has been growing for about 7 years now, only flowers once a year, and heavily scented.  It is slow to grow.  The dude that I got it from called it a vanilla orchid, I have no clue, maybe it is the type that they grow the vanilla bean from, but I have never seen a bean on it, hee, hee.  Have the most beautiful and wonderful day on this great planet we share. Cind

[2-Wheeler]

Cindi,
That's a great orchid. It's great that you've had it for seven years!  We too have an orchid that blooms about this time every year. Sometimes it opens right on Valentine's Day!  But ours has almost no scent. We've been growing this one for about 6 years now and had to move it to a bigger pot only once.  This year it has three spikes with flower buds - it will be the most productive year ever if all three stems bloom.  Here's a shot from last February:


Flickr Page

[Cindi]

David, that is one doosey of an orchid, lovely.  And isn't it nice that you can have this bloom in the deep dark days of wintertime?  Nice.  Have a beautiful, wonderful day, livin' and lovin' life.  Cindi

[2-Wheeler]

I put up a time-lapse video showing this flower opening this year. See the other posting here:
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=13339.0#new

[Cindi]

David, wow, that was some cool time laspe video, very nice.  That would be a fun thing to do, taking video of flowers opening up, any special stuff you have to do with the camera, hee, hee, I imagine it is pretty intricate.  Have a wonderful, beautiful day, love our earth. Cindi