Orchid Cache!

Recently I was the oh-so-blessed finder

of an amazing orchid cache. 

Five orchids of various types

had been neglected and discarded to the curb

for the bi-weekly refuse team to collect and destroy. 

Fortunately for me and the orchids,

I happened by and came to the rescue.

These poor, pathetic plants need so much help! 

Their potting medium is all but gone

and the roots cling desperately

to the sides of the clay pots they’re housed in

extracting any moisture they can. 

They are scraggly and gangly,

reaching for a better place to live. 

However, I’m amazed at the resiliency

of these so-called “delicate” and “fussy” plants. 

In spite of the obvious neglect,

each of these orchids appear remarkably healthy! 

I didn’t say they are pretty in their current state,

but they are certainly in good condition. 

Of course they live in South Florida

and not in an icy tundra, but still! 

So many people believe orchids are difficult to grow. 

This is just another example of the

“Right Plant, Right Place” rule.

Taking a closer look, I have obtained some Cattleya species.

I checked with my local orchid society

on repotting advise. 

I will need to soak the roots to soften them

and slowly try to lift them off the clay pot. 

If I’m not successful,

I can break the pots and leave small pieces

of clay attached to the root.

I also acquired a Dendrobium...

Check out these roots!

And this tangled mess of Vanda:

Here's a new one growing out the top with it's own set of roots...

I must admit that I am excited

to untangle this beauty and

divide it into numerous plants! 

Who doesn’t love a Vanda?!?!

This Cattleya is in bloom. 

Wow! 

Can you believe someone discarded

a blooming orchid? 

I will wait for the blooms to fade

before repotting this one. 

Of course I’m wondering about the specific identity

of each orchid variety.

I’ll have to wait for those not in bloom

 to show themselves,

but I should be able to find the name

of the one in bloom, shouldn’t I?

After all, you can find anything via Google, right?

Not so.

After perusing endless photos of orchids,

I still have not found the identity of mine.

Certainly it is a Cattleya.

Or is it?

Perhaps it’s a Potinara

which is a hybrid of Cattleya

involving four different genus…

Brassavola x Cattleya x Laelia x Sophronitis to be exact.

I know about this because

I have a Potinara Hoku Gem named ‘Freckles’.

Since Potinara could be a possibility,

I researched some more only to find that

Potinaras really aren’t Potinaras anymore. 

It’s so confusing! 

Apparently the “Orchid Naming Committee” got together

and reclassified a bunch of the parent species

that created the Potinara,

thus changing the name of the Potinara. 

Just when I start to get a small grip on this orchid thing,

something or someone decides to stir the pot…

like the “Orchid Naming Committee.” 

You can read about it by clicking here.  

In short, my Potinara Hoku Gem ‘Freckles’ is now

a Brassocattleya Hoku Gem.

Seriously, I can’t keep up.

Back from my tangent,

I simply want to find the identity

of my pretty, peachy orchid.

If anyone has an idea, please let me know!