well, first I have to show you this... and then beg a little...
This showed up at my house.
An orchid. I think I've mentioned before how I feel about orchids. In case you don't remember, I like them well enough, but I never actually wanted to grow one. There's always somebody saying, "Oh, they're not any trouble at all..." then they break into a list of requirements that I don't have and really have no intention of ever having. And while they look pretty good when they're blooming, when they're not... ehhh...
anyway... I remember seeing some orchid plant that vaugely looked like this in a nursery a while back, can't say exactly when, and if I remember right, I have a vauge impression of pink blooms, but seeing as it was an orchid I really didn't take that much notice of it. So, I have no idea whatsoever of what genus, much less species, this thing is.
I should really start paying more attention to things I suppose. I mean, all the decorators are throwing orchids all over model homes and all the big box stores are hocking them by the thousands, and it's gonna be inevitable that Claudes Home for Wayward Plants is gonna have to deal with the danged things eventually. But until I can muster up enough energy to actually look into them... Is there some kind soul out there who can tell me what the hell this thing is? I mean, I know it's not blooming, and I know that there's probably several hundred orchids that have upright leaves like this, but a general area to start?
It's got sunburn on a bunch of the stems... and it seems that the clumps, (or psuedobulbs? Is that what they're called?) that produced blooms died after doing so... but I don't know if that's typical for the genus or if that's just what happened... and there's 2 new clumps(?) growing out... feel free to ask questions if that helps....
The next plant is not a foundling. I actually deigned to spend good money on this guy...
A Silver European Fan Palm, Chamaerops humilis.
I was at a big box store, with the general idea of trying to find something to plant with the foundling Sago Palms aka Cycas revoluta, thinking of producing a little semi-tropical area in the yard when I ran across this... hardy to zone 7, and nice glacous leaves that I think will look very good against the deep green Sago fronds...
And best of all....
so yeah, I spent good money, but not much.Oh well...
have a great day all...
Odds are it's a Cymbidium of some sort. Good luck with it - not so hard to keep alive but I haven't had much luck getting mine to re-bloom - leaving them out in the fall when night temperatures drop is supposed to help.
ReplyDeleteWow, Claude...I am not into orchids AT ALL... so have no idea on that one. Will be fun to see what happens though!
ReplyDeleteI like your fan palm! Wonderful markdown...awesome find!!! This semi-tropical area will be fun to have!
I was thinking Cymbidium as well.
ReplyDeleteClaude, I with Julie on this one. Orchids and I don't tread the same path. But I know two types of orchid growers. Those that spend a great amount of time and money caring for them and those that don't. And it seems both types have strong, healthy and beautiful plants. So how much help was that? (lol). You might want to check out South Florida Chalenges blog though. Sanddune has posted about orchids before. Will be interested in hearing how things go. Great looking palm and nice price as well. - G
ReplyDeleteDear Claude, I share your view on orchids. Trouble free - I think not! So, lovely in someone else's house, but not mine.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's most likely a cymbidium. Too bad, I was hoping it was a bletilla - becuase those I could just shove out in the yard, being winter hardy and all... but the leaves aren't right and they have an underground tuber. So, I look up the care for Cymbidium and procede as if that's the case...
ReplyDelete