It looks like January again this morning, and sounded that way all last night. But the indoor blooms seem unaffected. I wasn’t able to make these pictures post on Friday so I’ll try again today.




The genus Restrepia is one of my favorites. This is a hybrid; Restrepia cuprea x R. dodsonii. These are tiny plants, only a couple of inches tall, but form large-ish clumps that bloom throughout the year. The hardest part of growing them is maintaining relatively high humidity and keeping them somewhat cool-ish. Mine are in a terrarium of sorts.








I puchased Paphiopedilum Snow Bird 'Opalescence' AM/AOS from Bert Logsdon when he came to Missoula several years ago to present a program for the Five Valleys Orchid Society. The AM indicates the plant recieved an Award of Merit from the American Orchid Society. I can't take the crdit for that; it belongs to Mr. Logsdon.

This beautiful white and purple miniature Dendrobium is Den. Maiden Charlotte, a cross between Den. aberrans and Den. rhodosticta. The plant is barely four inches tall making it perfect for growing under lights. It also gives a great display but takes up almost no space. I have three of these miniatures and all do well under lights. Den. Mini Snowflakes is very similar but pure white. And the third is miniature of the species Den. atroviolaceum. An odd little flower, although actually quite large for the plant, that is green covered with purple spots. I'll post a picture after the buds open.

This last flower is one of several Oncidium Carnival

Costumes I have. It has turned out to be very productive for me, bloomig regularly between October and March.

One of them bloomed last summer. I thought they

probably had a higher light requirement but discoverd

this winter that they are doing well under my grow lights.

A hybrid, Carnival Costume is an interesting combination of high and low light, and intermediate to warm growing species with a tendency toward doing well in environments with lower humidity. This makes them perfect for home growing
in places like Montana.

See you next week.