Larry’s Urban Orchid Expeditions: Destination Orchids Limited

Aug. 15, 2015 [update]: More flowers are now open on the Phal. venosa (regular x red form).

Aug. 7, 2015 [update]: The Phal. venosa (regular x red form) is in bloom again.

Nov. 21, 2014: I needed to get my passport renewed at the Philippine Consulate in Chicago and my twin brother needed to prove to the Social Security Office in Minneapolis that we’re two different people (their systems can’t handle twins with only one letter different in their names!). Larry and I decided to just make a road trip out of all this. After we dealt with all the errands, we drove out to Plymouth, MN to check out Orchids Limited.

It was incredibly cold the day we drove out there but when we entered the greenhouses of Orchids Limited, we forgot about the cold outside! The place is a dream! We learned so much from Jason Fischer as he gave us the tour of the place.

It was tough to narrow down the long list of plants that we wanted to take home.

Scaphosepalum grande

We graviated towards the available Scaphos immediately since we love em!

This Scapho species is definitely “grande” compared to the ones we already have.

A beautiful plant with beautiful flowers!

Scaphosepalum beluosum

The flowers on this Scapho species is wicked-looking.

The flowers are a little smaller than the grande but it still has a lot of characted.

Phal. venosa (regular x red form)

Larry saw these flowers from across the benches and wanted it immediately.

We initially thought this was a hybrid considering how it looks but when we found out it’s a species plant, we jumped at the opportunity to take it home.

Chiloschista viridiflava

(picture from Internet) Larry wanted to get a Dendrophylax lindenii (‘The Ghost Orchid’) but Jerry Fischer discouraged him and echoed what others say regarding how challenginf they were to care for. So he went and just picked up what looked like the healthiest leafless plant available.

Coryanthes speciosa

(picture from Internet) We had this plant in our shopping list but was bummed to find out there were none available among the Corys that were for sale. Jerry went and divided one of their stock plants for us.