# Nice Bloomers!



## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 29, 2011)

Ah, the spring flowering season is here and many Japanese orchids are waking up and showing their stuff. A sampling from my garden.

The native _Calanthe_ season has just really started, especially plants growing outside. It has been a cool spring, almost cold. The yellow one is the Taiwanese form of _C. sieboldii_ (syn. _C. striata_) sometimes called _C. kawakamiense_. It is supposed to be bigger than the normal one, up to a meter tall, but mine isn't. It only flowers a bit earlier than the others. The flashy looking flower is a hybrid, by the looks of it mostly a _C. x takane _cross (_discolor x sieboldii_). 










Off the ground and into the trees. Next up is the tiny _Gastrochilus matsuran_. Those flowers are just 5 mm across. Getting uncommon these days in the wild due to habitat loss and to some extent, overcollecting. I found this one on the ground 5 years ago and it has been easy to grow so far.






A near relative is this _Thrixspermum japonicum_. A very common twig epiphyte frequently seen in cedar (_Cryptomeria_) plantation forests. Tough to grow long term unfortunately.






Also just starting now is the native _Dendrobium moniliforme_. This one is aptly called 'kibana' - "yellow flower". Many more of these just coming into flower now.









Finally, not a native, but lovely anyway, _Dendrobium Stardust 'Firebird'_, in its natural hanging posture.









Lots more coming into flower soon, so stay posted.


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## valenzino (Apr 29, 2011)

Nice flowers...outdoor growing is a big luck!!!


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## paphioboy (Apr 29, 2011)

beautiful and very interesting blooms...  Love all of them...


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## JeanLux (Apr 29, 2011)

Thanks for all of those colorful blooms Tom!!!! Jean


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## Shiva (Apr 29, 2011)

Thanks for showing. Very nice.


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## Hera (Apr 29, 2011)

Beautiful and some I've never seen before. THanks for the looks.

Now....where's Eric......bloomer alert!


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## Inguna (Apr 29, 2011)

Very nice bloomers, indeed! I like them all, but Thrixspermum japonicum and Gastrochilus matsuran are the most interesting


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## NYEric (Apr 29, 2011)

First of all, I'm eventually going to have to show you all what nice bloomers really look like! :evil: 
Number two, what does _"I found this one on the ground 5 years ago"_ mean? you were walking down the sidewalk and Voila!?  If so, I'm buying a ticket to Japan tonight.
Third, why can't we know how big yours is Tom!?oke:
_"It is supposed to be bigger than the normal one, up to a meter tall, but mine isn't."_ 
Last, thanks for all the nice photos, I'm so jealous! :sob:


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## s1214215 (Apr 29, 2011)

LOL.. Break out the toothpick Tom.. I got my order in for some seed...

Have fun at the Calanthe show tomorrow. Wish I was there with you to check them out. 

Brett


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## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Apr 29, 2011)

Those are beautiful. Thanks for posting as most of these are not something I often (or ever) get to see.


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## biothanasis (Apr 29, 2011)

Great blooms!!!!! I fell in love with the Gastrochilus!!!! Oh my..!!!


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## Erythrone (Apr 29, 2011)

Stunning!


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## Dido (Apr 29, 2011)

The calanthes are really beautifull. 
Like the kinds. 
Thanks for share


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## Lanmark (Apr 29, 2011)

Fab Gastro!


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## SlipperFan (Apr 29, 2011)

Amazing garden you have, Tom! That Calanthes' lip is beyond wild. And you know I love the matsuran -- your plant is getting quite large (relatively speaking). My little plants are growing, but very slowly.


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## rdlsreno (Apr 29, 2011)

Beautiful!!! Nice growing!

Ramon


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## Clark (Apr 30, 2011)

All very lovely.


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## e-spice (Apr 30, 2011)

All are very beautiful!!!


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## poozcard (Apr 30, 2011)

wow


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## W. Beetus (Apr 30, 2011)

Stunning plants! I love the small ones. And the orange dend is very nice too!


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 1, 2011)

I'm glad you all enjoyed these. Indeed, many you won't see outside of Japan except on the Japanese side of the internet.

Some responses.



valenzino said:


> Nice flowers...outdoor growing is a big luck!!!



Yes, this climate is really interesting, right on the edge of the subtropics and warm temperate climate which allows me to experiment with a wide range of plants. The _D. Stardust_ wasn't grown outside though since it couldn't withstand the winter temps. _D. nobile_ hybrids do fine here though.



NYEric said:


> First of all, I'm eventually going to have to show you all what nice bloomers really look like! :evil:
> Number two, what does _"I found this one on the ground 5 years ago"_ mean? you were walking down the sidewalk and Voila!?  If so, I'm buying a ticket to Japan tonight.
> Third, why can't we know how big yours is Tom!?oke:
> _"It is supposed to be bigger than the normal one, up to a meter tall, but mine isn't."_
> Last, thanks for all the nice photos, I'm so jealous! :sob:



Ah Eric, where to begin. I've seen many bloomers, and never really took to any of them  The _Gastrochlius_ was found on the forest floor in an old growth _Cryptomeria_ grove near my home town. The _Thrixspermum_ are more commonly found on downed branches during woods walks. The average size _C. sieboldi_ stands around 18 inches tall when in flower. Currently I have a patch in flower that is around 2 feet high. Occasionally you see them growing close to 3 feet high.



s1214215 said:


> LOL.. Break out the toothpick Tom.. I got my order in for some seed...
> 
> Have fun at the Calanthe show tomorrow. Wish I was there with you to check them out.
> 
> Brett



Brett, I just got back from the show. It was fun and in a really deep mountain valley - the true Japanese countryside. As usual I learned a lot talking to the growers there and even got a freebie plant. People are always floored that a foreigner actually even knows about Japanese orchids, let alone grows them.

Dot, keep up growing your _G. matsuran_. They flower at a very small size. There is a really cool pure green flowered form that I want to get a hold of this year too.


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## etex (May 1, 2011)

:clap::clap:Very beautiful blooms! Thanks for giving us a peak in your garden. Great growing!!


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## Marc (May 1, 2011)

Thanks for sharing


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## NYEric (May 2, 2011)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Ah Eric, where to begin. I've seen many bloomers, and never really took to any of them


Really!? freshman year at Vassar that's what I was trying to get as a major!



KyushuCalanthe said:


> The _Gastrochlius_ was found on the forest floor in an old growth _Cryptomeria_ grove near my home town. The _Thrixspermum_ are more commonly found on downed branches during woods walks.


Really!?! Nooooooo...:sob: So unfair!!


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