January 30, 2012

This week we're taking a look at two exotic orchids that have recently arrived at BloomRite® Gardens. The first is Zygopetalum crinitum, a fragrant Brazilian native that Will Call shoppers should be quite familiar with. The second is a new arrival from Australia called Dendrobium kingianum, whose woody stems and dozens of tiny flowers give it a unique look. Despite their radically different backgrounds and appearance, we still thought it appropriate to feature them together for one reason: they thrive in cool weather.

Z. crinitum comes from the Santa Catarina and Espírito Santo states of Brazil, where it lives in the high altitudes of the Serra do Mar. Residing at altitudes of 2000 to 4000 feet, it is well adapted to the cool conditions and direct sunlight afforded by growing over the jungle canopies. Its flowers are a curious mix of chocolate colored sepals contrasted with mottled purple petals and posses a strong sweet scent.

D. kingianum also lives on mountains, but the ranges of eastern Australia are its home where it too lives in the cool altitudes of around 4000 feet. It looks quite different from the Zygo or the Phal, staring with woody stems that suddenly give way to four leathery leaves flanking delicate floral spikes arrayed with many tiny flowers. Lightly fragrant compared to Z. crinitum, D. kingianum is also long lasting.

Because of their mountainous origins, these two orchids are completely at home in cooler temperatures and will even take full morning sun unfiltered. This makes them uniquely suited as house plants here on the coast, where the weather never gets freezing but never really gets to the warmth other orchids need either.

These orchids are available now at BloomRite® Gardens, just in time to be unique and different Valentine's Day gifts. The Zygopetalum comes in a 6" grower's pot and costs $9.95 at wholesale. Our new Dendrobium are potted in 5" growers pots and cost $14.00.