Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Pretty picture: Vuylstekeara Aloha Sparks 'Ruby Eyes'

I'm not impressed by these pictures. I don't know what went wrong here exactly, but they don't strike me as being . . . right, somehow. Still, they're the only pictures I've got, so I guess I have to use them anyway.


As is sadly typical with orchids, the name is sort of a word salad.


Vuylstekeara is also orchid-typical in that it's a three-genus hybrid (also called a trigeneric hybrid, which means the same thing), of Cochlioda, Miltonia and Odontoglossum.

This is the first Vuyl. I've seen, or at least the first one I've seen that was identified as such, and I'm a bit underwhelmed. The color's nice, but I also feel like I've seen this flower before. So whatever. Am I being too harsh?


7 comments:

Claude said...

The pics are nice, but I'm not a big orchid fan... I'm afraid I'll join you in the underwhelmed section. Probably for much different reasons... it's not a color that appeals to me, and the flowers just don't have the excitement factor that a lot of orchids do.

Unknown said...

You're not being too harsh; Orchids sort of blend into one messy, bright group after a while.

Anonymous said...

Instead of producing some of these crosses for no better reason than "gee look what I did". I think I'd like to see somethng that amounts to an improvement - hardier, more floriferous, miraculously pest free. Or, for instance, some orchids that would actually rebloom enthusiastically. And orchids aren't the only offenders.

Andrew said...

In this case I agree. The colours on the lip are close to being interesting but the other petals/sepals are bland. I think the Oncidium group is the worst offender here. There are many Oncidium intergenics that are fantastic but just as many that are fairly boring. Still better than an an average run of the mill Phal. but you know, nothing to get excited about.

Anonymous said...

There are flowers (and furniture, clothes, people) that make me think of stage setting: they catch your attention from across the room but that tends to be their best viewing perspective. Maybe these are good cut flowers?

Give me a cool Bulbohpyllum any day. To each their own...

Nancy in Sun Lakes AZ said...

I think you are being too harsh and the people commenting are being too picky!
I think they are gorgeous ... even if the name is impossible!

Pat said...

Er, um, I think you are being too harsh also. This orchid is gorgeous and very difficult to grow and bloom. My "run-of-the mill phals" are also geogeous and much easier. Can't believe this doesn't knock you out.