Sunday, July 6, 2014

Pretty picture: Bratonia Charles M. Fitch 'Izumi'

I had the strong feeling that I've seen something a lot like this before, when I went to start writing the post on it, but whatever flower I was remembering, I couldn't find it when I looked back through all the posts tagged "Orchidaceae." (This one was the closest I found, and its only similarity is in the shape, when what I was remembering as similar was the color.) So who knows what I was thinking. Maybe I've seen so many orchids now that they're all blurring together for me.


Bratonia Charles M. Fitch 'Izumi' = Brassia verrucosa x Miltonia spectabilis (Ref.)


2 comments:

Ginny Burton said...

I'm wondering what criteria orchid breeders use in developing new plants: weirdness in shape and bizarre color combinations?

I just don't get orchids. Between you and the Nero Wolfe mysteries I'm plowing through, I am trying to develop an appreciation for them, but not having much luck. Is it their difficulty in growing that makes them so addicting?

Paul said...

Actually, Ginny, I find many orchids to be no less difficult than many other common houseplants and easier than some. (African violets, for example, I find to be next to impossible to grow well outside of a terrarium environment whereas only my micro mini orchids seem to "need" such.

As far as appreciation goes, I love not only the colors of the blooms on many orchids but also the complexity of their flowers. Some have very interesting growth habits and foliage.

In contrast, I have never been able to see the allure of spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum), most Sansevieria, and especially peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) -- such incredibly BORING, absolutely "blah" plants. Yet I know there are folks out there who adore them. Different strokes for different folks and all that. :)

Mr. S, try searching for "Miltassia". That is the name I'm used to seeing. Don't know if the "Bratonia" may be revised nomenclature due to the chaos currently being perpetrated by taxonomists or if it is a "blooper".