Encyclia radiata finally blooms - but I don't know....

[mauraec]

My E. radiata has been in bud for almost 6 weeks, but is finally blooming. It's very pretty, although not as fragrant as I thought it would be. Mostly, I'm worried about the brown spots on the leaves - a few of them were there when I got it during the winter, but all of them seem to have it now, even the tip of the newest growth is brown. I haven't had this issue with my E. fragrans, or E. pentosis, so I don't know what's going on. Anyone have ideas?

[Desdinova]

I suspect fertilizer buildup.

[pavel]

Lovely flowers. I would suspect perhaps bacterial spot, but will be interested in others' input. Some plants do just seem to be more prone to such though it typically is just unsightly as opposed to a health risk.

[mauraec]

Really? I hardly ever fertilize - in fact I don't always even manage weekly/weakly.

[coeruleo]

i just got one of these mail order, it came in bud and the buds are opening now. they smell terrific! very vanilla in strong light, the scent fades quickly in shade. it showed up a bit crusty looking, with bad roots, but no spots like this. i will probably end up repotting this weekend. the new growth is beginning to put out roots. i got a pentotis seedling too...

[catttan]

Beautiful, Maura. Great pictures, especially the first one.

[mauraec]

Beautiful, Maura. Great pictures, especially the first one.

Thank you, Yew - I have so many more to post, but have not had time yet. I've been trying to work with the 105mm prime lens, but it requires a lot of thought and work in comparison to the zoom. I often have problems with underexposure that didn't appear that way on the LCD - but when I have the time and energy to take photographs now, I know it's a good day. By the way, I gave Phillip's bonsai trees and materials to the Atlanta Bonsai Society, to have them auction them off at their annual auction on August 24th. I will receive some of the proceeds and the group will get their share. They have been very good to me. I still have my dwarf pomegranate, Phillip's comical ginseng, and a flamboyan tree that I bought in Puerto Rico in his memory before we left - I will post photos of them when I can - they are all in need of judicious pruning, but I'm not confident enough to do it myself. How is your bougainvillea?

[catttan]

- ............ How is your bougainvillea?

I've given up on it....it is just too robust to be trained and I'm just not good enough to do it. I'll just stick to orchids and enjoy others' efforts.

Glad to see you're back with the orchids and the photography. That 105 lens is one awesome piece of glass. My youngest son, Sam has just bought a D600 to replace his D7000 and he is very pleased with the pictures taken by it.

[zainal abidin]

Look like bacterial just cut it so nice the flowers.

[mauraec]

Look like bacterial just cut it so nice the flowers.

Thank you, Zain - that seems to be the consensus, so that's what I will do. The blooms are completely untouched, so I hope it's nothing serious.