Tolumnia Elfin Gem

[Orchidzrule]

Hi all,

I've recently discovered Tolumnias (formerly known as "equitant" oncidiums). They seem perfect for my conditions, as they really like to dry out between waterings, prefer warm growing conditions and are very tolerant of low humidity. On top of that, they're very small, allowing one to grow lots of them in a small area. Hmm, could I ask for a more perfect orchid? They come in quite an array of colors, heavy on yellows & reds, some very bright & in-your-face, although this one is more subtle.

This is Tolumnia Elfin Gem, my first of its genus (I'm up to about 10 Tolumnias, including a second one just coming into bloom--I hope to get some photos of it in the next few days), which I bought in the summer of 2006 and this is its second spike. The first spike bloomed twice and today I noticed a small branch developing so it looks as though this will follow suit.

Cheers,

Rob