Israel Ophrys orchids

[Brutal_Dreamer]

A friend from Israel gave me these orchids and finally I was able to bloom them. This is the first bloom. I will update as the second plant opens its bloom.

Ophrys carmeli (named from the mountain where it is found. )





Cheers,
BD

[nicki]

That's a cool flower with interesting 'markings'.

[gardenguysorchids]

Lovely flower and coloring. What a great plant with a history attached to it. Congrats on getting it to bloom.

[pavel]

Nice, Bruce. How challenging/demanding are they?

[Brutal_Dreamer]

It was a weird one for me, Paul. The plant is only around for about two - four months throughout the year. Most of the year that I have had it, it has just been a pot of soil. I wasn't sure anything would ever come up after it first died away. It gets no water or food until it breaks through the ground. It should be kept in bright sunlight. Once it starts to grow again, you keep it moist. It must grow in a soil that is found on Mount Carmel because of a certain type of microhezia fungus that is present in the soil there. I have it potted in some of that soil with a bit of rich potting soil and rotted bark. I grow it in almost full winter sunlight. It prefers the cooler end of the greenhouse, but will grow alongside my dendrobiums (that is where it first sprouted). My friend that gave it to me said to never repot it, so I don't plan to. I feed it just like the rest of the orchids at 1/4 strength fertilizer once ever two week during the winter.

Cheers,
BD

[walingwaling]

congrats bruce!
i always admire those beauties.

[delphiguy]

Congratulations on blooming it BD, from the sounds of it, it seems that its a difficult one to care for.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Thanks everyone. Randy, it is not that hard. It really just seems dead for most of the year (all the warm months).

Cheers,
BD

[ang709]

Awesome! Cool blooms! I love the bee.

[cakedaddy]

It's awesome! Seeing that you are in Arkansas, I imagine that you won't have to worry about too many frustrated bees? Does it have the shiny, reflective speculum? Don't ask me why that word sticks in my mind.