House orchids 2025

[ashley]

These Sophronitis (now Cattleya) are hardly relevant to rock gardening in temperate climes, but grow on moss-covered rocks and trees at altitude in SE Brazil.

Apart from their intense colour, the tepals of S. mantiqueirae have a lovely crystalline quality rather like Nerine sarniensis that I find hard to photograph. 
In any case they brighten up dull winter weather here.

Sophronitis (Cattleya) mantiqueirae


Sophronitis (Cattleya) wittigiana

[ashley]

Sophronitis (Cattleya) pygmaea, a young plant flowering for the first time.

[Jeffnz]

Beautiful flowers, do you have to heat during winter?

[ashley]

These live in the house year round, but in good light and a cool room with temperature usually in the range 10-20°C.

[ian mcdonald]

I have a few Phalaenopsis. The leaves have white spots on both sides. Is this a disease or a watering problem. I have wiped the leaves with a paper towel with white vinegar but the spots have returned. The "spots" look like wooly aphids but no insects seen. Any suggestions welcome.

[Jeffnz]

Try wiping a trial leaf with Neem Oil.

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Jeff, I,ll give it a try.

[ashley]

Flowering now:

Paphiopedilum gratrixianum christensonianum


Paphiopedilum charlesworthii

[Pauli]

Ashley, true gratrixianum has leaves up to 6 cm broad and was only rediscovered recently. Your plant, the"false" gratrixianum, has been renamed christensonianum.

[ashley]

Thanks Herbert; label corrected.
Leaves on this plant are only about 2.5 cm wide.