Catasetum tenebrosum blooms!

Orchids are strange, every darn one of them. That's why so many of us love them. But Catasetum tenebrosum is arguably in the Top Ten Strange Orchids, both in form and scent. I was so happy to see mine bloom again this year:

Catasetum tenebrosum in bloom, MR, 2014

And here's the closeup of the reddish-black flowers with their vibrant yellow centers:

The scent is a cross between cassis and cat pee. Obviously some bugs like that sort of thing. It's actually a very unusual, ahem, scent for the living room. Although people with cats might not notice as much.

"Smells good to me." (MR, Cat Mask, 2010)

Have a wonderful gardening weekend!