Orchid Season: Oncidium and Catasetum

I love all orchids, but Dancing Spider Lady Oncidiums are one of my top three faves. And mine is blooming!

Oncidium, MRobb, 2016

Here is my other Oncidium, on its last bloom (it is a little sluggish this year, possibly due to our cold winter):

Oncidium, MRobb, 2015

Oncidiums can handle a lack of water better than Phals, as they have lots of water storage capacity. They do like water, however, and lots of light. So my Phals are in the shadier corners, while my Oncidiums have lots of bright morning sun. The rather comical aspect of Oncidiums is how they seem to "crawl" out of the pot. The highly visible roots are prolific, and really seem to push out of the pot. Interestingly, they seem to do better in a smaller pot than a larger one.

And in News for Orchids, my Catasetum tenebrosum has come out of its deathlike dormancy and is growing again. Can you spot the new growth?

So now I'm watering it every day, and fertilizing once a week. Grow, Cat, grow!

Oncidium, Phal Portraits, and Lego Pottery

Oncidiums are not as glamorous as Phal orchids, especially when it comes to color. Oncidiums tend more toward golds, earth tones, and pastels. The flowers are generally small. They are often scented, however, and can bloom in great profusion from a single inflorescence:

Oncidium in Bloom, MRobb, May 2015

I've been working in some new styles of ceramics, inspired by traditional Japanese tea ceremony styles. The motifs on this vase are based on Mishimade pottery. But I used Legos instead of stamps! Legos are indeed incredibly versatile....

Lego Vase based on Mishimade pottery, MRobb, May 2015