Banfieldara Gilded Tower 'Mystic Maze' (AdaglossumSummit X Brassidium Gilded Urchin)
Just couldn't pass this one up. After I dug out from this weekend Nor' Easter snow storm. I went to my local garden center to spend some of my hard earned Christmas money. Ballek's Garden Center in Moodus, Connecticut is a wonderful place to visit in the winter time. Their greenhouse is always filled with lots of interesting plants. They have an orchid section and this one just kept saying, please take me home. I am always on the look out for Brassia crosses and this one is a wild one.
I had never heard of Banfieldara before, but now after looking it up on the Internet, I know that it is a cross of Ada, Brassia, Odontoglossum and the kitchen sink. The plant was in flower when I bought it so I can't take credit for the horticulture that brought it to flower or the growing conditions. But it requires the type of intermediate growing conditions I have in my greenhouse so it should be happy in my house.
I hope to grow it up some to get more spikes. Currently just one 16" nice one with 13 flowers. Each one about 3" across. As the spike reaches it's end the flowers get somewhat smaller. Looks like the plant was moved cause the spike is bent and the flowers are twisting in different directions. A common affliction easily remedied by not moving the plant as the spike is maturing in relation to the major light source. Spider orchids, so called because the petals and sepals are very spiked and look somewhat like spider legs, have opposing flowers that seem to march in unison down the spike. All lining up like soldiers on parade facing into the sun light.
The yellow lip, with reddish brown spots, is very full and ruffled which was a real eye catcher for me. In general the plant looks well balanced with the flowers mostly above the foliage. As the plant puts on more growth I'm sure it will have multiple spikes.
I took these shots with my IPhone4. Reasonable for a 5 mega pixel phone, but I will get out my Canon 50D with the 180mm macro lens and get some better macro shots. All the jumble in the background of the shot takes away from the startling look of these flowers. So I will bring it inside and shoot it with a black background.
A big thank you to my favorite son and daughter in law for providing the Christmas cash.
Who cares if its cold and snowy outside when you can have a little of the tropics in your greenhouse.
Want to see more of my collection go to www.flickr.com/photos/madfish1c/.
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