This started as one plant and has since morphed into three divisions of the same plant. I have had the original plant a long time, but I don’t remember at all where I got it. I suspect it might have been at the Flower and Garden show here in Seattle–maybe ten years ago or more. This is a Pixie Lavender x Ignea “Bean” cross.

Here is what the plants looked like in the greenhouse today:

They are a little scruffy coming through the winter. They should start sending up spikes any time and are usually in full bloom throughout the spring.

Below is a gallery of photos of them in bloom. The striking, bright flowers always grab my attention and tempt me into photograph after photograph.

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I’ve found these orchids simple to grow–they don’t ask for anything special. The greenhouse gets down just above freezing and that doesn’t bother them. They are potted in small bark orchid mix with some moss from the garden thrown in. I feed them by putting granular fertilizer in their tray so they get some fertilizer with every watering in the growing season.

Plans for 2020 for these plants include to divide them each in half to end up with six divisions that I can sprinkle around the greenhouse for spring color.

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