My little Ecyclia-and-friends family.

[megrim]

Summer is blasting down on my part of Australia now, which means the same thing every year - my Encyclia/Prosthechea/Anacheilium/ETC group are going bananas.
These guys get 30-35C, (86-95F), during the day and 21C, (70F), at night. Full sun with 30% shade cloth from 8am 'till 2pm - heavy shade from then 'till sunset - every day. Humidity between 60-95%, usually around 75%.

One of the upside of growing orchids on the edge of the outback is we never lack for sunshine!

FÖTÖS !

First up is Encyclia adenocaula. As always, gigantic, heavy blooms that require me to cable-tie the pot to the bench to stop it toppling. Moderate scent, smells like a spicy honeyed perfume to me.





This is this years newbie. I held off on Prosthechea cochleata for years because only some people found it fragrant - and as a general rule I only grow fragrant orchids - Happily it turns out that this one is indeed fragrant. It has quite a beautiful, cloying scent first thing in the morning that turns sour and kinda like latex mixed wityh hot vinyl as the day goes on.





I was too busy to get to my Encyclia cordigera for photos, this is the last, remaining bloom, almost done, looking a bit sad. The variety is nice though. Dark chocolate and rosy-purple when in full stride. It has a maturing growth that I expect to get flowers off before the hot season is over, so proper photos then



Another relative newbie for me, Encyclia polybulbon. It was mounted on one long tree fern piece when I bought it, growing up in a vertical line. I've split it into two and am hoping to get a more horizontal, rambling habit out of it.



And last but not least my ever-hardy, ever-fragrant Anacheilium radiatum. Strongly fragrant of something between floral soap and black pepper. An absolute joy. This is a division I took last year, it grows like a weed under my hot, humid, bright conditions. One of my favourites of all time. Forgive my rather 'ghetto' pots. I buy cheapy plastic pots and take to them with a dremel for all my Encyclia family. They really seem to appreciate the air around the roots and allows frequent watering which they also seem to enjoy.