Flowers that die well AND some that DONT

[Ray]

None of those hold a candle to most phragmipediums. The blossom is perfect - no sign of fading or wilting, and just when a second one is about to open.....

Plop. You find it on the floor.

[Tindomul]

Nice topic. If my memory serves me right, Masdies tend to close up before falling. Like a nearly mature bud about to open but in reverse. If you take the bloom and open it, it looks great.

I am not sure what I rather have. Something like the Masdies and the Paphs that Ray describes, or Catts that turn brown and look terrible once they are done.

[DirtyCoconuts]

That flower Jeff shared is amazing!

I like the dried flowers that are different from their living counterparts but still nice. Like how a well dried rose is a separate beauty from a fresh on

Phrags are too cool with their longevity post mortem

[SouthPark]

hahahaha ........ even though I'm going to be put off my dinner tonight, and will be sleeping with the lights on .......... comparing dead orchid flowers with dead ..... our own kind/race ...... eeek !!! I think better to see dead orchid flowers ----- hands down (and hands up too) hehe.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

hahahaha ........ even though I'm going to be put off my dinner tonight, and will be sleeping with the lights on .......... comparing dead orchid flowers with dead ..... our own kind/race ...... eeek !!! I think better to see dead orchid flowers ----- hands down (and hands up too) hehe.

FORTUNATELY I encounter a vast majority more dead orchids....

[Jeff214]

I think there's beauty in a graceful demise, but maybe that's just the japanese in me talking! I was brought up that it's bad luck for a flower to plop off in the height of its bloom, as it reminds people of a samurai beheading. Something about a samurai shouldn't grow camellias in his yard for that reason... superstition/folklore aside, this one faded beautifully and I was able to enjoy it even after its 'head' plopped off.

My mossiae has finally come to an end today.

[DirtyCoconuts]

That flower has a ton of beauty still.

An honorable death, to be sure

[Herrania]

I don't know if it's a tad close to the light, but my Blc Yen Corona 'Green Genie' fades dramatically.

Right after blooming, and right before dropping off:

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Herrania

I don't know if it's a tad close to the light, but my Blc Yen Corona 'Green Genie' fades dramatically.

Right after blooming, and right before dropping off:

I think that's just normal fading... yellows and greens do seem to go away faster than the red tones.

See that in lots of other orchids too.. For instance the Phalaenopsis "art shades" - peachy colors, which are actually purple overlaid on yellow. The yellow fades and the peach color is lost (becoming a sort of muddy purple), long before the flower drops.

[Herrania]

I really like the look, I'm starting to find orchids that are too constant not as exciting. I was a bit confused though because I haven't come across other pics of this one faded. Since it had minimal reddening, I was wondering if it was some sort of inverse square thing with the light, or clonal variation... I tend to overthink my plants