Hoya retusa

I received a small cutting of Hoya retusa about a year and a half ago, and started it in S/H.  It rooted so well in S/H that I just decided to grow it on.  So far it has grown pretty well for me, and this week, bloomed for the first time.  I have quite a few buds, which have a wonderful sweet scent to them when they open. Last winter I did bring it inside to grow it under warm conditions, and I haven't researched to see if this is one that would do outside during the winter.  So as it is doing well, I'll probably bring it in again this winter. I do give it very bright light, during spring, summer and fall, a little less during winter as it was inside.

Unlike many other Hoyas, retusa does not bloom in an umbel.  Each penduncle gives a single bloom, but with so many at one time, it still gives a pretty nice show. It is still relatively small, as it continues to grow, I expect next year it will give an even better blooming.

Catasetum hybrids

My three favorite alliances of orchids are Catasetums, Dendrobiums and Bulbophyllums.  I haven't written or posted many of the Catasetums, so it is time for that. I'm not going to detail how I grow them, I wrote up a pretty detailed culture description on www.orchidgeeks.com if you are interested.

Within the Catasetum alliance, I prefer the true Catasetums and Clowesias.  Current popular trends in this alliance seem to favor the Mormodes and Cycnoches - which I really am not interested in.  So my collection of these are small, and I manage to acquire only a couple a year.

While I prefer to grow species, I have kept a few hybrids over the years, and here are a few of them.

Catasetum expansum x Jumbo Heart

Ctsm (Doris' Choice x Breckenridge Onxy) x (Susan Fuchs x spitzii)

Catasetum Olga

Unfortunately the rest of my photos are on flickr, which doesn't allow me to do a link to Blogger.  So as they rebloom and I get new pics to my current photo site, I'll update this post.

Edit:  February 2013.  Another hybrid has come into bloom, and this is the plant that started my love of the Catasetum Alliance.  Clowesetum Dragon's Treasure.  Not only is it a beautiful flower, but the fragrance is perfect, strong, fresh and lemony.