I love your enthusiasm! Though not quite in the same vein as the waxier summer bloomers you describe, i.e. more like a "regular" phals, is my Dtps. Queen Beer 'Red Sky' which is spiking now (a bit early) but is basically a summer bloomer. Pictures never do this one justice-it has the most intense magenta flowers and has to be seen to be believed In true dtps fashion, it also maintains twice as many leaves as most phals and is an attractive plant. Usually blooms with two spikes.

Argus

Hey, Argus. I love talking to people with same sense of beauty. Great minds really do run in the same circles-- I think Queen Beer is the most beautiful flower I've ever seen. Simply glorious. Just drop dead, stop traffic gorgeous.

In fact my son (no orchid cognoscenti) picked it out right away from about 6 other lovelies as the most beautiful, without being prompted to pick anything. Just went right for it and reached out to touch it.

And I agree, photographs just can't do it justice, because the beauty is the radiant color which cameras simply dan't capture. A pity really, because lots of people must pass those pictures by in catalogs without a second glance, missing out on something really special.

Maybe you can help me with a question I have about Queen Beer: The leaves on mine, except for the very newest, are cardboardish and dry-looking. The newest leaf is ordinary texture.

Roots are good, and I can't figure out what is causing this. I know the doritis parent tends to have cardboardish leaves, so there's a genetic influence in it, but is this normal state for Queen Beer? Are your Qn Br leaves like that?

Congrats on your summer bloomers spiking. So many of them also have the greatest fragrance too.

I can't wait for my blue violacea seedlings to bloom. One has two spikes and one has three - I've never seen them and can't wait.

It is summer phal time for sure.

Brooke

Woo hoo is right Mehitabel. Today I watered some of my summer bloomers and found even more surprises. This is Phal. violacea var. alba last year blooming on two spikes.

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Last week I found a new spike and was very happy I would have three blooming spikes this year. Today I found a fourth spike!

My Phal. Princess Kalaini had two spikes - one of the spikes is now branching with a third spike about 4" long. It should also put on quite a show!

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And did I mention the great fragrance from both of these?
Yes, the summer bloomers are getting ready to show off :>)

Brooke

Hey, Brooke. Thanks for the pictures. They're always a treat.

Now I have to add a hubba hubba to the woo hoo. Words do not suffice :)

I am seriously considering going over to your house and mugging you for your orchids. I love that white violacea, such a delicate flower tipped with green, and lovely yellow spot in the lip.

And the Princess K-- is that a named variety or is that what they all generally look like? I hope it's the common kind, as I have a Princess K (common) from Oak Hill, but it hasn't bloomed yet. Hoping for a spike this year.

Your pictures show the real beauty of the flowers much better than catalog pictures do.

Fragrance, and vio flowers last forever, too. Lovely!

I hope your blue vios are the really dark ones Orchidview specializes in. They look fabulous, and are on my list, hopefully for this summer.

Dear mehitabel

Re; Dtps. Queen Beer 'Red Sky' leaves

I thinklower leaves do tend to look a little drier, but part of that is age, and less than ideal windowsill growing conditions, where humidity is never as high as one would like. But I will take a closer look and write-in if I notice the leaves looking "cardboardish."

Not to steal the thinder from the violaceas, but I 've also seen another charming intense mini, similar to Stps Queen Beer at the store-think it is named 'Momento.' Would have bough it if I did not but the Nobby's Amy that was also there :)

Hey, Argus. Thanks very much for the reply about the Queen Beer leaves. I think the leaf condition on mine is probably something like light/heat stress. Seems to0 extreme to be a normal variation.

I can't remember exactly what the leaves on it were like two years ago, but I'm sure I would have remembered it if they'd been like this.

I hadn't thought of humidity, but that would contribute.

Couldn't find a phal/doritis in Orchidwiz named 'Momento'-- any other clue about the name?

Mehitabel,
I get so envious when you start describing those special phals with unusual colours and markings. Now perhaps one of mine may be included in your waxy petalled summer bloomers? My dps. Black Jack hasn't stopped blooming since I picked it up at the end of March. All the first lot of buds have opened up -there are abt 15 on two branches. The second lot haven't started yet. No perfume, of course, but a very dark burgundy with a barely noticeable white edge. Our 2nd favourite orchid after the white noid phal (lol). But then we don't have much of a choice, yet!
Brooke, your two examples of this sub-species(?) are stunning! Wish I could smell them, too.
Judy

Judy, Your Black Jack sounds like a stunner. I'm delighted to hear it's blooming so long for you. Long-bloomingness is one of the things I love about phals. Only Impatiens and Petunias work harder to please. :)

Am I right that this is one of those harlequins with a very silky/shiny texture? Sounds gorgeous. And so many flowers!

As for envy-- don't worry, you'll end up with more. Pretty soon you'll be figuring the cost of everything in orchids-- a new dress? But I could buy two or three orchids for that! :)

The breeding in the new-type phals has only just begun-- there's a lot of wonders just around the corner. Can't wait!