A taste of Peru in Gothenburg

If only all weekends were this fun.  The order from Peru Flora in Peru, with a quick layover in Germany at Orchids & More, came in on Friday. So, this was my view for morning coffee Saturday. Nice! I spent a very pleasant morning (or better part of the day) doting over the new arrivals, re-potting and mounting, teaching them how to to say beautiful in Swedish (vacker)… eh well, perhaps not that last part. But if they can understand what we say, that would have been the word they would have picked up.

All the plants were in excellent condition, and all but one (the Coryanthes) was in active growth. M. yungasensis came with two flowers, but sadly they were already fading upon arrival. Hopefully there will be more soon, the small candy cane striped flowers are not hard on the eye. The one I am most excited over is the plant on the far right, Dracula saulii, wickedly beautiful flowers… I cannot wait to see it bloom! A friend of mine in town got one as well, we’ll see who brings up a flower first. This is also my first Coryanthes. The main reason I got it is because the pollination story for this species is so awesome. Talk about complicated… I promise to tell you more about it when this one decides to bloom.

My friend who delivered the order to my house also brought a present from his own collection, a very nice little Epigeneium chapaense, my first of the species. Thanks a lot Thomas! After googling some more on Epigeneium I definitely want more. Very cool – and small. I seriously need to only order minis from now on… I am running out of space – fast!

So, the newcomes are… seen from left to right in the picture: Coryanthes alborosea, Masdevallia yungasensis, Masdevallia decumana, Dracula barrowii, Masdevallia venusta, Masdevallia eumeliae, Masdevallia ayabacana, Masdevallia veitchiana, Dracula saulii, Brassavola nodosa, and Epigeneium chapaense.

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