77th Santa Barbara International Orchid show

     We attended the 77th Santa Barbara International Orchid show and had a great time!  Here are a few pictures of my favorite display made by my friend Joe Ambriz of Ambriz Kingdom of Plants.  He won the prize for Most Artistic Display!  

Here are some of the other displays at the orchid show.

I like this orchid that got the award for Best Vanda

     This display of cymbidium orchids had three hanging arrangements overhead and on closer inspection, I saw some begonias among the orchid blooms!  Eagle eye Mike Flaherty spotted begonia 'Randy MK2' hybridized by Australian Joe Romeo!

So what did I buy at the orchid show?  

     I bought one bromeliad and two cactuses!  the bromeliad is now by the front door and that cacti will join the other cactus on my crowded cactus growing bench!

Nematanthus (Goldfish Plant), A Cascade of Blooms

 

Nematanthus (Goldfish Plant)

I've had this Nematanthus (Goldfish Plant) for well over ten years.  It's been growing great in this shady location on the balcony.  Right now it's covered in a cascade of blooms.  This is a great hanging basket plant, but I have its pot sitting on an upside down pot.

Nematanthus (Goldfish Plant)

Nematanthus (Goldfish Plant)

Nematanthus (Goldfish Plant)

My Freebie Sundew Is Blooming!

 

Drosera capensis “Ceres, South Africa” Bloom

     This carnivorous sundew, Drosera capensis “Ceres, South Africa”, has light purple colored flowers.  My other sundew produces white flowers. The buds bloom one at a time, and the top of the bloom stalk is above the sticky leaves, that trap the flying insects.  

     The fun story with this sundew is that there are five plants in this one pot, and originally they all were tiny plants (1/4" in diameter) growing with other carnivorous plants that I bought online!  This plant self-seeds like crazy, so its seeds were getting distributed to the other potted plants in the carnivorous plant nursery.  As they grew larger, I removed them and repotted into one pot and they are growing great!  

     I like this kind of freebie! 

Drosera capensis “Ceres, South Africa” Plants

Drosera capensis “Ceres, South Africa”

Drosera capensis “Ceres, South Africa” with what's left of a fly in the tenacles.

Drosera capensis “Ceres, South Africa”

Housefly Is Trapped!

A housefly is trapped in this fork-leaved sundew, Drosera binata.  It's natures fly paper!  The tentacles will slowly pull the fly in and wrap around the juicy parts of the fly.

Drosera binata

Drosera binata

Drosera binata

Cactus Repotting Tip!

 

     Here's a cactus that I've had for about fifteen to twenty years.  I repotted it mostly because it was getting top heavy and it recently blew over.  It was in a smaller plastic pot, so the larger terracotta pot will make it more stable.  It's 24 inches tall from the soil to the top of the plant and although it looks to have  soft non-threating spines, it has a mixture of soft and stiff spines.  

     The stiff ominous spines are white and disappear among the soft spines.  They make this cactus a real challenge when it's time to repot.  So I used a piece of carboard to support the cactus as I repotted it!

Assignment - Repot Cactus!

 I enjoy growing my cactus plants, but I never look forward to repotting them.  It's a surefire way to get a bunch spines on my hands!  I have two cactus that I just repotted.  

Repotted Rebutia Cactus January 2025

The first one is a Rebutia.  As you can see in the photo below, It had overgrown it's pot.  I've had it for more than a decade and have repotted it several times.   It's a great bloomer and I look forward to more bright blooms this year.  The repotting went well, with just a couple of pokes and spines in my hand!

Rebutia Cactus October 2024

The picture below was taken in September 2014.  You can see how much it has grown since then.

Rebutia cactus - September 2014

The other cactus I repotted is a Cleistocactus Colademononis, AKA Monkey Tail Cactus.  It only had one stem when I bought it in the spring of 2022.  Here is a picture of it in July of 2023 with it's first blooms.

Hildewintera Colademononis (AKA Monkey Tail Cactus) July 2023

Here it is in August 2024, with the stem much longer and hanging over the edge of the bench.

Hildewintera Colademononis (AKA Monkey Tail Cactus) August 2024

It's time to get this in a hanging basket!    The spines on this cactus are very soft and it's easy to handle when repotting.  The tip of the stem is 17 inches from the rim of the pot.

Hildewintera Colademononis (AKA Monkey Tail Cactus) January 2025

And now there are four new stems growing!  This cactus is going to look great this summer when the stems are covered in blooms!

Hildewintera Colademononis (AKA Monkey Tail Cactus) January 2025

Happy New Year!

 Here is some blooming color, to start off 2025!  I hope everyone has a great year, and may your blooms be many and your garden pests be few!