Rare plants

It has been quite some time since I took inventory of the rare tropical plants in my greenhouses. I did some potting up in Greenhouse #2 tonight but did not take inventory just yet. In Greenhouse #1, which is the one directly off my office, I decided to go ahead and see what was alive …

Ophrys are a group of terrestrial Orchids with unbranched stems and showy flowers that often resemble insects. There are approximately 150 species, according to the American Orchid Society, that naturally hybridize. While collecting plants or even seeds from the wild is discouraged, there are numerous places to purchase plants that were grown in cultivation.

The largest flower in the world comes from a leafless plant from Mayla known as Rafflesia arnoldii. It’s a parasitic plant that has grapevine like roots and a fleshy flower which is the only part of the plant that appears above the ground. The flower is approximately three foot across and can weigh up to …