Sarah Orchid

Sarah, my perennial bloomin' orchid. She's done it again and she's gorgeous. Sarah took her sweet time opening up, as always. It's exciting to me to watch an orchid bloom...the process is so drawn out and the anticipation is delicious. A flower spike first appears as a small nub at the base and it often resembles the tip of a root. Then it starts to grow upwards, at first bright green before becoming a woody brown. Once the spike reaches its full length, tight little flower buds form at the tips. The buds become fuller and fatter until finally they burst open, but slowly, like butterfly wings. The buds normally open one at a time and take a few days to open completely.

Sarah used to be completely white, but since she's been in the company of some purple and pink orchids she has developed a slight pinkish tinge on the upper petals. Orchids are social plants and grow healthier when they're in a bunch together. I have 5 phals and they are all in bloom. Karl says that when they're in their "growing period" I spend more time fussing over them than I do about the cats...or him for that matter.