Jumellea arachnantha in bloom!

My Jumellea arachnantha is in bloom for the second time since I purchased it at the Southern Ontario Orchid Society show in February 2008. It didn't bloom for me until last year and then again this year, so I am pretty happy with this plant. It has beautiful white flowers that are especially fragrant at night. To me they smell similar to an Easter Lily.

I also love the green foliage on this plant and the fact that the plants can get very large. According to Flora of Madagascar (translated by Steven D Beckman), the leaves on these plants can grow up to 70 cm long. They also have fascinatingly long spurs. The ones on my flowers are over 2.5 cm long. This orchid is native to the Comoros Islands off the southeast coast of Africa, which are the world's largest producer of ylang ylang essence. I bet those islands smell amazing!

Encouraged by this Jumellea success and inspired by the Brooklyn Orchids orchid of the week, I've decided that I might be brave and try another Angraecoid, perhaps the beautiful green Aeranthes grandiflora. Especially while I am not in such a temperate climate as the west coast of Canada. It's actually pretty darn warm in our house here in Southern Ontario in the summer!