The Unknown orchid- original watercolour painting
This is 6in x 8.5in approx 15cm x 20cm approx
I get this orchid to flower once every few years it is scented and rather strange; there is something of the night about it. I found it for sale in, of all places to buy interesting plants, ASDA( or Walmart in the UK for international readers)! I bought two to decorate the house I was selling, the other orchid, a pretty coral pink, died years ago. This one seems to manage on the benign neglect I bestow on the rather more common moth orchid. The painting is drawn at about life size.
I am too nerdy for my own good , of course it felt silly to own an orchid and not know its name….so I googled “maroon green and purple orchid” and came up with: Zygopetalum Louisendorf from the images or rather I picked up a slightly similar Zygopetalum and then regoogled it. Oh the joys of infinite information…or rather information tending to infinity.
Saw the wren today looking busy…something I should be!
#207
Lemon a day 
Oh Dear Alison – ‘Something of the night’ such awful associations – and not something with which to saddle a harmless orchid – even/ especially one liberated from ASDA. Something more fey that images of Widdy and HIM please – Titania’s handmaidens or wee purple angels albeit with a surfeit of trailing wings . . . .
Something of an enchanted evening suit you better?
Beautiful 🙂
Thanks and doing the painting made me find out what its called …now just have to find out how to look after it!! Or even repot it scary stuff!
I came across this trying to do the same thing you had done – identify the orchid. Wonderful painting, very beautiful. Oh, and the repotting is not so difficult – I hope that by this posting you have managed it successfully!
Thanks and yes I went to McBeans Orchids and got a huge bag of compost ( £4.50) which I have used for this orchid and another one which my mother has donated to me ( that one is in quarantine- it has scale insect )