Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Night Orchid blooms

This is my mothers night orchid. Given to her by one of her late friends. It only blooms at night. I cannot even begin to tell you about the wonderful smell when it blooms..you know because you can smell the loveliness in the air. These are pretty cool slow frame (lol) time lapse pictures. I snapped this one on Friday morning so I knew it wouldn't be to long...Mom and I had discovered it had a bud on it last week so we really were paying attention. She was afraid it would bloom before she got back from camping...
I was on guard and standing watch ..
yes camera in hand...just in case. Then I had been doing my yard work ( cutting up heart shape trees) on Saturday and snapped this picture just before the parents got home. I think it was around 1 or 2. So, I knew it would open tonight and was happy mom made it in and informed her the minute she did get it in.
This is around 7 I met her out there, oh the smell was incredible..
side view just lovely
this is around 9
This is at midnight fully open
close up of the center
side view
this is at 1:00 am just beautiful
Not everybody gets to witness a night orchid bloom, if you just saw the leaves you wouldn't think it could produce something this beautiful... "Never know what the beauty within holds"

Hope you all in enjoyed seeing it. This plant is named O'dette after moms "late" friend.

It has had up to twenty blooms at one time on it, she has an O'dette album. Totally Cool..

We have several cool plants like O'dette and we kill ourselves all year long protecting them, winters aren't that bad, it the hurricanes we move in, move out, move in, move out. Oh no we don't leave ...somebody has to take pictures...we just batten down the hatches and hide the plants...this year they have their very own greenhouse for protection!

xoxo
dar

Geaux Get Your Read On!

16 comments:

tinkalicious said...

I didn't even know there was such a flower!
Love it!

Anonymous said...

I have never seen a night orchid before! you have given me a great gift today my friend!! It's Beautiful!!!!

Eskimo Bob said...

that. WAS. AWESOME!

Susan said...

SO Beautiful! Wish I could smell it...

darsden said...

Tink-we didn't either till about 6 years ago.

Tabitha-that is why I wanted to share it, esp for those who have never witness it. I wish I could capture the smell...

EB-thankyou like how your words bloomed ;-)

Susan- thank you and I wish you could too. It is wonderful. The flower is all closed up again before the sunrises...only blooms that once it does not re-open

Twisted Fencepost said...

That is a beautiful flower. I've not seen one before either.
Now I'm gonna want to go get one for myself. And maybe one for my daughter, too.

Michel said...

Those pics are great!!! I didn't even know there was a flower like that. I totally never would have seen that (even if I had it, because I can't stay up that late!)

darsden said...

Becky- if you were closer I would give you a cutting. My sister took one of the leaves and she has a beautiful one now.

Michel-that is why I wanted to share it. I would have never seen it either if not for my mother. It smells even prettier than it looks.

Stephanie said...

HI! I'm new here but just had to comment. What amazing photos. I had no idea that little bud could blossom into something so beautiful!

Beth said...

So cool! I've never heard of a night orchid. How long does the bloom last?

darsden said...

Beth-great I am happy to share it. It only last for the night it first blooms and only during the dark ...by dawn it has closed completely back up...but then drops off and hopefully another one will bud in a few months.

darsden said...

ModernMom-welcome com'on in... I wrote you earlier but I guess blogger bug ate it. Happy to have you here. It you saw the plant it would really impress you. It is beautiful and the smell..I know I keep going on and on about it but it is divine!.

Scriptor Senex said...

Fascinating. I had never even heard of a Night Orchid before. I love the timeline of it opening.
By coincidence I took a load of photos of Orchids at Chester Zoo (England) yesterday but I don't know any of their names. It is certainly a remarkable plant family.

Pseudo said...

I loved that! ANd I have something for you over on my blog.

darsden said...

Sciptor Senex - Welcome and thankyou, There are more people than I thought that haven't seen or heard of it.

PHST- Good to see ya, I will head on over..(hope it's not a ruler to the hand ;-))

♥ Braja said...

Soooo beautiful...love the close up of the white centre :)
love you xx