Thursday, May 8, 2008

Mokara Orchid, Khaw Phaik Suan x Kultana in Full Bloom!


This is my first Mokara Orchid. Khaw Phaik Suan x Kultana is the name and it is a Vandaceous orchid. The Mokara Orchid is a trigeneric hybrid between the Ascocentrum, Vanda and Arachnis Orchids. Created in Singapore in 1969, Mokara is now as popular as its parents. The first Mokara hybrid was called Mokara Wai Liang, named after C.Y. Mok of Singapore. This hearty hybrid has a unique flower shape and an intricate patterns within the petals of some varieties make the orchid look as though it is smiling giving it the common name "Smile Orchid". I purchased this for $25 a few weeks ago from Heathcote and have been taking pictures along the progress of the spike to the full bloom, so here is another slide show of the process.

1 comment: