Indoor blooms

Between this cold (of the rhinovirus variety) and this heat (of the solar variety) I've spent most of the last few days inside, and much of that sleeping, reading, and coughing. While the cough lingers, I've started to regain some energy. Enough that I spent Sunday morning lugging watering cans around for a couple hours to water some of the plants I've added this spring. I didn't get to the plants on the west side of the house or the ones growing in shade, but since almost an inch of rain fell before the heat arrived, I'm not too worried about them waiting a couple more days.

With energy to walk around, the urge to document also returned. Though blooms are abundant outside, I wanted to share some of the flowers that kept me company inside while I lacked the energy to do much outside.

Ascofinetia Moonlight Fireflies is blooming with pale peach blooms. Starting out almost white, they age to the color below and have a delicate fragrance like, but unlike, lemon blossoms. Helpful description, no? Actually, a couple days after writing this post the fragrance has changed to a heady mix of vanilla, chocolate, citrus blooms, and less definable components I will simply describe as "orchid-y." This little plant is only about 4 inches tall. It's produced several offsets which I hope are approaching blooming size so I can get more of these delightful little flowers.

Streptocarpus 'Bristol's Waterbug' is not as blue as advertised (a familiar story) but still beautiful. This is its first bloom. Hopefully the first of many.

The candy corn flowers of Guzmania musaica are still going.

Renanetia Sunrise (a hybrid between Neofinetia falcata and Renanthera imshootiana bears fiery blooms atop a tall stem.

I don't have updated photos of the rest of these, but I have several other plants blooming inside. My three rex type begonias are also blooming, with slightly varying pink blooms. I like the female blooms best, with the big, winged ovaries that make me think of strange, alien pterodactyl heads. Hoya carnosa currently has six umbels of powerfully fragrant flowers. Phalaenopsis Rong Guan Mary continues to bloom, though it has dropped a couple, proving that it isn't a fake plant (or that it was poorly glued together). Leptotes bicolor still bears two starry white blooms with pink lips. My peloric Phalaenopsis equestris has an inflorescence that continues to grow with swelling buds. When it opens I'll share it with you.

I'm happy both that I'm starting to feel better and that temperatures are supposed to moderate a bit as the week goes on. I can handle 80F, especially if the mornings are closed in by low clouds and fog as predicted.