Mokara Moonlight 'Tangerine' at SFOS Speaker's Day AOS Award HCC 78 points

South Florida Orchid Society had its annual speaker's day on October 3, 2010.  This year they had five speakers: Gene Crocker from Carter & Holmes, Dr. Wagner Vendrame from the University of Florida, Eric Christensen, a taxonomist, George Carr, and Peter Lin, a hybridizer of Phals.  There were also plant sales and a raffle.

They also had AOS judging and panel discussions regarding plants that participants brought.  I brought Mokara Moonlight 'Tangerine' which won HCC.  The plant had 39 flowers and three buds well displayed on two upright inflorescences.  The sepals and petals were very light green, heavily overlaid with golden orange.  The lip was a darker orange and the anther caps were brown.  The flowers had a firm substance and the texture was slightly crystalline.

Mokara's are grown just like Vanda's, but they generally like even more sunlight.  Many growers report that they can grow a Mokara in full sun, although I protect mine from noon day sun because the intensity of sunlight in South Florida can reach 10,000 footcandles.  Mine grows in a clay pot set inside a wooden, slatted basket WITHOUT any media.  It is staked with thick, galvinized wire.  With enough sun this plant blooms two or three times throughout the summer months.  It nearly always blooms with two flower spikes with spikes that are very upright even without any staking.

Do you have a question about growing vandaceous orchids in South Florida?  Ask your question with a comment and I will help in any way that I can.

Enjoy and good growing!