I’ve been waiting patiently for nearly two months now for my South American orchid (odontoglossum/oncidium) to bloom.  And it was worth the wait.

When the light catches in the yellow rim of the outer petals, they seem to be glow.  

The other thing I’ve noticed is that these aren’t colors that I would have put together. The orchid obviously has its own color sense! The white-blotched petal is a dark fuchsia, but it’s definitely pink, while the smaller petals are a rich maroon that is almost a burnished brown. The reason they go together, of course, is that the intensity is the same. Dark with dark. These blooms are dramatic and unusual, and I love looking at them.

So I stand by my previous recommendation.  Orchids make great long-lived houseplants.  Try one and see for yourself.