Dendrobium speciosum

Dendrobuim speciosum (variety curvicaule) blooming outside in the yard,  San Diego, CA.  These Australian natives grow great outside here and turn into huge, fragrant plants (a real beast!).  In fact, one plant grown in Santa Barbara was so big, they had to bring it to the orchid show with a fork lift!

Dendrobium speciosum

Dendrobium speciosum var. curvicaule 'Bee Creek' X Dendrobium speciosum var. grandiflorum 'Kroombit Gold'. This is blooming in my living room right now.

If you know Dendrobium speciosum, you know that they get really large (a.k.a. washing machine large) and put up an amazing display of white to yellow flowers that are uber-fragrant. Simply amazing. This species originally hails from southeastern Queensland Australia where it grows both as an epiphyte on trees in rainforests or as a lithophyte on rocks at elevations of 300 to 1800 feet. Notably, both of the parent varieties have been moved to specific status by some taxonomists. They would, in some circles, be referred to as Den. curvicaule and Den. rex, respectively.