GENTLE BLOOMS OF NEOFINETIA FALCATA 'KUTSUWAMUSHI' 轡虫

So delicate, flowers of 'Kutsuwamushi' 轡虫 are unique and very appealing. Every flower part, including the spur, tend to face upward. White, tinted with pink flowers give out a sweet aroma that gets stronger in the evening and through the night.

Neofinetia falcata 'Kutsuwamushi' 轡虫 displayed in a pot by Bigei (Hirata Atsumi) of Tokoname, Japan

Neofinetia falcata 'Kutsuwamushi' 轡虫 flowers close up

BLOOMING NEOFINETIA FALCATA 'SHOUJOU' 猩々

It is a beautiful spectacle, Neofinetia falcata 'Shoujou' 猩々 in bloom! Amethyst color tinted flowers are less common among typically white flowered FUUKIRAN. Even a young plant like mine, with only one spike and five flowers is a show stopper. The pale amethyst growing root tips coordinates beautifully with the amethyst tips of the sepals and petals. 

Blooming Neofinetia falcata 'Shoujou' 猩々 displayed in a Japanese pot by Youzan (Shimizu Masakazu) of Tokoname.

Neofinetia falcata 'Shoujou' 猩々 flower close-up

NEOFINETIA FALCATA 'TAMAKONGO' 玉金剛 IN BLOOM

It is finally in full bloom! A year later, recovered from a move, the orchid has put out two flowering spikes. This particular FUUKIRAN creates a beautiful compact display of MAMEBA type foliage and flowers with short spur. The showy look and sweet fragrance, combined with ease of growing, makes this FUUKIRAN one of the most desirable in my collection.

Another characteristic of this FUUKIRAN is long roots. The plant develops long branching roots and therefore best displayed in a tall pot, where its silvery roots can be fully appreciated.

Neofinetia falcata 'Tamakongo' 玉金剛 displayed in a pot made by Keiko Stusnick, Japanese-American potter

Neofinetia falcata 'Tamakongo' 玉金剛 flowers close up

A JEWEL AMONG THE ROOTS

One of the most striking root tips amongst the FUUKIRAN is known as "ruby". Although the color is of a bright amethyst. Check out the photo below. No description can do the justice of this striking color! After the winter's dormancy these brightly colored root tips appear from the steams of certain FUUKIRAN cultivars. As the roots continue to grow, the ruby tips are followed by the white root cover, known as velamen. Velamen is a protecting epidermal layer, characteristic of many air plants. One of the functions of which is to act as a sponge collecting moisture around the live root tissue beneath.

Growing root tips of Neofinetia falcata 'Houmeiden' 豊明殿

When the root active growth is paused or completed, the ruby root tips disappear until the next growth cycle.

Regular watering and higher humidity will attribute to a maximum root growth of FUUKIRAN awaken from a winter sleep.