I had allocated $100 to purchase new orchids at the Westminster Orchid Show. Orchids I definitely did not need as I have too many of them. Since Kawamoto does not want to shlep his plants back to Hawaii, he and a few others give major (50%) discounts starting around 4PM Sunday. How can one resist that and the $100 were soon gone, put to good use. Lastly I ended up at Andy's, he does not give these discounts so I left him to last. He wasn't there which saves me money as he usually talks me into some 'Faaaantastic plants' I just have to have, without them my life would not be complete. I always fall for his stick, Harry, his brother does not that power over me so I felt safe.

So I'm chatting with Harry and he casually mentions that they have one specimen of Epi lacustre. Never heard of it so I asked him to show it to me. When I saw it, it blew me away. 'Wrap it up', I told him, 'We'll argue about price later'. They wanted $120 but I got it for $80 which is way more than I wanted to spend that weekend on much needed orchids.

It's such an awesome specimen that I decided to photograph it even though it's not in bloom. Comes from Central America and northern South America, cold to intermediate grower and likes it VERY wet. Water it daily, they told me and just in case water it again.

It's the most potent plant I have ever seen, about 4' tall, main stem 1" in diameter. Will make a cluster of flowers at the apex of the new growth, 3" to 4" in size, an umbrella of 10 or so the size of a cantaloupe. I'm going to grow it cool and water it daily. There is a darker leaved Panama version I need to get, not today, maybe tomorrow. Later today I'm going to start rehab.

Nick