It's A Mystery

I wanted to participate today in Drowsy Monkey's meme today. She lives in my old home Province and I think that we Ontarians are quite mellow most of the time. It's not hard to find yellow right now is it?

Nature has certainly showered us with every hue. It is one of my favorite colors in the garden, and I just had to talk about this beauty that I have grown to love so much.

It is the Reed Stem Epidendrum Orchid. I have spoken about this beautiful terrestrial orchid before. These tough orchids whose blooms look like miniature cattleya orchids are planted near my Asclepias and Lantanas and I thought that they have been helpful in calling to all those Monarch butterflies who are in an egg laying mania right now... their little ovipositors are working overtime.

I had read that mimicry allows these non nectar producing orchids to be pollinated by the roaming monarchs looking for a nectar source, and that this particular triumvirate had some sort of group advantage when growing together.


Like any good scientific hypothesis, such a theory must be tested and reproducible. Here is a great article that blows the lovely mimicry theory out of the running. Fun, If True.

Even if the mimicry hypothesis is untrue, I still think that the three plants make a lovely and easy care combination in my garden. If you are interested in reading more about mimicry, I think you will also enjoy this article.

I wish you a very Mellow Yellow Monday......