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Giant Orchid Blooms at the BBG
By
Jen Carlson
Published Sep 20, 2008
Modified Sep 20, 2008
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Sep 20, 2008
Modified Sep 20, 2008
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Photos by Kate Blumm and Dave Allen/BBG.
Seems everyone is talking about the Grammatophyllum speciosum (aka: the tiger orchid) growing and blooming at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Originally purchased 10 years ago at auction by the garden's orchid curator, David Horak, the plant rarely blooms in captivity. On top of the recent blooms (which should be around for another week or two), it's now up to 12 feet in diameter and weighs in at around 200 pounds.
The NY Times calls it a "corsage nightmare" and relates its size to that of a Volkswagen Beetle. Horak mostly refers to it as "the beast," however he told the paper, “On any given day, if it’s creating trouble, it gets names nobody wants to hear."
Tagged
bloom
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Grammatophyllum speciosum
orchid
tiger orchid
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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