The first thought I had walking up to The Phipps was, “WOW! THIS HAS TO BE A MOVIE!” It is flawless, and delicate. I was basically walking into Frances Hodgson Burnett’s, The Secret Garden. In my mind, before even looking it up on the internet, or stepping anywhere near Schenley Park, my vision of it was so minimal to what it actually is.
Here I will post the flowers that stuck out to me the most, the flowers I wanted to learn more about and as well as the fruits! (Okay but the dark red banana tree, you HAVE to check out, it looks…. Royal … you’ll understand what I mean when you see it 😉 .)
If you live, or come to visit the Pittsburgh area, I highly suggest checking The Phipps out.
&Thanks for checking my blog out on The Phipps!
Oncidium Orchid- Sharry Baby
This was definitely my favorite because of its scent! Smelling just like chocolate!! Although they say many people actually pick up a vanilla chocolate scent, I myself picked up the cocoa smell! The fragrant is very strong through the daytime, and is not fragrant at night. This orchid looks very delicate and light, but actually has a pretty rough leathery feel to it. The Sharry Baby can take up to 3-4 months to bloom, and the flowers stay bloomed for only about 2-3 weeks. Its’s said if this flower is in a smaller area (home, smaller rooms) the smell can make you nauseous. Planting in a larger area would be best!
Encyclia Orchid
Best known as the “Octopus” Flower because of it’s dangling petals, can actually bloom for several consecutive months! I find this one so cool, although it didn’t have much of a scent, just seeing the shape and how wild it looks caught my attention! These flowers do well in a very lit area and up to 85 degrees. Patio, backyard, pool area… but also likes screening protection. Also, these flowers roots like to get wild, and can grow underground creating new plants elsewhere. 
Epicatanthe “Gold Rush”
They say this flower blooms forever! Growing to 12 inches tall, and 2 inches across. The lips are yellow, with sparkle of red inside. They do bloom best in spring and summer, but you can also keep them bloomed with just the right amount of lighting/temperature, and overall care.
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Cattlianthe Orchid “Little Suzy”
This flower has very large flowy petals, it has a very strong smell, and has over 100 species in its family. They all range in different bloom size, color, scent, and root size. They bloom in fall, typically in October- early November.
& Now just take a look at these beauties ! (Heart eye emoji insert!)
I found some pretty awesome plants I’d love to share too !
Parry Agave
This agave stood out to me because of its dark navy blue edges! Native to Arizona, New Mexico and Northern Mexico, it is not in the cactus family, however it does look deceiving…
These plants were amazing! It is so cool to see how all the leaves are different! Color, size and design. Some are plain, some are spotted, and many have streaks. The vibrant colors were my favorite about this plant specifically!
The Phipps has a Fruit & Spice room, which is awesome! If you head over to their website WWW.PHIPPSCONSERVATORY.ORG They have a section of which plants they have during whichever month we are in.
Carambola – Star Fruit
I have always loved the star fruit. I’ve used it for juicing, purees, and simply just eating it! It’s funny because before seeing it at the Phipps I never looked into it. Never did I realize it is Native to the Philippines, and here I am, part Filipino. It all makes sense now. LOL.
The fruit is popular through-out Southeast Asia. Many areas grow them for ornamentals, not really for consumption. I would be the complete opposite! It has an oval shape but has 5 streaks going down the fruit which is why it is best known as the “Star Fruit”. It is crunchy and firm, but has such a sweet juicy taste to it! The entire fruit is edible. Its best to pick when they are slightly green and as soon as they turn yellow, EAT! 🙂
So my ABSOLUTE plant is The Musa.
Dwarf Red Banana Tree: Feeds off of a tropical feel, well known in souther Florida but also West Indies and Central America. The tree grows quick and sprouts very large leaves that many say are absolutely perfect for shade, and creating your own mini private jungle! The bananas have a dark red color, I say they are very royal looking. The shine and glow it has is unreal! They are also sweeter and softer than your typical yellow banana. Some also say it has a mango flavor to it but can also be described as “earthy”.
The red banana has more Vitmain C and beta carotene (which your body breaks down to Vitamin A) than the yellow banana. it contains 3 types of sugars, sucrose, fructose, and glucose.
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