Jerusalem Day Orchid Cactus

by Brian Tada

Title

Jerusalem Day Orchid Cactus

Artist

Brian Tada

Medium

Photograph - Digital Photograph

Description

12.09.20 :: THANK YOU to the precious customer from Los Angeles, California who purchased a greeting card of “Jerusalem Day Orchid Cactus”. May you enjoy your card for many years to come. God bless you!

Contest Awards:
Giving glory to God this image won the following contest placements on Fine Art America:
* 1st Place in the "Spring Is Here ~ Flower Contest", 03.25.21. (Contest host: Jasna Dragun)
* 2nd Place (tie) in the "New Logo For 500 Views Group" contest, 04.30.21. (Contest host: Mariola Bitner)
Thank you to those who hosted the contests, and to those who voted.
God bless you!
And, Congratulations to the other winners!

Special Recognition:
04.17.2021: "Best of the Best" Special Feature, Wisconsin Flowers and Scenery Group home page. Thank you to group host, Mr. Randy Rosenberger for the selection. God bless you!

Group Homepage Features:
Giving praise to God and thank-you to the group hosts for featuring this image on the homepages of the Fine Art America groups:
* FLORAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART, 09.22.17
* FLOWERS FROM OUR GARDENS, 09.22.17
* GLOBAL FLOWERS PHOTOGRAPHY, 03.25.21
* 100 FAVORITE, 03.28.21
* 1,000 TO 1,999 VIEWS, 03.28.21
* ONLY BLOOMS AND FLOWERS PHOTOGRAPHY, 04.18.21

An orchid cactus (epiphyllum) blossom makes its glorious appearance in the backyard on a beautiful spring day on May 23rd, 2017. This is the first of two flowers to blossom on the same plant, and is only the second time this plant has set out flowers in several years.

I named this spectacular blossom “Jerusalem Day Orchid Cactus” because it bloomed during the 50th Anniversary year of the re-unification of Jerusalem as the Eternal Capital of Israel.

When I visited the Jewish Homeland, it was truly an honor and joy to walk the ancient streets of the Holy City that is filled with history and over 3,500 years of Jewish heritage. I actually felt safer walking the streets of Jerusalem than here in the San Francisco Bay Area!

The plant pictured here is named "epiphyllum" which means "upon the leaf", referring to how flowers grow from the support structures which are technically not leaves rather branches in which photosynthesis occurs.

Epiphyllums are native to the tropical rain forests of Central and South America and naturally grow in trees rather than on the ground.

The height of the blooming season is generally from April through June. Blossoms on smaller varieties last up to a week whereas those of larger cultivars (like the 9-inch blossom in this photo) last only 1-3 days. However, their spectacular beauty and fragrance more than compensate for their brief blooming period.

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?" Luke 12:27-28, NKJV

*****

Artwork notes:

Embedded in the top right-hand corner is the Hebrew acronym for "B'ezras Hashem" [ב ס " ד] meaning "with God's help". It is a reminder to me as an artist of my dependence on the Almighty, the Originator of all creativity. This is a similar acknowledgement used by great artists like Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel who signed their work with the Latin phrase, "Soli Deo gloria" which means, "Glory to God alone".

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Photograph copyright © 2017 Brian Tada. All rights reserved. To the glory of God. This image may not be copied, photographed, downloaded, distributed, displayed online or altered in any way, without the express written permission from the photographer. Licensing of this image is available; please inquire for more details.

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May 24th, 2017

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