Aerides Punchinello

A mainly white orchid with purple highlights, this is an Aerides from Asia and, as such, the flowers hang down in a foxtail like fashion. Aerides are also called the Cat's tail orchid.
It's obvious why it's called Punchinello - the hook looks like the old puppet's large, hooked nose. Punchinello was an 18th century Italian marionette puppet who was always falling over. The English called him Punch and started the travelling Punch and Judy shows.
There were four sprays or racemes on this plant this year. I noticed some of the flowers yellowed and fell off before they opened, maybe it was the heat.
The frangrance of this orchid is subtle and spicy, similar to
Aerides houlletiana.