I've been about dying with anticipation over this one. I've wanted one of the "black" flowering orchids for a while, so I was really excited to see this on the SVO list last year. I'd been thinking about giving something in the Catasetinae alliance a try anyway.
I was going to just buy the one plant but the minimum order requirement delayed that . . . and then it occurred to me that my birthday was approaching, so I asked my mom if she'd buy me plants instead of books. (I sent her a list of 3 and ended up with 4, because Fred put an extra in!)
The spike started in mid-November, and the buds got to full size in about mid-January - and they were only partly dark, which I know was a possibility for this cross. And they sat there and sat there and
did not open, but they got darker and darker and finally, this is what they are.
It was fun watching how the angle of the bloom relative to the spike changed so much, especially over the last 3 days - they started easing open on Friday, and I think this morning two of them may be as open as they'll get.
I like how backlighting shows how deep a red they are.
(Edited to add another picture to better show the angle change. I hope.)
Fdk. Kelly Longley first bloom
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