Prostheca cochleata -OR- i'll have the Calamari, Please

[Keysguy]

I have a Prost. fragrans I brought north from FL for the summer because it had 3 spikes and I've had the plant 10 years I bet and have never seen it flower. 1 spike fully opened so far. Interesting but nothing special. "fragrans".............I can barely detect any and I do not have COVID. Might go back onto the raffle table where it likely came from.

[DeaC]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

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Dory from down under. Love it.

[Clawhammer]

Mine has been blooming under lights for 3 months with more buds on the way. Such a great plant. No fragrance for me either

I saw this last year in situ in Belize. It is their national flower, they call it the Black Orchid.

[camille1585]

Fantastic flowers DC! I love these crazy looking flowers, and I used to have a cross of this species, which I lost 5 years ago during a period where my orchids were on the back burner due to other stuff... It has the same sea creature shape, and a lovely purple color.

Luckily I finally found a place where I can buy a replacement, it's a Prosthechea cochleata x Epicattleya Miva Etoile.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Oooooh that sounds really cool!!

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

Oooooh that sounds really cool!!

Looks like this! Grc.Black Comet 'Indigo Blue' (Ency.cochleata x Guarechea MiVa Etoile Noire) / Orchids.com
The hybrid is 75% Prostheca cochleata and 25% Guarianthe bowringiana

[estación seca]

Having Prosthechea or Anacheilium in the ancestry really makes Cattleya hybrids much more vigorous, sturdy and tolerant of less than ideal conditions. In the era of hybridizing for huge show quality flowers on big plants, this kind of hybrid was not made. Now many hybridizers are trying to produce more windowsill plants that are easier to grow outside a greenhouse.

[DirtyCoconuts]

I’m reaping all the benefits of those enormous plants !!
I love HUGE orchids lol