Rupiculous Laelias

[Leisurely]

I don't normally post pictures of plants that I have recently ordered but in this case I decided to show off my wonderful find and perhaps provide incentive for others interested in these little marvels. They are not species but primary hybrids of some of the better species making them somewhat easier to grow and flower. They are true miniatures with some remaining under three inches high.

They arrived in perfect condition today from Sunset Valley Orchids, one of my favorite growers. They are happily growing in 3" pots. All of the plants are totally without flaw, not a single blemish on any leaf, which is rare with plants that are ordered.

These are plants that are not easy to find so anyone interested should get their order in fast before they become picked over. I ordered early and he sent all five plants in sheath.

The website is Sunset Valley Orchids.com

[SP2340]

Very nice, congrats!!

[Ross]

Very nice, Jerry. I only have one and it's very difficult to get to bloom.

[Leisurely]

Ron, they do have a reputation of being both difficult to grow and bloom so I speculated for a while before buying any. There is a grower in Miami who has been very successful and wrote a lengthy article about them so I decided if he could grow them well in Miami I should be able to do the same in the Orlando area. Laelia briegeri is considered one of the easier ones to grow so I raised a seedling and flowered it this spring after having it for two years. I guess time will tell with these.

[Bolero]

Nice ones, thanks for sharing. I have huge amounts of trouble getting good root systems on these plants. It's good to see someone with good plants.

[Leisurely]

Bolero, I had two species before obtaining these and they have done quite well for the two years that I have had them.

There is a grower in Miami who is very successful by growing them high in the greenhouse with lots of water, air and light. He pots them with small lava rock in the bottom half of the pot and small expanded shale in the top half. They totally resent re-potting when they are not making active root growth so that is something you must be accommodated.

The new plants that I ordered are hybrids using several species and are supposed to be much more vigorous and easier to flower.

[dgenovese1]

Hey Jerry,
Congrats on your new additions!

I was just on the Sunset Valley website last night...thinking about placing an order...you may have just swung the pendulem in favor of that decision.

I'll be sure to let you know how things go.

[Royal]

I got an order from SVO last month. Mine was perfect too. Prices are very reasonable, especially when they arrive in such great condition. I figured, if the guy has an artificial genus named after him, he probably knows how to grow a few orchids.