20 year old Laelia purpurata

[WhiteRabbit]

fabulous! good call on not dividing!

[Call_Me_Bob]

yeah, good call not dividing!

[Fernando]

But the flowers ARE lovely! You won't win a price, but the criteria for awarding flowers and for beauty are different. I've seen much poorer purpuratas (my own, turned out to be an alba, with completely backcurling petals), but could you take a close up picture of lip and throat?
Enjoy your fabulous plant!
Fer

[smweaver]

That's a wonderful-looking plant. And at that size and with that many blooms, the flowers don't have to be perfect in order for it to be a showstopper. Besides, I think too many people get hung up on the quest for a "perfect" bloom. Ideals aren't universal, and most forms of acknowledged beauty merely reflect contemporary tastes. I would gladly trade a ratty looking plant with a supposedly perfect and/or award-quality bloom for a striking and healthy specimen like this one. Congratulations.

[Call_Me_Bob]

beauty is in the eye of the beholder. who says it has to be perfect anyways??

[tucker85]

Wow! That plant is spectacular.

[Call_Me_Bob]

is it fragrant?

[RobS]

Originally Posted by glengary54

It was given to me by a friend many years ago and I believe the original tag had it as Laelia purpurata
(carnea X werkhauseri). I just assumed it was just a poor quality flower but grew it on because it was a present. It is not a flower that I would have purchased. But at this point I have so much time and effort in it, I enjoy it for what it is, a reliable bloomer that takes absolutely no thought or energy on my part. lol I wish I could say that for some of the other plants that I grow and struggle with.

As Polka I have the feeling it's not a pure purpurata and also though about maxima. But with such an amazing plant I can only say well done.

[glengary54]

I did manage to take a photo of the throat today, will post it as soon as I get some work done in the greenhouse.

[Call_Me_Bob]

okay. cant wait to see the closeup