Laelia pupurata flamea x L. purpurata striata Doraci

[flexdc]

Your purpurata looks beautiful. I must try this. I presume you grow outdoors year round?
I had a cattelya tenebrosa that just finished blooming. I attribute it to the late season heat wave we've been having here in So. Cal.

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

This week I noticed that another sheath of flowers opened, and there is another one in the back that will be flowering soon. I am quite amazed, I have never seen this species bloom here in CA except in June/July.

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

this L. purpurata.... Yes, I ran out of space in the house years ago, so I avoid anything that does not grow outdoors here... so this purpurata has been outside all the time since I bought it five years ago... 2008. I finally realized last year that the best treatment for it was full sun and that seems to incite a lot of flowering.

[Cattleya17]

So gorgeous!!!! Both of my laelias bloomed very late this year as well! early September. They usually bloom for me in NY in late May and then in July around the 4th.

I envy your climate in California I too have run out of space in my home. I have a great outdoor space for them but we have our friend old man winter to take care of that

[cbuchman]

I love it. You've inspired me to try Laelia again I've killed several over the years....

[silken]

I have a laelia purpuratata that seems healthy and has lots of roots. It has quite light green leaves, but not lime green. I think it should be bloom size by now but I still don't have blooms. Any tips? It gets a cooler winter under T5 lights and lots of sun in summer. I wonder if I should try and keep it cooler in summer although it doesn't look stressed.

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

I have found that my L. purpurata, and hybrids of that species with others, seem to need an intense about of sun in order to bloom. Mine have been outdoors for years, but when I had them in light shade with only partial sunlight, they grow well but didn't bloom. Last year I put mine out where it gets direct sun most of the day and all of a sudden, I got several sheaths with blooms in June, and now again in September, three sheaths with blooms. So it appears that that is what it takes... intense light.

[silken]

Thanks for the tip. Mine got more sun than ever this year because we were very delayed in getting our shade cloth up. Maybe that will help and I'll try to continue giving more light.

[RosieC]

Thanks for the tip on light. I did have mine in full sun outside over the summer. Nothing yet but then we didn't have a bright summer and it's also still recovering from root rot. Had to move it into the greenhouse for winter but I will make sure and put it back in the sun as soon as I can in the spring.