Anybody grow Laelia aurea?

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I read Halbinger & Soto's Laelias of Mexico on the flight back from Tamiami. I didn't realize there were so many.

Does anybody grow L. aurea or L. rubescens? As hot-growing species, it seems they would be easier in cultivation than the high-elevation species.

[isurus79]

I've grown L. rubescens (which is basically the same as L. aurea) and it did well in the Texas heat. I've seen other growers in my area have good success too.

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Olympic Orchids sent their E-mail newsletter yesterday. They have L. aurea seedlings. I ordered 3. We'll see what happens.

[dansyr]

Hey ES, any pointers from growing your L aurea seedling? I just got a L aurea seedling from Olympic as well, but when it came in it was looking a bit sad - Ellen said it had been left under a bit too high of light so the two pbulbs were a bit dehydrated and looks like the oldest leaf is about to drop. But new growth so the future looks good. Anyway, given that it's not in a very robust condition, I feel the need to give it perfection from the start. Right now I have it hanging in a north-facing windowsill rack a few inches away and to the side of a 13w LED strip. Did you find you had to baby it much on the light or humidity side at first?

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Having been near its habitat, I can predict any seedlings surviving to adulthood will begin life nestled in shade under other plants.

Don't give any Cattleya alliance seedlings high light. They're too small to handle that.

It probably sprouts among dense moss and ferns, and even in the dry season is shady and more humid. Adult plants might be adapted to months of drought, but almost no orchid seedling will tolerate that. I have left my Olympic seedlings in the fresh sphagnum they came in, and tried not to let them dry out. They are under other Cattleyas in bright shade through a southeast-facing window. They get no direct sun.

I would guess Cattleya seedlings generally die of too much light, too little water, soggy medium for too long, or poor air circulation/excessive humidity.

[Dollythehun]

I've done exactly as ES says, except mine are repotted in bark. They have thrived.

[dansyr]

Thanks so much for the responses! I left it mounted and sphagnumed but moved it ~1 ft from a gentle breezy north window (phals seem happy there), does that seem about right? Only gets ~2 hours of morning sun.

For moss, do you try to go for the never-quite-dry point before watering, or do you let it just barely dry out? Sorry for the annoying questions, I've grown phals, bulbos, pleuros, dens from flask but nothing in Laeliinae so I'm worried there's something special I'm missing.

[Dollythehun]

Mine are in bark, I watered every other day. They are in front of a tree shaded south window. Now outside for the summer.

[Ben_in_North_FLA]

Have grown both mounted in South Florida outside and some mounted on trees with good success.
Recommendation is to give them very bright light and DO NOT OVER WATER, make sure plant is dry and then wait another day.