Cym. aloifolium, old faithful

[Orchidflowerchild]

This is actually from its last flowering, as I do not wish to extricate the plant from its current position to photo. At any rate, it's in bloom, as it has reliably been in early summer most of the 13+ years I have had it. One of the first orchids I owned as a teenager!

One of my favourite parts of this species is that it is in fact fragrant, with about a quarter strength punch of the fragrance of stargazer lilies. When it has six or a dozen spikes open in the summer morning sun, it makes for a lovely scent to the breeze. Also, as the flowers age they go from this oystery white to the golden hue of parchment, still with the brushstrokes of garnet.

-Ceci

[RosieC]

Gorgeous!

[samarak]

That's a nice color form, Ceci!

This species has grown on me, pun intended. We wound up with 3 large plants we didn't really want (through a series of events too complicated to explain) and since I'm incapable of discarding a healthy plant, they were just distributed around the greenhouse wherever we had room. We pay them almost no attention, they've never been repotted (I think it would take an axe!), but they bloom reliably every year. I've come to like them a lot; one is a yellow form, which is interesting.

Does yours set pods? Ants, or wasps, or something, pollinate a flower or two every year, and I was going to send them to Troy (Meyers), but the pods always abort after months of looking healthy.

Steve

[Orchidflowerchild]

Originally Posted by samarak

That's a nice color form, Ceci!

This species has grown on me, pun intended. We wound up with 3 large plants we didn't really want (through a series of events too complicated to explain) and since I'm incapable of discarding a healthy plant, they were just distributed around the greenhouse wherever we had room. We pay them almost no attention, they've never been repotted (I think it would take an axe!), but they bloom reliably every year. I've come to like them a lot; one is a yellow form, which is interesting.

Does yours set pods? Ants, or wasps, or something, pollinate a flower or two every year, and I was going to send them to Troy (Meyers), but the pods always abort after months of looking healthy.

Steve

Yes, they are tough and carefree. I've lugged this thing through high school, college, and at least a dozen moves. I do get abortive pods. I suspect it will not self well. DO you have pictures of yours? Perhaps we could try an outcross.

-Ceci

[Island Girl]

Wow! That's beautiful. I love the color!

[WhiteRabbit]

Lovely! Will have to be on the look-out for one of these ...

[samarak]

I've attached a couple of pictures from last year - they're really bad pictures, for which I apologize, but they do show the flowers. Your plant has much nicer coloration and I think the flower form is better too.

Steve

[Orchidflowerchild]

i might wanna try swapping pollen with that yellow one if you're interested.

-Ceci

[samarak]

Sure. I don't think the yellow one has flowered yet but I'll see how things are coming along tomorrow.

That plant was from Hoosier originally.

Steve

[samarak]

Hi Ceci,

My wife pointed out that the first flowers on the yellow are open now, so if you're interested in pollen let me know.

Steve