Biggest leaf Lycaste? - Orchid Board

Kostas · #1 10-05-2011, 06:24 AM

Hello!

I would like to ask you which Lycaste species has the biggest,longest and broadest leaf of all

I have tried searching for such info but most sites only mention flower size only unfortunately.
Also,i would like to ask you if any Lycaste have palm like leafs(fan like).

Thank you very much in advance!

Stitzelweller · #2 10-05-2011, 09:52 AM

Lycaste cruenta and Lycaste skinneri certainly deserve consideration for the biggest,longest and broadest leaf of all Lycaste species.

I don't know of any Lycaste with a palm like leaf configuration.

Kostas · #3 10-05-2011, 12:20 PM

Thank you very much for your reply!

L. skinneri is a real beauty!

Which other of the evergreen Lycaste has the biggest leafs? I found out L. macrophylla can have 40-60cm long leafs but i dont know if another has even bigger or hopefully,maybe even rival L. skinneri in leaf size.

Btw,what size leafs does L. lasioglossa has and is it evergreen or deciduous?

Thank you very much in advance!

Kostas · #4 10-05-2011, 08:22 PM

Well,searching around,i found that L. skinneri can have leafs 75x15cm,L. macrophylla 80x15cm and L. lasioglossa 90x10cm.These species are all said to keep their leafs till after flowering. Can you confirm that for the above species?

L. cruenta can have 65x20cm but is deciduous which rules it out for me.

Between L. macrophylla and L. lasioglossa,which would you choose and why? Do both have fragrant flowers and keep their leafs for more than one growing season?

Thank you very much in advance!

Stitzelweller · #5 10-06-2011, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kostas

L. cruenta can have 65x20cm but is deciduous which rules it out for me.

Different strokes for different folks! I prefer the Lyc cruenta and its hybrids.

Kostas · #6 10-11-2011, 06:39 PM

Yeap,everyone looks for different things on plants

Do you maybe know wether L. lasioglossa has both longer and broader leafs that L. macroglossa or just longer leafs,as implied by the above leaf measurements i found mentioned?
Is L. lasioglossa evergreen?

I am finding conflicting information with regards to L. macrophylla as well with some saying it loses its leafs after flowering and other that it retains them.Why do some of them lose their leafs at flowering and others dont? Is this cultural?

Thank you very much in advance!

Lars Kurth · #7 10-12-2011, 05:48 AM

I can't help with Lycaste leaf sizes, except that the one with the longest leaves I have is Lycaste Delphine (macrophylla X consobrina) and it seems to keep the leaves almost the entire winter. But maybe what you are really looking for is Neomoorea irrorata

Kostas · #8 10-12-2011, 10:15 AM

Thank you very much for your reply!

I am only looking for pure species Lycaste. Your other suggestion is just what i am looking for though! What an awesome plants!!!! Its in my wishlist now! I tried finding a seller for this one but couldnt locate any. Do you maybe know of a European source for it?

I would still like to get a Lycaste as well though. I have contacted a seller of both L. macrophylla and L. lasioglossa and he informed me that L. lasioglossa has the biggest leafs of the 2 and that they both shed their leafs annually. Why is that? They are supposed to be non-deciduous.
I am still debating which of the 2 to get though. Which one is more attractive as a whole to you? I have never seen either from close and cant find any good whole plant photos. If you have them,please post some!

Thank you very much in advance!

Lars Kurth · #9 10-12-2011, 02:06 PM

I sent a PM re vendors: I think the board policy is not to allow vendor names. Anyway, Neomoorea won't be easy to get.

On the Lycaste: I am not an expert, but whether plants shed leaves or not probably also depends on growing conditions. I don't have a view on one plant versus the other.

I am not normally one for hybrids either, but got L Delphine as a wedding present (see Orchid of the day: Lycaste Delphine on Twitpic). That particular hybrid is also not easy to get: mine is a division of a stock plant that I got from a friend who works as gardener at the Gardens of the French Senate.

Hope this helps

Kostas · #10 10-12-2011, 07:00 PM

Thank you very much for your reply and pm!

Which growing conditions would help a normally non-deciduous Lycaste like these species,keep their leafs and which would make it drop them annually at flowering? Would just providing a rest period cause it to drop its leafs while if provided with water yearound,would keep them?

Thank you very much in advance!