Beginner lycaste Orchids Suggestions please!

[Cattleya17]

Hey! i need to switch it up guys! i have been reading up on lycaste and their needs match my conditions. i just need a suggestion on which ones to start with. ones that have a nice fragrance and are not challenging to grow. I am not picky about color i like yellow red orange pink green purple white ect.

[Brooke]

Try Lyc. skinneri or guatemalensis or schilleriana and their hybrids.

Brooke

[cbuchman]

I've had an aromatica for about 20 years now and it has never let me down despite several set-backs It smells spicy in a good way. They like a little bit of drier spell that the skinneri type, which also are a little more temperature sensitive.

Remember that aromatica is deciduous with annual blooming in the spring.

Recommend the AOS culture sheet Lycaste Culture Sheet for more cultural info.

[Cattleya17]

Thanks! Do you know where I can find these plants? I really like the ones you mentioned! I also thank you for that culture sheet!

[cbuchman]

Lycastes are often found this time of year as they are frequently in flower/bud. I'd just do a web search. I saw several at cal-orchids on a recent visit.

[smweaver]

I agree with Carrie. Lycaste aromatica is a good choice. Several other Central American lycastes would also be good, especially cruenta, which is kind of a super-sized version of aromatica (but with a sweet scent that is different from aromatica's wonderful cinnamon aroma). Just remember that winter is their dormant period and don't be alarmed (or, actually, if you're like me, be overjoyed!) when their big leaves turn yellow and are discarded. Water sparingly in the winter months, give them as much light as you can, and keep the temperatures anywhere between 50 and 60 F at night, and they will flower profusely in the early spring months. Decent sources are Andy's Orchids and Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. Hausermann's still has some large-sized cruentas available, but they're too few to list on their website (at least that was the case the last time I checked). If you're really adventurous, try your hand at the species in the sudamerlycaste (formerly ida) genus, which used to be lumped in with the lycastes. The flowers are predominantly green, and the flowers smell fantastic during the evening. I don't know how close Marlow's Orchids is to you (Scottsville, NY), but they always have a great selection of flowering-size sudamerlycastes.

Steve

[ALToronto]

Do lycastes send flower spikes out the bottom, like stanhopeas, or from the top? I have a hybrid seedling that needs to go into a bigger pot, and I need to know if the pot should have a grid bottom.

[cbuchman]

The flower spikes appear from the base of the pbulbs and grow upwards. I grow mine in clay pots without problem.

[Cattleya17]

Originally Posted by smweaver

I agree with Carrie. Lycaste aromatica is a good choice. Several other Central American lycastes would also be good, especially cruenta, which is kind of a super-sized version of aromatica (but with a sweet scent that is different from aromatica's wonderful cinnamon aroma). Just remember that winter is their dormant period and don't be alarmed (or, actually, if you're like me, be overjoyed!) when their big leaves turn yellow and are discarded. Water sparingly in the winter months, give them as much light as you can, and keep the temperatures anywhere between 50 and 60 F at night, and they will flower profusely in the early spring months. Decent sources are Andy's Orchids and Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. Hausermann's still has some large-sized cruentas available, but they're too few to list on their website (at least that was the case the last time I checked). If you're really adventurous, try your hand at the species in the sudamerlycaste (formerly ida) genus, which used to be lumped in with the lycastes. The flowers are predominantly green, and the flowers smell fantastic during the evening. I don't know how close Marlow's Orchids is to you (Scottsville, NY), but they always have a great selection of flowering-size sudamerlycastes.

Steve

Hey Steve thanks so much!!!! Andy's has a cruenta for Real cheap I like it very much. I like the aromatica too Andy's doesn't have one listed maybe if I call that may have one laying around. How big do lycastes get by the way?

[smweaver]

Sizes of plants vary, depending on both species and cultural practices. Some of the deciduous Central American varieties (especially, in my experience, cruenta) can have fairly large leaves, but they're discarded during the winter, so the plants don't take up a lot of space at that time of year. All of the sudamerlycaste species that I've grown get big (both pseudobulbs and leaves) and take up quite a bit of space. Either Lycaste cruenta or aromatica is probably a really good choice to start with. Each species is hardy and adaptable, appreciates moderate light levels (more than for phalaenopsis but less than for cattleya), lots of water and fertilizer during the summer growing season. Just be very careful with getting water in the new growths of any of these plants, as they rot very easily.