Laelia anceps (Project 10 int. - Spring 2010)

[Country Gramma]

Hi Everybody,

Mine has flowered and I have some great pics. I forgot how to resize them...so I'll have to go and look that up to post the pics.

Karen

[Country Gramma]

OK...Here goes (I think)









It's been a while so maybe this worked.

[Country Gramma]

Well I don't know why they went down instead of across but at least they're there. What do you think. I wish I had Connies photography skills.

Karen

[nenella]

WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mine is not doing well at all and the new growth I had is drying up although put out 2 new roots, my older leaves & p/bulbs are suffering too. I think I'm going to try and resserect it in water in a vase.

[Zoi2]

Congrats Karen!!! lovely bloom.
Nenella I feel for you. I don't know what happened to mine, but this summer was not good for it. It started drying up and looking nasty. I put it in water culture and now have 4 nice roots. I will probably plant it in s/h as soon as the roots reach an inch or two.
Joann

[Becca]

Wow that spike is long! Glad I know what to expect! I can't wait for mine to bloom someday. I have one potted in a chc mix and I spray it really well every other day. I think they don't like to dry out like some Cattleya's do, and I think I have a tendency to want to treat it like the others. My other one is in s/h and is a division that Ted gave to me and it is happy as a bug! I love s/h!

[Connie Star]

Way to go Karen!
I wish my orchid growing skills were as good as yours! I have two, and no signs of spikes.
But I've been a photographer for 40 years and I've been growing orchids for less than two

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by nenella

WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mine is not doing well at all and the new growth I had is drying up although put out 2 new roots, my older leaves & p/bulbs are suffering too. I think I'm going to try and resserect it in water in a vase.

Sad day! Can you post pictures? Maybe we can help.

eta: with these being rupiculous and very drought hardy, you might not need to do any more than repot and keep it a little more humid, perhaps with a plastic bag over the top.

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by Becca

Wow that spike is long! Glad I know what to expect! I think they don't like to dry out like some Cattleya's do, and I think I have a tendency to want to treat it like the others.

Their long spikes are definitely one of their trademarks, that they commonly pass on to their progeny.

As for not liking to dry out, I have heard the opposite. After talking with several nurseries and knowledgeables on the board, the general consensus is that these guys do like a LOT of water, but also want perfect airy drainage, and the same dry out that other catts do. Similar to C. aclandiae.

but different things work for different people, orchid culture isn't always an exact science.


Here's a quote from an AOS article about the hereditary influences: "This vigorous Mexican species, Laelia anceps, features prominently in the development of cold tolerance in cattleyas. The species is dominant for its long inflorescence and characteristic four-angled pseudobulbs. The species imparts good shape, size, substance, and flower flatness to its hybrids. The color is recessive allowing hybridizers to develop a wide range of colors with the exception of yellow."
AOS | Hereditary Influences in the Cattleya Alliance
(I found this article fascinating)

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by Country Gramma

OK...Here goes (I think)









It's been a while so maybe this worked.

Looks like a real character, that one! Trying to be all cool and resupinate. "Look mom! For Halloween, I'm going to be a Reed-stem Epidendrum!"