2013 Sobralias blooming in So Cal

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

I love these orchids. Grow like tall grassy shrubs, beautiful flowers. Too bad the blooming doesn't recur over more than a month or so. A white, blooming profusely (a Sobralia mirabilis "Angelica" from Cal Orchids that I bought in 2011 (white), an unidentified but beautiful S. veitchii also purchased in late 2011 (off white with lavender and yellow), and a S. macrantha I ordered online from a vendor in Puerto Rico in the same year (lavender) - it had its first blooms on one stalk this year, next year I expect a profuse blooming on many stalks). Perhaps next year I will be adding the blooms of yet another Sobralia that I purchased in 2011, a seedling then, (I believe a mirabilis x xantholeuca cross), just now starting to put out larger growths. We'll see. I should be yellow, I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like.

These are cool growers, I can keep them outdoors here all year, potted in a mix of bark and coconut husks. As long as temps don't dip below freezing I should be OK.

[silken]

Wow, are those ever nice!

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

It's an overcast Sunday here but the S. mirabilis was in full bloom, I thought I'd add a few more pictures.

[euplusia]

Fantastic. So many flowers. All of them are beautiful, but the white one has a special elegance.

[flexdc]

Seeing your success I want to give one a try. Would you say treat them like
Cymbidiums?
Also hotter here in Hollywood than by the beach I hope that is ok

Thanks
Andrew

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

Well, as you mention, Hollywood is hotter than the coast, but I have read that the even grow these in Florida so it should not be too hot in your area. Here I give them mid day or afternoon sun depending on where they are. These are all derived from what are considered cooler growing species from Mexico so I'm thinking cymbidium style growing should be fine. They like staying moist and i have them planted in a mix of medium sized bark, coconut husk with a little perlite and they seem to do fine. I suspect I could give them full sun here, not sure in a hotter inland area if you'd have to temper that a bit. I do remember seeing warmer growing species planted in full sun in Costa Rica as hedges.

Good luck

[WhiteRabbit]

Beautiful!

[flexdc]

Where did you get yours?

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

Various places but the easiest place to get one is Cal Orchids in Santa Barbara. I got the white and a seedling that is supposed to bloom yellow from them, they have a variety. The purple came from Puerto Rica via Ebay, the mix of light lavender lip, yellow, white was from an orchid show/sale in San Diego. So just look around

I've managed to get one small start from the yellow/lavender one, a few small small pieces broke off, it's probably around 2-3 years from blooming, but these things have MASSIVE root systems, you have to literally chop/saw off cuttings.

[RosieC]

Just wonderful