I've made it no secret, although I mostly stick to the subfamily Cypripedioideae (aka Ladyslippers), I'm also a huge fan of the Oncidium alliance. Probably my favorite genus, and it's hard to choose, is Brassia. And Miltonia. And Odontoglossum. And Aspasia. And Oncidium. Okay, I love them all.
That being said, a lot of this group requires too much space or too much light or other conditions I can't provide. So, when I find plants that like me, as well as me liking them, I have to share.
Admittedly, I recently, finally acquired this species after many years of sitting on my wish list. This is Brassia caudata ...
This species and clone fit well under my lights. The flower size and count is decent. The fragrance is nice. Honestly, it's why I finally decided to pull the trigger. I'm a fragrance man. So, having this species in my collection is wonderful. I'm at a loss to describe the scent. It's unfamilar. It's musky, but pleasant. Definitely not a floral scent. A lot of Brassia hybrids have an olive blossom or nut tree blossom scent, but this is decidedly not that.
Regardless, it's a species I've had my eye out for, and I finally found a source that wasn't the alba clone, so let's just say, I'm happy. Also, I find it infinitely fascinating that this is a U.S.A. native. Apparently it is a naturalized resident of Florida, though it's a widespread species. For some reason, that makes me appreciate it that much more.
Brassia caudata
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