Your opinion: what is the most beautiful orchid?

[Orchids&Tarantulas]

Any more from anyone else?

Please share your favorites below!

[Mountaineer370]

Understanding this is a very subjective topic, and if you ask 100 orchid lovers, you will get close to 100 different answers, I'll say that the Phalaenopsis schilleriana is definitely at or near the top of my list. I don't have a photo, since I don't own one, but if I may share a link to a page from the American Orchid Society. Scroll down to the third photo that shows the entire plant, with multiple cascades of pink flowers and those spectacular barred leaves, and that's what I'm talking about. This is a plant I would find very attractive even when it's not in bloom. A mature specimen would be too big for the space I have, and I don't believe I could provide the temps and humidity it would like, but I still think it's gorgeous.

Phalaenopsis schilleriana

[Clawhammer]

My top three based on flower beauty alone:

1.) Cattleya dowiana
2.) Catasetum denticulatum
3.) phragmipedium kovachii

[jcec1]

Vanda falcata
Phalaenopsis mannii
and my native Ophrys apifera

[3rdMaestro]

I have to agree with mountaineer. A specimen of phalaenopsis schilleriana is on my list of top 3. To me, the blooms are the picture perfect and the mottled leaves add character in and out of bloom.
I feel like there are going to be a lot of people that have cattleya as one of their three, but who can blame us? They are sooo showy! One of my favorite cattleyas was a hybrid I saw on display from marble branch farms. I'll try to add the picture here.
Lastly whenever I am introducing people to the outstanding world of orchids, there's 2 genus I like to "wow" people with; Dracula and Disa. (See how I snuck in 4 answers?) But if I had to go with one, I'd personally lean towards Disa orchids.

[PaphMadMan]

Three beauties that have always had particular appeal for me: Prosthechea mariae, Cypripedium formosanum, Angraecum magdalenae

[yug]

I always love the lip on the Cattleya aurea. But I love the overall appearance of Phaius tuberculosa. I also like the cute little Papilionanthe hookeriana and Psychopsis krameriana.

[yug]

Really hard to pin it down to just 3. After giving it more thought, I'd go with:
Gastrorchis tuberculosa
Cattleya aurea
Paphiopedilum parishii

but, that could change again.

(aaarrrrgggghhhh!!! so many to choose from!!)

[ardera]

Iwanagara Apple Blossom 'Mendenhall' - I personally think 'Mendenhall' has the prettiest colors (I just got one that should be arriving Thursday, YAY!), but I LOVE the shape and form of all of the Apple Blossom varieties. I currently own 2 'Fantasy' (one was ONLY tagged as Apple Blossom, and turns out it is exactly the same as my 'Fantasy', and one that should be white (according to the woman who gave me a division, but it really suffered and just about died, so it is taking quite a while to recover before it gives me any flowers). I'm hoping to add even more varieties to my collection!

Angraecum magdalenae - Yes, I too am a HUGE fan of this one! Finally got my hands on a more mature one, so far I have killed 2 seedling size ones. So I am happy to have a mature size now.

And for the 3rd, I would have to say Cattleya Christopher Hauserman

[JScott]

It's hard, if not possible to answer that question because each plant has certain characteristics you love!

However for me, just based on what plant I have the most of, I would have to say Cattleya tenebrosa.