Angcm sesquipedale
 

I picked this up at the Tampa show recently. It had just one bud on it...and this is what started opening yesterday!
It's in a 6" pot.
I love it :love:

I can't wait until mine gets that big because that is really beautiful. your bloom is about the size of my plant!

Wowsie! :shock: I love giant flowers on compact plants
Congrats on your new baby! :clap:
Is it fragrant?

I haven't noticed any fragrance...yet ;)
I'll have to go out to take a sniff tonight

It's not really a compact plant, rather large in size.

Wow! That's a gigantic flower!! :shock: Is that a spur trailing from behind the flower down below the edge of the pot?? :shock: :shock:

:nod:

:yikes:

:dance13:

Holy cow! :faint: That's amazing!!

Super neat, Susanne. I was just reading about it this morning. It is called the Darwin orchid, because he predicted there would be a specific moth to pollinate it because of its 14 inch nectary. It is described as heavily fragrant at night.

Kim

Awsum. Too large for me or I'd try one. Angaecoids seem to do well for me.

I love this plant...and I love the idea that there's a "story" that goes with it.

That being said...I take no credit for this bloom, it was in full bud when I got it.

Hopefully, I can get it to repeat the show next year ;)

Hi Sue! That is a medium light orchid, right?
It's gorgeous! :)

Hi kiki :)

This one takes pretty bright light, just not direct sun.

It's so lovely Sue! And the flower is HUGE:yikes:

Doesn't matter if you didn't grow it into bud... YOU bought it :clap: Nice pick :D

Angraecum sesquipedale comes from a genus of spectacular orchids, characterized by the cool contrast of deep green foliage and ivory-white flowers that are fragrant at night. These have up to 4 flowers that bloom in the winter/spring and look like great waxy stars with their foot long tails trailing behind them. This nectar tube of 25-30 cm (10-12 in.) in length has only the distal end filled with nectar. This genus does not appreciate having their roots broken, so before repotting, make sure their roots are well soaked with water, allowing them to become pliable and easily manipulated.

When studying Angraecum sesquipedale, Charles Darwin theorised that, since the nectar was at the bottom of the spur, a pollinator must exist with a tongue at least as long as the spur. Otherwise the orchid could never be pollinated. At the time, he was not believed. However, in 1903 some 41 years after Darwin's death, the predicted pollinator was discovered, a hawk moth now named Xanthopan morganii praedicta (praedicta meaning predicted). It had an appropriately long proboscis.

Sue great find! Under your care, it will look like this in no time (from our March society show table):

I have to go take another picture of it because the bloom really opened up overnight! It's stunning!!! The flower on this plant looks and feels like a wax flower...gorgeous!!!

Okay, got the new pics ready:

The sepals are 3 1/2" each, the petals are 3" each the lip is just under 3" and the spur is 11" long! The plant is 12" tall and 18" wide!

I am SO happy I decided to get this one! :dance:

Dave, that is spectacular! I can only hope! :crossfing