Sobralia atropubescens
 

Canes up to 3 feet high, bloom several times year round. Roots are always kept more or less humid. Bought mine from ecuagenera.

Wow, long canes! Really pretty.

Fabulous!

I've been told that I can grow these as garden plants here in San Francisco, so I'm going to try that this year in the back garden. I don't think I want the ones that get 20' tall, but those shorter ones look like such attractive plants, and the flowers are wonderful. Was thinking of planting them and then have a "border" of Masdevallia, which also do well outdoors here. Love the photos of this one you posted!

Thanks for the regards. And ron, I don't know much about the conditions in your backdoor garden, but I suppose this could be successful. As Sobralias develop a strong root system, I would consider to let them potted until you know for sure that the plant does well. Remember that the roots should not dry out completely.
Some growers here in Germany put their plants outdoors over summer as well. It seems that the sobralia buds wait for the rain and open after raining.
Good luck.

Tom at Golden Gate Orchids here in SF said he grew them in a raised bed filled with bark, and I think they and the masdevallias grow in almost exactly the same conditions. It's worth a try. The raised bed is to keep them from getting oversaturated when it rains here a lot during the winter. Summer, I'll have to water as it does nothing but have fog from around May through October or so.

These are awesome, but so so tall, no fit for my balcony:-) Gorgeous plant!

My Sobralia macrantha alba did bloom for me in San Francisco. I dug it up and took it with me when I moved here, it seemed to have no idea anything had happened, and is multiplying like crazy. Fantastic flower, but I didn't get to photograph it.