Brassavola Hybrids
 

RJSquirrel posted pictures of his lovely Brassavola nodosa in another thread. So his pretty plant pictures got me to looking for similar plants to grow myself. I found an eBay vendor out of Hawaii selling these two plants. The vendor had compots for buy it now, they were very inexpensive, so I purchased them. Since pulling the trigger on this purchase, I have looked all over the Internet for culture requirements. There is a lot of information!

Brassolaeliocattleya (Blc) Mem. Vida Lee 'Limelight'. These pictures and plants come from peandshel/eBay vendor.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3852/...101ca7cc_b.jpg
BrassavolaLaeliaCattleya by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

Brassocattleya (Bc) (Little Stars x Maikai) 'Hawaii'

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3887/...fa68100e_b.jpg
BrassavolaCattleya by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

Great find! I like them both. According to OrchidWiz, Little Stars x Maikai is registered as Bc. Island Stars.

Thanks silken. Do you grow either of these plants?

No. But I have a large Bc. Maikai and Bc. Nakornpathome Silver, which is B. nodosa x Bc. Binosa (nodosa x bicolor). The Bc. Nakornpathome Silver hasn't bloomed for me yet. I bought it as a seedling several years ago. I keep getting sheaths but nothing more on that one.

Typical catt culture...bright light (2500-3500 fcs would be perfect)...let dry out between waterings.

I didn't grow the Maikai hybrid but I did grow Maikai and that one and Lime Light were easy growers and reliable bloomers.

Brassavola Hybrids
 

Do the bloom size for these two orchids get very large? I am hoping they stay compact, otherwise I'm going to have to build a greenhouse! I figured these would take the traditional Cattleya bright light. Thanks Katrina.

Just got a confirmation that these two plants has shipped from Hilo, HI. The note came from Carmela Orchids? I have not bought any plants from Carmela--I have heard of them. This will be my first.

You'll be pleased with the Carmela plants.
Joann

The maikai was a good one for under lights...I think it topped out at around 7" or 8" leaves and it would bloom in a 4" pot. It grew like a weed and I would divide when it was overflowing an 8" pot. So, not miniature but definitely on the more compact side. Oh, and when I would divide...it would never skip a beat...bloomed right on schedule. When it was filling an 8" pot it would put out a smaller flush of blooms in the summer but the big flush was always Dec/Jan.

It's been longer since I grew the LL but if my memory serves me it was a taller plant and rather than growing "around" in the pot...it walked across the pot. At least that's what I'm remembering. Not as neat and tidy as the Maikai/Maikai hybrids. I'm thinking more along the lines of 12" tall leaves. Maybe?

They are both lovely, but that second one is my favorite!

Both are beautiful. Is either one or both fragrant? Thanks, BettyE.