# Laelia reginae - Thimble sized Laelia



## Drorchid (Sep 2, 2009)

This little species opened up, it was sooooo cute I had to take a picture of it. It is growing in a 2 inch terra cotta pot. We have a whole bunch of related mini- Laealia's in our collection (like Laelia briegeri, Laelia bradei, Laelia xanthina, Laelia cinnabrina, Laelia lundii and Laelia lilliputiana). Does anyone know if someone is breeding with these cute little Laelia's? I think it would be nice if there was a line of little thimble sized Cattleya/Laelia hybrids that you could grow in 2 inch pots. hmmmmm maybe I should start working on that.....












Robert


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## Candace (Sep 2, 2009)

Very dainty.


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## SlipperKing (Sep 2, 2009)

nice! Good luck on your breeding. I hope you don't wear bifocals!oke:


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## Hera (Sep 2, 2009)

The rupicolus laelias have been of interest to me for some time now. I would love to see minis made as primary crosses between them. There have to be some out there already, but I'm more familiar with the cross-sectional hybrids.


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## nikv (Sep 2, 2009)

Go for it, Robert! Just get out your mini toothpicks. And you'll probably need a jeweler's loop, too. :rollhappy: I'd love to see some of these minis crossed onto something like a laelia sincorana or a Mini Purple or the sort. I think the results would be very nice.


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## Mrs. Paph (Sep 2, 2009)

Definitely start working on those crosses!  I just love anything much tinier or much larger than 'the usual' for a type of plant, animal, object. I wonder if you could flask these crosses in the 15ml flask I have :rollhappy:


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## KyushuCalanthe (Sep 2, 2009)

Well, you couldn't call it stunning, but it is very cool. Has anyone tried crossing these tiny rupicolous types with Sophronitis? That might be very cool.


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## Hera (Sep 2, 2009)

Just found on Sunset Valley Orchids a section for Rupicolous Laelia. I didn't know that they even carried them. He has a few crosses using milleri and briegeri mostly. Not primary crosses though. Oranges and yellows dominant.


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## SlipperFan (Sep 2, 2009)

Bill Porter has a lovely little lundii cross, and I know he's talked about doing something with briegeri, but I don't know if he has yet or not:
http://portersorchids.com/catalogcatt.htm


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## Bobc (Sep 2, 2009)

Very nice. good photos.


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## tenman (Sep 3, 2009)

I have trouble distinguishing between reginae and fournieri. They look the same to me; I notice the lavender tips on your reginae - and on my fournieri (shown in a 2" pot). I have wondered from time to time if they are in fact conspecific.

Meanwhile, I know Woodland Orchids has one delightful L.lundii hybrid, a tiny, robust thing with lovely little flowers, plant about 3" high.


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## Paul (Sep 3, 2009)

tenman said:


> I have trouble distinguishing between reginae and fournieri. They look the same to me; I notice the lavender tips on your reginae - and on my fournieri (shown in a 2" pot). I have wondered from time to time if they are in fact conspecific.
> 
> Meanwhile, I know Woodland Orchids has one delightful L.lundii hybrid, a tiny, robust thing with lovely little flowers, plant about 3" high.




I was asking the same thing, I have a fournieri in flower now that looks exactly the same...


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## biothanasis (Sep 3, 2009)

Wonderful!!!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Sep 3, 2009)

SlipperFan said:


> Bill Porter has a lovely little lundii cross, and I know he's talked about doing something with briegeri, but I don't know if he has yet or not:



Well, I guess that answers my question. Thanks Dot!


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## TyroneGenade (Sep 3, 2009)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Well, you couldn't call it stunning, but it is very cool. Has anyone tried crossing these tiny rupicolous types with Sophronitis? That might be very cool.



Sl Psyche = coccinea x cinnabarina
Sl Marriottiana = flava x coccinea
Sl. Orpetii = coccinea x pumila
to name three that come to mind.

A lot of hybridizing has been done with L. pumila, some having been crossed to coccinea based hybrids. In fact, this line of breeding forms most of the foundation of mini-Catt breeding. To the best of my knowledge the other rupicolous types have not been used as systematically as pumila.

tt


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## Drorchid (Sep 3, 2009)

Thanks Dot and Tenman for the pictures of some of the hybrids. They sure are an inspiration to make more of those kind of crosses.

Well, I guess without realizing it, a few years ago, I already made a Rupicolous Laelia cross. I remade Sl. Mariottiana, but instead of using the regular Sophr. coccinea, I used the flavum form:

Sl. Mariottiana flava:






Robert


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## SlipperFan (Sep 3, 2009)

That's sweet, Robert.

If I ever get a greenhouse, I could see collecting these. Right now, even though these are small plants, I just have a space problem.


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## neo-guy (Sep 3, 2009)

Fred Clarke at Sunset Valley Orchids has been doing some work with these laelias. Here is a primary between L. milleri and briegeri:






and a little more complex hybrid of Laelia Seagull's Tangerine x Sl. Pole Star:


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## Jorch (Sep 3, 2009)

Such dainty but elegant flowers! Do they like really hot and humid conditions to grow and bloom?


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## JeanLux (Sep 4, 2009)

very nice!!! Hopefully the hybrids are easier to grow  !!! Jean


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## Paul (Sep 4, 2009)

Jorch said:


> Such dainty but elegant flowers! Do they like really hot and humid conditions to grow and bloom?



rupicolous Laelia usually prefers cool (at least at night) and very bright conditions


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## neo-guy (Sep 4, 2009)

JeanLux said:


> very nice!!! Hopefully the hybrids are easier to grow  !!! Jean



We are finding that the hybrids are definitely easier to grow! They seem to grow fine in a coarse bark mix as young seedlings, and then adapt to it as adults. 
Pete


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## Jorch (Sep 4, 2009)

Paul said:


> rupicolous Laelia usually prefers cool (at least at night) and very bright conditions



Great!! Thanks Paul! I gotta give these a try


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