Cattleya (Laelia) jongheana season

[geoffsharris]

One of my favorite plants. Always a crowd pleaser.

 

[Herbert]

 

[Guldal]

Very lovely, indeed!

 

[alex.sorensen51]

I love Laelia's as a form to identify with....I have nursed a lobata since '93, and it is finally starting to do well..maybe bud next year?

 

[tomp]

Very nice collection Geoff!

 

[noochka1]

Gorgeous!

 

[GuRu]

This flowers look great, especially their lips. What about the scent in your greenhouse ?

 

[geoffsharris]

The jongheanas don't have much of a scent so far.

 

[Brabantia]

Very nice flowering! Could you please give us some details on how your plant is grown. Thanks in advance.

 

[Carmella.carey]

Absolutely lovely, and such attractive shapes. do they have cultivar names?
-Patrick

 

[geoffsharris]

These are growing in a cool/intermediate house with a winter low of 52 and highs generally in the high 60s on the coldest winter days and mid 70s on most days. In summer, nighttime temps are high 50s to 60 and day temps are in the high 70 to mid 80s. Most of these are mounted or in wood baskets with some coarse moss (or a little sphagnum). I've grown them both a bit warmer when I lived in San Diego and also grew them outside where they would get down into the 40s in winter. They get watered nearly daily from Feb though Nov and then get a pretty dry rest (once a week or less) until they start the flowering grows that begin in January when I start watering them once or twice a week. They bloom this time of year, but will continue to grow non flowering grows the rest of the year until late fall. I tend to like to water them in the evening as this is how they get water in nature. They are found on the windward side of the campos rupestres environments in Brazil where they get nightly fogs that wet the mosses around their roots. During the day it is somewhat windy and they dry out. I feel that this gives them the best chance of fully absorbing the water you give to them vs. the day time where evaporation is much higher. My success has been lower when potted in bark and watered once or twice a week. I don't think they get either enough water or air at the roots this way. Grown mounted or in small vanda baskets they do great. They get quite bright conditions in the greenhouse as they grow in pretty exposed environments in Brazil. I think the trick for most is to keep it cool enough at night and give consistent and rapid wet dry cycles. Too long between wet dry cycles they don't get enough water to grow well and if they don't dry out the roots rot.

 

[Brabantia]

These are growing in a cool/intermediate house with a winter low of 52 and highs generally in the high 60s on the coldest winter days and mid 70s on most days. In summer, nighttime temps are high 50s to 60 and day temps are in the high 70 to mid 80s. Most of these are mounted or in wood baskets with some coarse moss (or a little sphagnum). I've grown them both a bit warmer when I lived in San Diego and also grew them outside where they would get down into the 40s in winter. They get watered nearly daily from Feb though Nov and then get a pretty dry rest (once a week or less) until they start the flowering grows that begin in January when I start watering them once or twice a week. They bloom this time of year, but will continue to grow non flowering grows the rest of the year until late fall. I tend to like to water them in the evening as this is how they get water in nature. They are found on the windward side of the campos rupestres environments in Brazil where they get nightly fogs that wet the mosses around their roots. During the day it is somewhat windy and they dry out. I feel that this gives them the best chance of fully absorbing the water you give to them vs. the day time where evaporation is much higher. My success has been lower when potted in bark and watered once or twice a week. I don't think they get either enough water or air at the roots this way. Grown mounted or in small vanda baskets they do great. They get quite bright conditions in the greenhouse as they grow in pretty exposed environments in Brazil. I think the trick for most is to keep it cool enough at night and give consistent and rapid wet dry cycles. Too long between wet dry cycles they don't get enough water to grow well and if they don't dry out the roots rot.

Thank you I appreciated the details of your growing conditions that you gave us.

 

[David B]

Very nice, please show off the alba when it opens.

 

[annica.jarvela]

The flowers are very lovely indeed. I have always loved Laelias, they tend to have so lovely flowers and forms, and beautiful colors. Also they give to crosses with others such delicate features. I like all of them, but have now mainly the smaller rock Laelias or small crosses made with rock Laelias.

 

[Ozpaph]

great collection!

 

[NEslipper]

Love them! Is that a big alba plant I see in the background about to burst into bloom? Please post an update with a photo of that one if you get the chance!