mrhappyrotter
Grand Chupacabra
I have several cultivars of Encyclia tampensis. I think I purchased this one from E-bay, years ago. It's the smallest growing one I have, small bulbs with very narrow foliage. Although I've had this one many years, I believe this is the first time this plant has flowered. All of my E. tampensis are in bud or bloom right now, so it must be the appropriate blooming season.
These have been very easy to grow, and seem to accept a wide variety of care and conditions. This past winter, I grew this in the minimally heated greenhouse, so this plant received temperatures approaching freezing. Not surprising at all that they are very cold hardy, given that they grow in parts of Florida in the USA that can sometimes see temperatures at or near freezing.
The flowers literally just opened, so they are not yet fragrant. Other cultivars that I've bloomed have strongly scented flowers, kind of a musky floral scent that some people describe as "honey". Will have to see with this. My greenhouse has open windows and doors on it, so I anticipate that the wasps and bees will make quick work of the flowers once they start producing scent. In years past, the flowers of my E. tampensis have been short lived due to the fact that they pretty quickly get pollinated. Let's see how they do this year.
These have been very easy to grow, and seem to accept a wide variety of care and conditions. This past winter, I grew this in the minimally heated greenhouse, so this plant received temperatures approaching freezing. Not surprising at all that they are very cold hardy, given that they grow in parts of Florida in the USA that can sometimes see temperatures at or near freezing.
The flowers literally just opened, so they are not yet fragrant. Other cultivars that I've bloomed have strongly scented flowers, kind of a musky floral scent that some people describe as "honey". Will have to see with this. My greenhouse has open windows and doors on it, so I anticipate that the wasps and bees will make quick work of the flowers once they start producing scent. In years past, the flowers of my E. tampensis have been short lived due to the fact that they pretty quickly get pollinated. Let's see how they do this year.
