Laelia virens

My plant is producing blooms You can see against the light. How to keep it from now? Is a temperature in the greenhouse from 12 to 15°C good enough or should it stand warmer at room temperature of about 22°?

Don't change conditions - it's the fastest way to blast the buds. I know that phals that are forced to bloom by a temp drop do better when they're moved into a warmer environment, but I don't think the same holds for catts.

Once the flowers open, you can enjoy them indoors.

You do keep it at a pretty cool temp! I got this species earlier this year, so I was looking for info, too, but I didn't find much. So I'm curious to see what others say. Here is some stuff I found out. I think it is fairly rare species in nature, but occurs in Atlantic Forest around Esprito Santo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro. IOSPE says it occurs around 1000-1500m. The weather data of Petropolis (elev. 828m), n. or Rio de Janeiro, is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrópolis
So, if we use 10C decrease per 1000m elevation gain, 5C below Petropolis might be the temp for this species. So in the fall (when they flower), max/min of 22/12C. Mine is growing pretty well at 22/15C.

naoki said:

So, if we use 10C decrease per 1000m elevation gain, 5C below Petropolis might be the temp for this species. So in the fall (when they flower), max/min of 22/12C. Mine is growing pretty well at 22/15C.

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Yes, mine is growing under same condition. It should be O.K.

Standard temperature gradient is about 7°C per 1000m, 2°C per 1000 feet.

It will be ready at Christmas for Christmas

Two months to develop from sheath to blooms... I'm sure the buds would have blasted if I grew these in my home. Good job!

Its cool here, 12 to 15°C and additional light from afternoon to evening

eagerly await the flowers. I, too, would not grow it warmer.

Looks great. Don't often see this one. Looking forward to the bloom photos. How big is the plant?

PaphMadMan said:

How big is the plant?

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about 15 cm high

Berthold said:

about 15 cm high

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Thanks.

Perhaps understandably, there are no registered hybrids with this species, but looking at your plant's compact size and neat growth habit I have to wonder if it might be worth a try.

Kirk, do You have an idea? Cattleya genus and relatives are not my field.

Berthold said:

Kirk, do You have an idea? Cattleya genus and relatives are not my field.

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Well, I'd make a primary hybrid. Something small with flat open flowers. Probably my first choice would be a really good C. (S.) coccinea.

3 of 4 blossoms are open

Delicate!

Interesting! Never seen this before. It looks like a triphora 'three birds orchis'


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Lovely coloring, and a charm that no flat round hybrid could ever have.

Lovely!

Cool.

So, 14 month after pollination seeds are ready. More than 90% show embryos in best quality.

Soon I can offer more than 1 million young little Laelia virens