Blc. Dora Louise Capen 'Lea'

[Candace]

This plant has been sort of a nemesis for me, but I'm glad I kept at it. I bought one seedling of this clone and it died slowly. Got another seedling and it died quickly. I thought, "one more time" and got another one and it decided it would live. Over the next two years it through up a dry sheath and then again another dry sheath. No buds or blooms. So, it's now large enough to bloom and finally put out 3 flowers for me. It's one of my newest favorites, growing in s/h inside the greenhouse in high light. No fragrance that I've noticed.

 

[Mira]

Worth the wait and effort. It is lovely.

Karla

 

[Cinderella]

I love the lip. Did those dry sheaths ever bloom? Or was it from a new sheath?

 

[Candace]

Dry sheaths on smallish hybrid plants typically don't ever bloom. It means the plant is "practicing" blooming and until it reaches a mature enough size doesn't form buds. There are some full grown catts that do bloom off dry sheaths, but you can usually see a tiny bud formation in the sheaths. C. intermedia, for example, does this.

 

[goldenrose]

WOW - what a beauty - love the contrast!

 

[SlipperFan]

I can see why you tried again and again. Lovely flower.

 

[Greenpaph]

Super photo! I love this one. Mine is in bud right now!

thanks, Candace

 

[rdlsreno]

That is a nice flower! Excellent!

Ramon

 

[Candace]

Thanks everybody. Peter, how many flowers does yours usually have? I've got 3 and I'm thinking that's probably the max per spike on this one?

 

[Greenpaph]

Thanks everybody. Peter, how many flowers does yours usually have? I've got 3 and I'm thinking that's probably the max per spike on this one?

Generally two to three.

 

[papheteer]

Very nice blooms Candace! How long do these types usually last? What S/H medium do you use for it?

 

[Candace]

The flowers typically only last a couple of weeks at most. Sometimes not more than 8-10 days before they start to "turn". Since I've never bloomed this exact plant before, I'd guess 2 weeks max.

I've got it in hydroton. My catts. take to hydroton very well and I can buy it locally at a hydroponics store. My paphs don't like hydroton as well as they do the old prime agra.