Laelia tenebrosa 4n

[monocotman]

A seedling from the cross sold by the Fischer’s between the clones Dark Splendour and Spectacular. It is labelled tetraploid.
It has been quite a slow and steady grower and this is its first proper flowering.
Last year, although it flowered for the first time, it was recovering from the trip from the USA and the flowers were tiny.
There may well be some way to go with this one. The bulbs are still quite thin.
This year I moved the plant from the south window to the east as I read that there were happy with less light than many cattleya species.
This flower is all about the glowing lip. I am not sure I’ve captured it in the sun. Too much contrast. I will try again when it’s cloudy.

David

 

[GuRu]

This species fascinates me always by the extravagant colouration of its flowers. Gorgeous.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Good job David.

Will need another couple years for the potential to show.

 

[Ozpaph]

outstanding colour

 

[NEslipper]

Looking promising, it’s going to be spectacular on a mature, multi-lead plant!

 

[tomp]

David,
NICE! Will be a grand dame.
I too love tenebrosa.
As an aside, one doesn’t often hear folks in the UK wish for ”cloudy”. ))

 

[Guldal]

Will need another couple years for the potential to show.

I see nothing, but great potential showing!

I wonder, whether our Canadian confrère might in fact mean, it will take a couple of yours before it's potential is fully realized?

This year I moved the plant from the south window to the east as I read that there were happy with less light than many cattleya species.

David, this makes a lot of sense as to why my young plant of the species the other day folded and joined the ranks of the dearly departed with two yellowed leaves - after spending the spring and the first summerdays in a bright sunlit South facing window. Me, at the outset naively thinking: well, Laelia, it's a kind of Cattleya, isn't it...and after all on these latitudes....

 

[monocotman]

Tom,
I live an a sunny part of the UK, suffolk, where the sun shines quite a bit!
Believe it or not, we are officially classified as semi arid, with just 23 inches of rain annually. It’s only the very benign temperatures that mean we don’t live in a desert.
David

 

[Greenpaph]

Always great to see! Thanks for sharing!