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Laelia speciosa, two clones

Discussion in 'Orchid Species' started by Marni, Jun 23, 2011.

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  1. Jun 23, 2011 #1
    Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    A large-flowered Mexican laelia with a long winter dry rest. They are in bloom now and I will start heavy watering in a week or so. The first plant is a larger flower and a plant that I have grown since 1984. The second plant is blooming for me for the first time and I have grown it for about 3 years.
    laelia.speciosa.stpt.3flwrs.jpg laelia.speciosa.8948.jpg
     
  2. Jun 24, 2011 #2
    tenman

    tenman Well-Known Member

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    Have you watered it at all yet?
     
  3. Jun 24, 2011 #3
    Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Assuming our regular winter weather of lots of rain and therefore higher humidity, it gets no water until about mid-March. Then it gets an occassional mist (every few weeks) and in May I tossed a little water in its direction with a hose, but not enough to saturate the plants. We had hot spells a couple of times and I misted lightly in the morning once or twice.
     
  4. Jun 24, 2011 #4
    gnathaniel

    gnathaniel Lurker Supporting Member

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    Very lovely, Marni! Do you have plans to seed-propagate this species?
     
  5. Jun 24, 2011 #5
    piotrm

    piotrm Well-Known Member

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    lovely
     
  6. Jun 24, 2011 #6
    Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Absolutely. I have pollinated 2 flowers on one plant and 1 on the other. They have taken, but time will tell if they mature.
     
  7. Jun 24, 2011 #7
    Ann

    Ann Beadin' fool

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    Fantastic, Marni. It gets way too hot here for me to grow these so I can only look at photos. Thanks for those.
     
  8. Jun 24, 2011 #8
    Armando

    Armando Hobbyist gone wild

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    Wow! iniminiminimo!
     
  9. Jun 24, 2011 #9
    gnathaniel

    gnathaniel Lurker Supporting Member

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    Wonderful! Thank you, Marni. :)
     
  10. Jun 24, 2011 #10
    epiphyte

    epiphyte Member

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    Nice flowers! I also really like the plant form of this species as well. Short round pseudobulbs and fleshy leaves. At first glance, when it's not in bloom, I've occasionally got it confused with Laelia furfuracea. I believe that speciosa has shorter pseudobulbs. The only "Laelia" whose form I might like better is a hard grown Laelia sincorana. Not sure which one grows in drier habitats.

    Very glad to hear that you're going to try and propagate it. Andy said he hasn't much luck with it. There's a really great paper with a detailed breakdown of a successful propagation technique for Laelia speciosa titled..."In vitro propagation of the endangered orchid Laelia speciosa" by Avila-Diaz et all. E-mail me if you'd like a copy.
     
  11. Jun 24, 2011 #11
    Zack

    Zack Will work for plants Supporting Member

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    Your plants continue to amaze and impress me Marni. Beautiful photos as well!