Yes, with a form like flavus, I would have expected something yellow! So someone crossed a surely nice selected golden-tone spectabile with its sibling. Sound interesting!

Wonderful picks, Jim. I like all three a lot!

Thanks, Ursula. I think I just figured how to take a picture from Orchidwiz and paste it here. This is the Schombonia Firefly (if it works)



Jim

Such beauties, Jim. If I may pose an indelicate question, were the prices reasonable? One of these years I will make it up there to that auction.

But, to be honest, I'd rather drive an extra hour and go to Apopka for bargain prices.

For the quality, size and type, I think the cost was cheap. The Den. spectabile and the Galeottia are hard to find at any price and the Schombonia is a good find too. Anyway, I paid $30 for the Galeottia, $27 for the yellow spectabile and $15 for the Schombonia. If I could have made the same deal with Jim Krull in Apopka, I would have been a happy camper.

Jim

Great prices!

You did really well on those, Jim. I'm putting it on my calendar for next year!

I'll give you a heads up, Elaine.

I was just thinking, if I would have stumbled across any of those at Chapman's, he wouldn't have sold me one at any price.

Jim

I went to the Tampa Orchid Club meeting today and won no ribbons but did come home with three new babies.

First is Vuylstekeara [Vuyl.] Melissa Brianne 'Shady Lady'. This is a Miltassia crossed with an Oncidium to give you an idea. Syn is Mtdm.


Second is Odontocidium [Odcdm.] Mini Mutany which is an Onc crossed with an Ons.


Finally, just to give Ursula some competition in the tiny flower department, is this Dendrochilum (Ddc) wenzelii. Now I have to get a microscope.



Jim

Actually Jim, that looks like a wenzelii x to me. There was a cross that I liked better than my own wenzelii at our show but I got a better ribbon because mine was true to form (my leaves are hard and spiky like a Brassavola and the flowers are much closer like a red toothbrush).

Nice showy choices on the large blooms!
I think Kathy has a good point there! And it is cute too.

You guys may be right but if so, I am a bit shocked. I bought the wenzelii directly from Alan Koch of Gold Country Orchids who was in Florida on the lecture tour. He spoke to us on mini Catts. and Oncidiums and sure sounded like he knew what he was talking about. If he is miss-labeling plants and passing them off as species, our club should know about it.

Jim

I'd write and ask him politely saying you have a friend with a very different wenzelii and you'd like to know why they are so different. We may all learn something from this. I can send you a photo of mine for comparison if you want.

Thanks, Kathy. Yes, please send me the photo.

Jim

Back here at show and tell, I spent this morning at the USF (University of South Florida) Spring Plant Sale. It is a big event with lots of vendors as well as garden clubs selling great plants. The big surprise was to find B&D Orchids with Lycaste orchids for sale. I bought two of them. The first is a nice white called, according to the tag, Lycaste Auburn X Lycaste Highland Park. I looked it up to see if it had acquired a name and found out there is no Lycaste Highland Park. I finally found Lmc. Highland Peak and there was a cross and the name is Lycamerlycaste [Lmc.] Hugheuden. Orchidwiz will be the death of me.


The second one is a nice yellow and the tag reads Lycaste Hamana Jason X Lycaste Concentration. I searched again and both of these orchid names are legit but the hybrid is not registered. I can live with that.



I also picked up a Cymbidium from Charlie Chapman who was down from Apopka. The tag says Cym. Valley Avant X Cym. Big League. I looked it up and it has been registered as Cym. Valley League. Great color on this one.



I also picked up Encyclia cordigera, sym Epi. atropurpureum. It is not in bloom.

This is my first time growing Lycaste orchids so wish me luck.

Jim

Jim, I have a tiny enc cordigera cross: E. Key Largo Jungle x E. Cashens' Chocolate Rose. If you are on the PC anytime could you tell me if it has a registered name yet? Also, have you grown encyclias? Mine has not done much this year, it has a new PB coming but maybe this should have been grown warm, not intermediate. I did give it a winter rest and it is perking up. My sister had a different enc and it was close to eight years to get big enough to bloom, I don't want to wait 6 more years. Thanks



Lycaste cruenta sp, Jim this is today's bloom, my conditions are not ideal so compare it to last years bloom when I had my GH. I like your cross very much, maybe it has L. Cruenta as a parent?

Roberta, the Key Largo Jungle can also be called Epi. Key Largo Jungle. E. Cashens' Chocolate Rose is more commonly known as E. Didgeridoo. The cross between the two has not been registered yet.

I grow lots of Encyclias and they all do very well for me. They are even native Florida Encyclias growing up in the trees. I think it is just a matter of the environment you provide.

Your Lycaste Cruenta is a grandparent of my new purchase. It is very pretty by the way. I hope I can re-bloom mine or at least get it through the hot Florida summer.

Jim

Jim,
Last year I got 2 warm growing Lycastes from Andy at Redlands and they both bloomed again for me in the warm room (campbellii and brevispatha). I would think the white one will be the bigger challenge for you. The skinneri types usually like it cool.

Love the Cym!
Bet you will learn to love OrchidWiz. It gets more user friendly each update.

I love it already, Kathy and I use it more and more. I am amazed at how many names are flat out wrong on the tags that come with new purchases, let alone the plants I have owned for several years. The first thing I do now is check the name before I post. I think 75 percent of them need tweaking.

Jim

Jim, just as I figured. BTW, you will really love lycaste, I only grow the desiduous type now because of my conditions but the x with angulocaste and Ida are highly prized by the Japanese growers and Santa Barbara orchid estate was my source, also Cal orchids.
My sister has been into Fl Encyclias for eons but I don't like little flowers in general but I do like the fragrance! Her alata plant is Hugh and takes up a lot of space. I'm more Interested in bang for the buck, she is more scientific inclined.
Out of seven kids,5 are still growing orchids going on 35 years each. But each has their own taste. We can never agree on day trips together except the Missouri Botanical Gardens.
I'm liking the CYM, Milton Carpenter did CYM hybrids for warmth years ago now. I wonder how that is going? Is yours bread for warmth tolerance?

I must have a dozen or so Cymbidiums growing in large pots under a live oak tree. In the summer, I drag the pots closer to the tree. In the fall, I drag them back out into more sun. All seem to do well for me. My Cym Leodogran 'Cradlemont' won best in show last month in Tampa. All are warm growers.

I never thought of Encyclias as small flower types. Just ask Ursula about small flowers!

Jim