Laelia blooming season starting as mid- Autumn arrives

[Tracy]

As an Autumn storm blew in, my first Laelia blossom opened yesterday.  This one is Laelia anceps v roeblingiana x Laelia anceps 'Gigas'.  Plenty more flower spikes on other Laelias will be blooming over the next month or two.  Any Laelia orchids blooming yet in your garden?

[Tracy]

While not a Laelia, I have been shocked at how long this Encyclia vitellina inflorescence has had flowers.  The first photo is April 24th with buds not quite open, followed by a few flowers opening on May 4th.  The last photo was yesterday November 8th of that same inflorescence with what I believe is it's final flower open.  It has now had a flower open on that same inflorescence for 7 months!  I have the plant hanging off a Dypsis lutescens just outside a window in our bedroom to enjoy and it seems to love the spot.  Well it has gotten me through until Laelia season, so let's see if the Laelia's can match that performance and get me through until my Encyclias start blooming again.

[Tracy]

Now they are starting to fire, so Thanksgiving must be drawing near!  Laelia anceps ssp guerrero with it's first pair of flowers opening.  It has a more inflorescence so soon it will be holding multiple of these gorgeous flowers.

[Tracy]

December arrives and like clockwork Laelia gouldiana "Greta Garbo" flower buds are opening.  Only one flower spike this year on this plant but it still provides a nice show.

[thallo]

My Laelia autumnalis put on a great show this year.

[joe_OC]

[gilles06]

Nice flowers. How do they thrive in mediteranean summer drought?

[Silas_Sancona]

5 minutes ago, gilles06 said:

Nice flowers. How do they thrive in mediteranean summer drought?

Most of these species/ hybrids between..  come from mid/ higher elevation areas of Mexico which have a similar climate to CA. ( except perhaps a reversed primary rainy season ) Still have to provide water during the summer, but they don't need to be soaked every day, or require constant high humidity like other Orchids from wetter regions. Extra humidity from the Marine Layer in coastal areas helps to provide extra moisture for plants as well.  Numerous other Orchids, in several genera from the same areas of Mexico also do very well outdoors west of the Sierras / deserts in CA.

L. anceps,  the most popular species ( and mother to countless forms/hybrids ), ..and possibly a couple other sp. that tolerate the most cold of the group have even survived growing outdoors in Tucson ( can survive cold down to 24F or so, & Heat up to about 100-105F, if shaded and watered a bit more to keep humidity up.

[gilles06]

Thank you for your clear  explanation

[Tracy]

On 12/8/2020 at 9:22 PM, joe_OC said:

Nice mounting Joe.  Looks like L anceps variation veitchiana.  Some buds on mine just started opening yesterday, so aren't fully open yet so it's a little behind yours.  Mine typically opens late enough to have nice flowers still open on Christmas.

[joe_OC]

Thanks, Tracy.

My other L anceps had the flower buds eaten.  Haven’t seen that before.

[Tracy]

7 hours ago, joe_OC said:

My other L anceps had the flower buds eaten.  Haven’t seen that before.

That is a bummer.  I don't know what gobbled on your Laelia's buds, but I have had aphids infest some other orchid buds and wreak havoc.  I experienced it with both Dendrobium and Encyclia buds.  Back to Laelia's, your photos prompted me to go out and photograph my Laelia anceps var. vetichiana this afternoon before the sun went down.  As you can see, 6 flower spikes on it this year, so quite a show has begun.

[Tracy]

On 12/1/2020 at 11:48 AM, Tracy said:

Laelia gouldiana "Greta Garbo" flower buds are opening.  Only one flower spike this year on this plant but it still provides a nice show.

The follow up shot, now that all the flowers on the spike have opened.

[Tracy]

Well winter has arrived and the Laelia anceps var. veitchiana has only a couple of flower buds yet to open.  Almost in full display for Christmas in 3 days!  19 flowers this year blooming.

[thallo]

Here’s another of my Laelia in bloom today 2/14/21 in San Francisco

Edited April 14, 2021 by thallo
Corrected date