Saturday, April 24, 2010

Lycaste skinneri "Apollo" x Lycaste skinneri "Adonis" orchid




The Lycaste genus currently contains about 45 different species and in nature can be found growing in the areas from Mexico to Peru in hight altitudes.

They have oval pseudobulbs, usually crowded, with a couple of pleated leaves and Lycaste orchids mostly deciduous during flowering. The flowers come up from the bases of the pseudobulbs and and bear a single, large, waxy flower that lasts for about 3 weeks.

Many interesting hybrids have been created between this species and breeders aim to create plants with large flowers, good color and nice scents.

My Lycaste orchid is a cross between Lycaste skinneri "Apollo" and Lycaste skinneri "Adonis" and rather a "collecor's item", since not many of them currently in cultivation. I purchased a small seedling of this cross couple of years ago and this is a first time it's flowering for me. The breeder was aiming to produce bold, large, pristine white flowers and it does not dissapoint - it's quite spectacular! The plant produced only two flowers at this stage, but they are big, beautiful with a strong scent of jasmine and I am looking forward for this plant to mature and to grow many more of it's blooms.

Lycaste skinneri is the national flower of Guatemala and this orchid is one of the popular members of this genus, usually flowering with lovely pale pink flowers - by crossing "Apollo" and "Adonis" the breeder achieved pure, pristine white form that's very pleasing to the eye.

These orchids are not difficult to cultivate, providing some specific requirements met - they have very fine roots and need fine drainage, they like to be underpoted , love a lot of watering while they actively growing and not much moisture when plants go through resting period. Air movement also important and they prefer filtered light.

Lycaste orchids are great addition to any orchid collection - they all have beautiful flowers, nice scents, prolific flowering once matured, producing long-lasting exiting displays.

10 comments:

  1. Very beautiful and very special. I have just purchased a little green house to place my orchids which do not like to be outside in my climate.
    I usually buy mine on "impulse" at the local orchid show, I am not a collector, so far...admiring their elegance and If I like you I bloom for you attitude!

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  2. Stunning flowers! I really like Da Vinci Charm.

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  3. I am learning about orchids from you! Yours really is a pure white. Beautiful!

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  4. aloha

    what a wonderful post to read on your lycaste orchids, great information and history.

    btw, the hot, loud and proud meme is going on again at the end of this month, so i hope you can join us, please, it will be on my plantfanatic blog this friday.

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  5. I like the foliage and the bloom..well, I guess I just like the whole thing! Very pretty.:)

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  6. Thank you very much for all your comments and for allowing me to introduce to you this beautiful Lycaste orchid

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  7. Hi, i've been in awe for your orchid collection. Since i encountered your blog i already put your link in my sidebar so i will always see if you have new post. If you don't mind i would like to request identification of my Dendrobium species, which i just saw in higher elevation here, growing in someones garden. It is in my site. thank you.

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  8. Hi Andrea and thank you very much for visiting my blog and to allow me to share beautiful orchids with many people. I left comment on your blog re this beautiful dendrobium - what a special find!

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  9. Very interest cross what you made a beautiful orchid.

    I have in may collection several Lycaste spieces & just recived a course how to start making and growing orquids from seeds.

    I am producing seeds between the following orchids

    Lycaste Skinery alba X Lycaste skinery alba

    Lycaste Skinery X lycaste lassioglosa

    lycaste Skinery Ipala x lycaste lassioglosa

    lycaste skinery x lycaste cruenta

    Next year will have

    Lycaste Shantokeila x lycaste shantokeila (very rare)

    Lycaste shantokeila x lycaste skinery Ipala

    lycaste depei x lycaste depei

    In 8 years will see results.

    best regards
    E. Roesch
    sc

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