Langleyense 'Cascades', HCC/AOS

This weekend, we're having a nice warm spell between cold systems, and Sebastian is enjoying the chance to sunbathe and sample all the smells brought along with today's wind gusts. The week's freezing rain and snow melt has filled my rainbarrels--which I use to water my orchids--so I was able to transport 30+ gallons down to the basement for storage and prevent rupture of the outdoor barrels when we get the next freeze.














I too, used the weather to photograph some orchids presently in bloom under natural sunlight rather than the camera flash indoors, one of which is Cym. Langleyense 'Cascades'.


















Although I've had this plant for more than three years, this is the first time it has bloomed for me. When re-potting my Cyms last Spring, I noticed some aborted spikes because I had the pseudobulbs buried too far below the media. Bad Kevin.

I still have plenty of room to improve though. It has sent out three spikes at differing stages of maturation, each essentially 90 degrees from the other, with 20 to 27 flower/buds per spike. I'm thinking that this may be an indication that it needs more lux from the basement grow-lights. Also, if the light was more directional, then perhaps the spikes would have arranged themselves closer together as they elongate.
































See also Chuckie's posts October 18 and November 1, 2008 re: lowianum and/or devonianum hybrids for comparison of these flowers with a tetraploid Langleyense and a more educated discussion of the parents.