Help me decide on a Laelia/Laelias - Orchid Board

avian · #1 11-12-2021, 11:39 PM

Andy's is currently having a sale and I am planning on purchasing a few plants from him. I spoke with him today and asked him for some recommendations for my area (San Gabriel Valley) and he suggested Laelia lilliputiana, gracilis and ghillanyi as well as a few other plants. I already had L. anceps v. guerrero on my list and he said that would also be a good one. I would like to put these plants outdoors but would probably bring them indoors if it got too cold or too hot.

If you were purchasing which one/ones would you get? Which ones would you consider easier to grow?

Thanks.

Roberta · #2 11-13-2021, 12:24 AM

I think that all of those will be fine in summer heat with a bit of shade, and should also be OK for the occasional frosty night. If cold, keeping all of them dry helps a lot. L. anceps, any variety (and its close relatives L. gouldiana and L. autumnalis) for sure. (L. anceps var. veitchiana is the coerulea form, very beautiful and robust) I have found L. anceps var. guerrero to be challenging (likes to be drier in winter), any of the other varieties of L. anceps are much easier (like bulletproof). Along with veitchiana, var. hillii is mostly white with a delicate pink lip.

Two distinct groups here... L lilliputiana, gracilis, ghillanyi are Brazillian rupiclulous (lithophytic) orchids (which are now classed as Cattleya but Andy hasn't changed his tags, I haven't changed mine either) and the others (L. anceps, autumnalis, gouldiana) are from Mexico (and still classed as Laelia). The ones from Mexico are totally bulletproof (hot or cold they totally don't care) the little rupiculous Laelias maybe a little touchier but fine as long as they grow bright and stay fairly dry in winter. (Not bone dry, but they aren't happy if it is pouring down rain for days...we can only wish. if it happens, stick them under the eaves)

None of them need or want to be brought in for the winter.

avian · #3 11-13-2021, 01:28 AM

Thanks for the information and advice, Roberta.
I'm going to give the anceps a try and now just need to choose which of the rupicolous to get. Would like to get all 3 but should probably just start with one and see how things go with that. I like the flower color of the ghillanyi the best.

The lilliputiana is very tiny compared to the other two, correct? I haven't done well trying to grow mini minis or micro minis.

Roberta · #4 11-13-2021, 10:27 AM

L. lilliputiana is indeed small. Of the rupis, the ones that have done the best for me are L. sanguiloba and L. colnagoi. Also L. mixta.

avian · #5 11-13-2021, 06:12 PM

I wound up ordering the ghillanyi. Hopefully I'll be successful taking care of it. Didn't see the L. sanguiloba, colnagoi or mixta listed on his website although I know that he does have additional plants that aren't listed and can call to check on that.

I like Andy's plants and he is always very helpful.

Roberta · #6 11-13-2021, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avian

I wound up ordering the ghillanyi. Hopefully I'll be successful taking care of it. Didn't see the L. sanguiloba, colnagoi or mixta listed on his website although I know that he does have additional plants that aren't listed and can call to check on that.

I like Andy's plants and he is always very helpful.

How about the L. anceps? I looked at his site... he has a pretty small subset of the website plants on the deal. And of course has lots of things that aren't on his website at all. There will certainly be more opportunities... You should plan on a trip down there for his Open House the weekend of Dec 10. If you have never been to the nursery, it is a special place - we are so blessed to be within a relatively short drive from a resource like that.

avian · #7 11-14-2021, 02:14 AM

I did order the L. anceps. Maybe some day I'll attend Andy's open house. Would be nice if gas prices would go down and my vehicle got better mileage.

Roberta · #8 11-14-2021, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avian

I did order the L. anceps. Maybe some day I'll attend Andy's open house. Would be nice if gas prices would go down and my vehicle got better mileage.

Compare to the price of orchids... We set our priorities... And of course then one doesn't have to pay shipping. But it is a very dangerous place for the wallet anyway. I visualize a vortex that sucks dollars from my bank account and drops them in Andy's cash register.

avian · #9 11-16-2021, 12:41 AM

I've seen youtubes of Andy's and I can see how dangerous it can be, but it's also dangerous looking through his website. I had a long list of plants and it was difficult to shorten it but I did. :-)

Roberta · #10 11-16-2021, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avian

I've seen youtubes of Andy's and I can see how dangerous it can be, but it's also dangerous looking through his website. I had a long list of plants and it was difficult to shorten it but I did. :-)

That's a start. The website has maybe 15-20% of the species that are available. Generally the things that he has lots of, and consistently. The other 80-85% he may have only a few of, or doesn't have all the time. Those, just ask.