:biggrin:

Jerry, thanks for your patience :D and efforts to reassure I can grow these babies - like Catts... But now the truth. I never grew Cattleya's. :rofl: but after a few years with other genera at least I master the basics of orchids care. Will make it much easier to find the right care for these.

Nicole

Wow, this is a gorgeous plant. I missed it originally but glad I've seen it now.

That plant looks so cool! Almost amaryllis meet allium!(not the flowers the leaves...they are beautiful flowers though!)

I dont remember saying this! lol

David. Very nice photos.

David & Nicole. FC (foot candles) are an archaic sounding, but still used , measure of light intensity. A foot candle was originally the amount of light cast by a single candle of a specified size at a distance of 1 foot.

Anyway, foot candles provide a uniform measure of light regardless of geographical location. For example when someone in Florida says to grow plants in 50% light and someone in Wisconsin or Sweden takes that literally, they will be growing in very low light.

To give an idea of light intensities, a single 40 watt flourescent bulb gives off about 100-150 fc at a distance of a foot. In contrast, at midday, in Florida, in the middle of summer ... the light level is probably in the range of 10,000 fc. 50% shade is still in the range of 5000 fc.

Soo ... this is the reason it is useful to have a more common reference of light intensity, regardless of your geographical location. Or whether you grow outdoors or under lights. Even an inexpensive light meter can give you this kind of measure. Foot candles can be converted to another measure of light called lumens (abbreviated lux). One foot candle is a little more than 10 lumens. Then lumens can be converted to watts (which is how light bulbs are measured.

People growing in different climate zones or even under lights can, thus, can have a common frame of reference regarding light intensities.

Thanks Catwalker. I have lux-meter and use it sometimes where I have more/less light because we can't trust our eys.
5000 fc is a lot of light, that means it would take almost full sun a bit away from my South window - but I have to be very careful. I'm not sure about which cross it is exactly and even with our very weak winter sun I saw the pseudo bulbs turn red. I shall closely observe it's needs and what it can take.

(I measured about 7500 fc in the South window sill last summer)
Again thanks you:-)

My plant bloomed, anyone has a name for it?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/...e8425dd6_b.jpg

The bloom is darker than in this picture. Pretty rich and intense color.

Bought as a NoID, will remain a NoID for ever but if someone recognizes I will be very happy to hear.

Nicole

The flower is really cool and very intense... I also like the font you've used.... is that a NOID also...

:-)
I had to look up the fonts name. I edited the picture using Picnik.com and they have a font called "Jules-te-reo". Don't know if you can download it somewhere...

Nicole

Thanks, Nicole