Cym. Carolyn Smith Bolton

[Fairorchids]

This plant came to me as part of the Lois Duffin Orchids dispersal sale (auction). I bid on several lots, and won two (= 35 plants for less than $50). At the time it was a BS unbloomed seedling, showing just the parents on the label:

Cym. seidenfadenii x Cym. Cindy Lou

This intrigued me, since I met Mr. Seidenfaden a couple of times, when he visited my dad's nursery. Cym. seidenfadenii used to be a sub species of Cym. insigne, but it has been elevated to species status now.

It took a couple of years to get the plant going, but over the past two seasons I have seen what it can do. The flower is smallish and open, but it makes up for this with high flower count (usually 25+) and a straight upright spike, which needs no staking. It is also easy to bloom, setting 4-6 spikes from plants in 1 gallon pots. It blooms in Nov/Dec, but it will occasionally throw an additional spike in Feb or Mar.

I have sold some 4-5 divisions, and only have one piece left, which I am trying to breed with. I am considering having a meristem run done, as this is a super plant.