Lycaste bradeorum

[smweaver]

This is the first time this little plant has bloomed for me, so hopefully many years from now it will be large enough to produce a mass of flowers. I can't really see a great deal of difference between this species and Lycaste aromatica (maybe there's a slight color difference, but being color-blind, I'm not able to tell), but there's definitely a difference in the scents of the two species. Where aromatica's flowers have a strong cinnamon scent, bradeorum's have more of a mellon or fruity scent (I was relieved to find this out firsthand since I had read online that bradeorum's blooms sometimes smell of urine ). Like aromatica's blooms too, bradeorum's flowers produce tasty droplets of liquid. Yes, I did taste them, but only after shooing away the two wasps that have been religiously guarding the bud since I moved the plant outdoors last week. I'm now going to return the plant to the back deck, where the wasps are probably waiting.

Steve

[Angurek]

That's a great-looking lycaste, Steve. I love the bright lemon yellow color on those flowers. Sure wish I could smell them through the computer.

[isurus79]

Those look great! I would be curious to smell them too. Sounds tasty!

[dgenovese1]

Hi Steve,
Beautiful blooms and fantastic photos...thanks for sharing!

How big are those blooms? They look to be pretty wide to me.

[smweaver]

The blooms are pretty small, David, about 2" wide. The combination of a macro lense and severely cropping the photo probably makes the flower seem larger than it really is.

Steve

[camille1585]

It's really nice! And the fragrance sounds very yummy. There is a difference in color with Lycaste aromatica. aromatica has a lip which is a more of an orange color compared to the yellow lip of bradeorum.

[stitz]

Thanks for the preview, Steve. I have a relatively new (purchased a BS from Andy in March) Lyc bradeorum in bud which has been on my deck for weeks.

It's a much slower flower grower than I anticipated. I have a Lyc consobrina which is growing buds more than twice as fast yet the bradeorum is growing leaves more quickly.

Hopefully, I can give a scent analysis. While you are color-challenged, I am scent-challenged.

--Stitz--

[SP2340]

Beautiful, I love the yellow!

[smweaver]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments.

Stitz, I would certainly welcome your scent analysis--and Camille, thank you for the descriptive differences in colors between the two species (aromatica and bradeorum).

Steve

[dgenovese1]

Originally Posted by smweaver

The blooms are pretty small, David, about 2" wide. The combination of a macro lense and severely cropping the photo probably makes the flower seem larger than it really is.

Steve

Thanks Steve....they are certainly a beautiful 2 inches! I might have to find a little space in my shade house for a couple of Lycastes...is this species a warm grower?