Questions regarding Ida (Lycaste) ciliata and fimbriata

[smweaver]

First question: Are these two the same species? I found a couple of references to fimbriata being a synonym for ciliata.

Second question: How big do these two (or one) species get? Are they deciduous? I know they're not from the deciduosa section, but didn't know whether or not they're in the habit of dropping leaves in the fall/winter.

Third (and final) question: Is ciliata considered an easy and/or adaptable plant to grow? In other words, can it handle the heat and high humidity of a Midwestern summer? Keeping it in the intermediate to cool range during the winter won't be a problem. It's the summers that I'm concerned about.

Thanks to all of you in advance who are kind enough to share your knowledge regarding these two species.

Steve

[Dorothy]

I love this lycaste and it's frilly lip!
Jay's Encyclopedia considers them same - check out this link - IOSPE PHOTOS
They are a cool to warm grower - if it gets too hot in the summer - place them in front of a fan - circulating air is cooler than stagnant.
Let me know if you purchase one .. I'd love to know the who, what and wheres of it.

[Rosim_in_BR]

Hi, Steve
Let me see if I can help. I grow ciliata and lost my fimbriata. As Dorothy says, info on Jay's page says both are the same. However, Kew's Monocot Checklist, based upon the same papers (Orchid Digest 67:13-2003) cited on Jay's page, list them as separate and accepted species. So, I'm following Kew and for me they are two distinct species.
Second, my plant, besides still young, looses the leaves. Based upon a friend's adult plant, which also looses the leaves, I'd say that this is what you can expect. The plant is not especially large without them.
As for the temperatures what I can say is that they consider that it grows well under intermediate temps. This is very vague information and says little. My general conditions are dry, cold winters and hot, humid summers. So, to manage the summer situation I let it under a chestnut tree during the hot period. There the shade is heavy, without being any dark, air movement is free and temperatures are at least 13ºF lower than the surrounding sunny areas. There, under that tree, I also grow my Draculas, some Masdevallias, Maxillaria sanderiana, two or three Ondontos, a few Cyrtochilums and other cold lovers. Hope this can help.

[smweaver]

Hi, Mauro and Dorothy. Thank you for your feedback. Mauro, I'm glad that you indicated your plant does fine in hot and humid summers. That's how the summers are where I live. Providing the temperature drop in the winter won't be a problem when I move all of my plants indoors. So hopefully I'll be able to get ciliata to grow and flower for me here. Thanks again for your help.

Steve