I posted this orchid in situ and in bloom last November. It grows on a tree between my house in Miami and the neighbor's house. Her "orchid guy" mounted it several years back. She offered to let me take a few pseudobulbs last May if I got and mounted some for her. Anyway, I brought it back to Atlanta, potted it up and it's blooming! But, what the hey is it? Maybe a Laelia? The sepals stand away from the lip but the two petals rest right on the lip making the lip look like has horns. The spike is over eighteen inches.

So here's the plant. See the pseudobulbs? It's in a three inch plastic pot and then in the terracotta. I was managing it like an Oncidium...wet and dry 'cause that's what I thought it was going to be. It's something from the Catt. alliance, yes?

Here it is growing on the tree.

I remember being stumped before. I hope someone can ID it soon. I think that the long spike looks laelia to me.

I am probably totally off, but how about Broughtonia negrilensis?

I thought of Broughtonia, too! Didn't remember the long stems.
http://images.google.com/image...

I think you are totally on Ursula!!! I'd been through every book I own and crawled all over the internet. The flowers are identical and the leaves grow horizontally just like the picture. http://www.orchidweb.com/Orchi.... You're the best. Now let's take a trip down to Negril and check it out. There's a nice little beach bar....

Awesome!
Now where is Negril?

Jamaica. Wanna come?

Laurel, I was thinking Broughtonia because of the long spike and the colorful lip. So I went a-googling Broughtonia....

Maypoplaurel said:Jamaica. Wanna come?

Always!

You are sooooo good Ursula. I bow to your wisdom!

Ohh please, I am blushing. Honestly.

I just got my first orchid this past Christmas holiday and a day ago received a baby from a friend. She said it wasn't doing well. It is reasonably healthy looking but is very small. As far as I can tell it is in moss with a little bit of other matter. I had to gently loosen the moss and matter to allow more air circulation. From my research I know they need air. Some have different needs depending on where and how they live. This is basically the end of my knowledge. I don't know what I don't know so don't know what to ask. Any guidance is appreciated, thanks.

I am not sure exactly what you got here, but I am guessing your Christmas Orchid may have been a Phalaenopsis?
Let me give you some general things to look at/read and perhaps that helps you a bit already.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
And here is a link to the AOS culture sheets, I would recommend the Phalaenopsis care sheet and - thinking about the baby you received from your friend, check perhaps also the Dendrobium sheet.
http://www.aos.org/Default.asp...
But, as I said, I am really only guessing here. Perhaps you might recognize another one of the cultural sheets to be a better fit. Pictures always help.
Any specific question after that - we will try to answer.

Welcome to the forum, dogpack!

Ursula

Hi:
I totally for got I posted here and didn't know to look, oops!
I have a phalaenopsis or a few. My sister had onw which accidentally was over water by her hubby who was trying to save the poor plant from dehydration and eventual death. He didn't know about the proper way to water orchids. My sister had no idea he used tap water and drowned the plant and she watered it also. Apparently it sat in water for a while. I offered to try to save it but it didn't survive. I did learn a lot from this experience. So far the orchids I have are alive.

I appreciate the information, thank you.

It seems you are doing well! Btw I don't think Phals are that easy to keep alive. But - one might just picture that they are epiphytic plants/living attached to branches in trees, tilting forwards so that the rain drains from the center or crown of the plant. Great drainage up there in that tree....