It may just be the different cameras, Ken. Some make everything look redder than it naturally is. Others don't pick up the reds well at all. I call that color 'orchid pink' because my box of Crayolas had a crayon that color called 'orchid'.

I like the purple shade much better, too. It's a beauty!

I just looked up C. maxima var. Highlands on OrchidWiz to try to find an official picture. Instead, what I discovered is that while there are several varieties listed, Highlands is no where to be found. In other words, your particular orchid is not registered under that name to the best of my knowledge. C. maxima orchids are found in the warm areas of Ecuador, Peru and Colombia and also up a ways in the mountains. So, it looks like the "Highlands" name comes from the high growing plants but it is not a registered variety. I also found an article saying the highland growing maximas are hard to cultivate outside of greenhouses because we cannot match their natural growing conditions. I'm not saying that applies to your orchid as I really don't know what variety it is.

Jim

Jim, this is the information I have on this orchid:

I received it in trade from a lady on ATP last spring or summer and she thought it came from Chadwick Orchids. She thought it was a species plant. The label that came with the plant was hand-written, not a label from Chadwick. The label was "C. maximia V Highland". After doing a little research, it appears that there is a "highland" and a "lowland" species plant and the coloration is different. The pinkish color appears to be the highland and a much lighter color is the lowland. It does kind of make sense that this was one of Chadwick's plants, since they appear to be one of the few nurseries that I can find that carry the plants. Chadwick's site says the 'Lowland' was sold out but there was a picture. Their highland variety is named C. maxima Chadwick's Dark ($40) and their (old-out) lowland is named C. maxima 'Fine' ($175!).

I have contacted Chadwick, sent those two pictures, and asked if they could help me identify the plant. Perhaps they can.

I see a registered orchid called Cattleya [C.] maxima ssp. lowland but do not see a Chadwick's Dark or anything with the name Highland in it. What do you base your statement "It appears there is a "highland" species plant" on?

Jim

That's what the lady said and Chadwick Orchids has their two (highland and lowland) listed under "Species".

I went to the Chadwick and Son Orchids website and see they have listed C. maxima 'Chadwick's Dark' (Highland) (Meristem) orchid for sale. The C. maxima means it is a species. The 'Chadwick's Dark' is the variety. The (Highland) and I'm guessing here, probably means it comes from the mountains rather than the lowlands which is important information for cultivation but is not part of the orchid name. The (Meristem) means they cloned it from the tissue of another plant. Now, looking at OrchidWiz, there is no mention of this variety. The C. maxima is a registered species orchid. Every variety of it may or may not be listed and this one is not. Looking at the picture of C. maxima 'Chadwick's Dark' on their Website, tells me that this is not your orchid. An educated guess tells me that you have a semi-alba variety and it is lovely. If I were you, I would call it C. maxima var. semi-alba and be done with it.

Jim

There you go! You always have an answer to my and other's problems. I think I will do just that. My plant is now the semi-alba. Does this mean I am famous or perhaps that I have a one-of-a-kind plant? Just joking, but not about labeling the plant C. maxima var. semi-alba. I wish I had more of these plants. The flower is very nice. Hey, I may have another one. Since I don't remember anything about the trade, it could have been for more than one. That would be really fine. Now to figure out a price.

Here are now the final pictures of my Schomburgkia superbiens, all 7 spikes are fully open.


Hope you enjoy!

Fantastic, Ursula! Wish I had room for some of those huge ones.

No more Schom. (I think). I believe it is now L. superbiens. Regardless of the name, it is beautiful. I have a couple of these but no blooms yet.

Now that is a specimen plant if I've ever seen one. Magnificent, Ursula!

Jim

Ursula................WOW !

thank you!

Breathtaking. I just want more of my orchids to grow to adulthood like that.

It almost seems that once they reach a certain size, they become so much more vigorous and hardy (not temperature, but disease and insect tolerant). Possibly it's because they have enough leaves to shrug off a little damage and keep going.

Maybe that's what I'm working towards, a smaller collection of bigger mature orchids. It's certainly a case of 'survival of the fittest' in my outdoor endeavors here.

You are exactly right, Elaine. My baby and teen size ones - well, say a prayer they EVER see adulthood. My mature, blooming size ones, heck, I don't think in all the years, I have lost one of those. But that being said, for the last 3+ years, I don't keep a whole lot of blooming size ones around. I do actively divide them though, so always will keep the "mother" division.

Elaine, my whole yard has become a case of "survival of the fittest"!

Yes, when I go Orchid shopping, I will always prefer a decent size, established plant to a small start up. Who wouldn't?
But, I don't think that is all that, I think the key words here are health and vigor. Now once in a while I pick up an Orchid which never gets a bug attack, grows every season without black rot set back, blooms on schedule and so on. This Schomburgkia ( yes, Ken, I am well aware of the Laelia name) superbiens, never had a bug attack!!
I bought the plant in Fall 2002 in spike from Andy, it was mounted to a very sturdy branch. Evening pictures in the greenhouse....

And in 2004

the next few years it just added growth and essentially walked off the mount. Here we are in 2010, I think that was the Summer I took it off the mount and placed a piece into an empty clay pot!

And in January 2011, just a season later.


I would say, this is just one lucky happy camper of a plant! Or should I say that I am the lucky happy camper?
BTW, talking to people like Lorli and others about EBay purchases- this is my reason for not buying unseen, if I can help it!!

I love that backdrop of snow, Ursula!

Please don't put all of us who sell (some) on eBay into the "crap" category (sorry for the use of that word, but it fits). In my opinion, a lot of the problem is seeing a very low price for a certain plant, OK, orchid, and then not bothering to even read the full description. We simply get locked into the great price. After all, we all love bargains, don't we? Perhaps the title is false (BLOOMING SIZE!) and when you read the description, the plant is growing in a 2" pot. The key element is of course, not the "blooming size", but the "2 inch pot".

Ken, no, I don't think of eBay purchases as crap purchases at all. After all, there are obviously a lot of good vendors with good plants around.
I simply like to look closely at the plant before I buy it. I never know what will strike my fancy at a show! I like fun surprises! That Schomburgkia years ago was just a very good looking plant and it was in spike, so I knew it was blooming size.
And yes, that 2 inch pot should be dead give away.