Trip to Cal-Orchid

Two weeks ago I was passing through Santa Barbara and made a stop at Cal-Orchid, owned by James and Lauris Rose.  It was Sunday, but luckily for me, James was around.  The Cal-Orchid greenhouses are amazing.  I have never seen so many incredibly well grown plants.  In fact, seeing plants like this makes me realize how mediocre my plants are.

James is a super nice guy and we strolled around the greenhouses talking for almost two hours.  I ended up buying six plants.  All very high quality and at a ridiculously reasonable price.  If you ever have the chance to go to Cal-Orchid, do it!

So, Cal-Orchid is known for many things including superior Laelia anceps crosses.  I mentioned to James that I shouldn't leave his place without an anceps or two and he proceeded to take me to a greenhouse with several long benches filled with anceps.  As I have some nice tipo and pink anceps already, I told him I was interested in a very light one (or even alba) one and a dark (so called, "Mendenhall") one.  We looked over the benches and spotted this plant below which I grabbed immediately.  It is an offspring of two well known parents, Marble Queen and Figment.  Richard over at Backbulbs posted a photo of a sib earlier this year.  Two spiking growths on this baby, and look at those roots!