Lycaste virginalis

Description

Lycaste skinneri, also known as Lycaste virginalis, is a species of epiphyte orchid that resides in the south of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, at an average altitude of 1650 meters above sea level. Long leaves grow from its thick pseudobulbs. The flowers of this species -generally individual- are triangular and grow from the base of the youngest pseudo-bulb and measure between 10 and 15 centimeters. They can vary from being completely white in the Alba variety, passing from different tones of pink to lavender.This purity in color makes them the best candidate as a starting point for Lycaste hybrid formation. The flower's blooming period is between November and April, with its peak being in the end of January and the beginning of February. A mature plant can produce between 4 and 12 flowers during the time of its blooming, which lasts between 6 and 8 weeks. It is a hermaphrodite plant capable of producing millions of seeds inside of a fruit in the form of a capsule. Nevertheless, the necessary conditions for the germination include the presence of a specific fungus, which results in the plant being very scarce whose commercialization is prohibited in Guatemala.