Description
Laelia jongheana is a somewhat rare gem, something you don’t see offered very often. And since albas are usually even more rare than their respective color forms, Laelia jongheana fma. alba is definitely not something you can pick up anytime the mood strikes. If you’re an orchid obsessive, what this means for you is to Buy. This. Now. before they’re gone.
There is a well-known actor in England, name of Toby Jones. Most Americans have probably seen him somewhere, and would say ‘Oh, yeah, that guy’. He is a brilliant and very funny actor, and one of the top-rated shows in the UK was Detectorists, in which he plays the co-lead. Toby does have a distinctive appearance, though. Stature-wise, he’s on the short side…and he has a somewhat large head for his body. (Proportionality is something we notice as human beings, no denying it.) Despite his unconventional looks, or maybe because of them, you find yourself intrigued by the characters he inhabits.
Laelia jongheana is the Toby Jones of the Cattleya world. The plant is diminutive and compact (very desirable trait for the space-limited), but it produces a disproportionately large flower. The flower is long-lasting, and very attractive so it is surprising that this species is not better known (like Toby Jones). We expect these to sell quickly as we’re limited in supply and we know how to push an orchid collector’s buttons, so if you find yourself a click too late, you might console yourself by binge-watching Detectorists starring Toby Jones. There’s a bit of detectorists in every orchid collectorist.
