Is it an omen? As England get knocked out of the World Cup Laelia purpurata bursts into flower in the Writhlington School Greenhouses . Laelia purpurata is the national flower of Brazil and so must be a football fan. Heather Limond, age 13, who looks after the plant is convinced that it is flowering now to celebrate the forthcoming Brazilian triumph in South Africa. So if Brazil do win, it was the orchid that predicted it!. We grow this species warm and bright with lots of water and feed during the summer but a dryish winter once growth stops in about November. The photo here shows it high in the greenhouse under the auto shade which comes across in the 'warm americas' section when the light level reaches 600 watts per square metre. Check out the Writhlington website for more information.
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