Lycaste aromatica
Photos:
Bottom Right - Plant blooming en situ.
Remaining three are a plant grown and photographed by Willie Harris.
Notice from the pictures that the more light intensity you give the yellow
Lycastes, the more intense the color.
This is a VERY fragrant species! It has a very strong smell
of cinnamon. Hence the name aromatica! This is an easy to grow species
and I have never seen it above 3000 ft. elevation, so it is a very warm
grower. It is found commonly along the gulf slope of the Eastern Cordillera
in the state of Veracruz. It grows on trees, but since those are being
destroyed, you find it more easily covering rock out croppings in ravines and
canyons. I've never seen it growing further north than just below Xicotepec de
Juarez, Puebla. In the south I have found it up to 3000 ft. in central
Chiapas. Plant size is variable. Remember, all of the yellow Lycastes have
spines at the tip of the psuedobulb where the leaves fall from the psuedobulb.
This species probably has the greatest number of flowers per new growth in
mid spring, 10 to 15. It is said to be found through Central America to
Nicaragua.
This species is easily confused with the following species
when not in bloom:
Lycaste cochleata
Lycaste consobrina
Lycaste crinita
Lycaste cruenta