This Rhyncovola(more commonly known as Brassavola) orchid hybrid cross bring the best of both parents together in a stunning flower with a beautiful fimbriated lip.

The terete foliage(thick pencil-like leaves and pseudobulbs) are typical of one of the parents, Brassavola cucullata. In this species, the leaves are 12-18" long and hang downwards, producing long pendulous stems of spidery white flowers with long dropping petals—its as if the plant has totally given in to the demands of gravity, making no effort to assert itself vertically in any dimension.

The Rhyncolaelia digbyana corrects this by adding an upright 'backbone' to the hybrid. It also reduced plant size and makes the flower bigger. In the better cultivars, such as the one pictured here,  the petals and sepals are widened and held out, rather than drooping, to create a more pleasing flower. It also adds enlarges the lip and adds its characteristic fimbriation at the edges, which becomes the focal point of this dramatic flower.

This plant needs a lots of direct sunlight, and should do fine in intermediate to warm temperatures. It's allowed to dry out between waterings and fed regularly. It seems to need a lot of growths before it will flower so be a little patient with this one. It typically blooms in the summer with the buds appearing from the dry papery sheaths that encase the pseudobulbs.  If your plant will not bloom, see our tips on blooming your orchids. Light is probably the most limiting factor in growing this hybrid indoors.

In many photos of this hybrid, you will see some  have an attractive pink tinged sepals. Interestingly, this pinkish hue is due to light shining through the back of the sepals that can be a very dark pink in color. This is shown in the photo to the right-yes it  is the same flower! If the flower had been photographed with some light behind, the sepals would seem to be a distinct pink hue.

Other orchids in the Cattleya alliance:

Potinara Hoku Gem