This week’s Orchid Wise Orchid of the Week is… Cym. Mighty Moon
Parentage: This week’s Orchid of the Week is a cross between Cym. Mighty Tracey × Cym. Full Moon
Registered: 2018
The reason why it’s our Orchid of the Week:
For this week’s Orchid Wise ‘Orchid of the Week‘, we’re paying tribute to Elanor (Weegie) Caughlan who passed away in October 2025.
Cymbidium Mighty Moon was one of Weegie’s 24 original registered Cymbidium crosses. But this particular hybrid really works for me. I’m obsessed with that lip! The dark colour is unusually intense for a Cymbidium, and the petals and sepals have that slightly angular shape I love in a modern tetraploid. There are other cultivars from this cross, of course, but this one is my clear favourite. Honestly, I’d love to get a clone someday, simply as a way to remember Weegie.
A Champion Cymbidium Grower!
Weegie played a prominent role in U.S. Cymbidium orchid history. She founded the Gold Coast Cymbidium Society in California and became an outstanding Cymbidium orchid grower in her own right. In fact, she won Grand Champion Cymbidium at the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show six times. Not to mention another five Reserve Champion titles.
Weegie also earned an incredible 92 Cymbidium awards from the American Orchid Society during her long and successful career. Beyond that, she served as a fully accredited AOS judge and stayed deeply involved in several orchid societies across the United States. And, of course, she bred and registered 24 unique Cymbidium crosses.
Although my interactions with Weegie were only through email, she always came across as enthusiastic, generous with advice, and genuinely passionate about Cymbidium breeding. Her legacy in the Cymbidium world is significant, and her absence will be felt by many.
Tracing the plant’s heritage using Orchid Roots, its primary species ancestors are Cym. insigne, Cym. lowianum and Cym. hookerianum.