# winter white Cattleya



## bullsie (Nov 23, 2013)

I lost my beautiful winter blooming white Cattleya last year to brown rot:sob:. Now I realize I am going to have a very dark winter without it. Are there any suggestions regarding a nice winter blooming Cattleya that puts on a good big white flower?


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## mormodes (Nov 23, 2013)

I think carter and holmes had a special on a ruth gee hybrid recently. of course you'd have to grow it up to flowering size. but ruth gee, ranger six 'a-ok' and bob betts are all good whites, imho. 

or maybe it was carmela that had the ruth gee hybrid... i was tempted because white cats are my fav too


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## mormodes (Nov 23, 2013)

Both c&h and carmela have bob betts. c&h also has johnette bowers - which i got as an unnamed seedling years ago and its a nice white. 

ack! [slaps forehead] it was al's orchid greenhouse that had the white on his Facebook page DPE2350 Rsc. ((Ranger Six x Hawaiian Jewel) x Ruth Gee) huge white in bloom now, in lees burg VA, google for his web page, but i think its alsorchidechange.com or maybe orchidexchange.com


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## mormodes (Nov 23, 2013)

Bullsie, you are costing me money... i got a jose marti at Al's.......... told you i was a sucker for whites


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## bullsie (Nov 23, 2013)

mormodes said:


> Bullsie, you are costing me money... i got a jose marti at Al's.......... told you i was a sucker for whites



So am I!


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## sweaver24 (Nov 23, 2013)

Hausermann's also has Bob Betts. Around $50 (plus shipping) will get you a huge plant with multiple leads. Flowers are like C. mossiae's on steroids and share mossiae's wonderful fragrance (although Bob blooms at the "wrong" time of the year for a plant that's got a lot of mossiae in its background). Be forewarned that it will become a nearly unmanageable monster, vigorously growing in multiple directions, in a very short period of time. IGood luck with your search.

Steve


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## bullsie (Nov 24, 2013)

A dear friend told me his Gertrude Hausermann always bloomed in the winter so now I will keep an eye out for it. Of course, it will have to be a spring purchase, but at least I now have several variety to choose from so should be able to get at least one.

And it is true, the Bob Betts is huge and sprawling. In the new house, I could only keep a few huge sprawlers and it was not one of them. I did hang on to my purple Hausermann's Holiday 'Ishpeming'. But it sure takes up a lot of room. With the new house, I've gone to compacts, which fit my needs perfectly. But I do make room for some wonderful exceptions!


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## dodidoki (Nov 24, 2013)

One of the most beautiful winter blooming cattleya is trianaei alba. Even more, one plant usually produces 2 groweths/ year in same direction and all of them bloom in same time around Christmas time.


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## mormodes (Nov 28, 2013)

Bullsie, did you ever order the ranger six/ruth gee hybrid from Al Pickrel? http://www.orchidexchange.com I got mine yesterday, huge in 6" pot. I also got the Jose Marti, too. I mention it because - like Ray - he ships with heat packs. Both these arrived without cold damage, from Virginia to California. Took 5 days, counting a Sunday. The post office must be geared up for holiday packages. A highly recommended vendor.




mormodes said:


> Both c&h and carmela have bob betts. c&h also has johnette bowers - which i got as an unnamed seedling years ago and its a nice white.
> 
> ack! [slaps forehead] it was al's orchid greenhouse that had the white on his Facebook page DPE2350 Rsc. ((Ranger Six x Hawaiian Jewel) x Ruth Gee) huge white in bloom now, in lees burg VA, google for his web page, but i think its alsorchidechange.com or maybe orchidexchange.com


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## bullsie (Nov 28, 2013)

I saw several winter whites to fancy. Thanks muchly!!!


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## sweaver24 (Dec 1, 2013)

Anything with C. Bow Bells in its background would be a good choice, especially if you're interested in fragrance. This one is C. General Patton, an old Bow Bells cross from 1952. It's currently flowering in my sunroom and the blooms are really fragrant (thanks to C. mossiae and C. gaskelliana in its genetic makeup).


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