C. Earl 'Imperialis' FCC/AOS

[NEslipper]

Blooming in time for the New Year, Happy 2024 Slippertalkers! The cross is C. Empress Bells x C. General Patton and was registered in 1961. This plant got an 84 point AM in 1967 that was upgraded to an FCC in 1980. Original virus-free division from Silva Orchids. I love this plant, vigorous with a compact growth habit it puts out two leads per year which bloom sequentially (this is the first growth, the second is still in bud). The flowers are not super flat this year, but they are always frilly to the max, have upright dorsals, have a saturated egg-yolk lip, and are wonderfully fragrant. You can tell it was bred for the cut flower trade because it presents beautifully on a tall stem with minimal staking required. Not the largest flower by modern standards, but it's truly spectacular on a great flowering (which this isn't by far), and is totally deserving of its FCC. Last years blooming is HERE.

 

[monocotman]

Lovely!

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Huge flowers on compact plant!
Wonderful.
I bet it will last over 3-4 weeks too.

 

[Royal Rea]

It shows how good and consistent genes from Slyvia Fry have been.

 

[NEslipper]

It shows how good and consistent genes from Slyvia Fry have been.

No Sylvia Fry in this one, Sylvia wasn’t registered until 1966, so 5 years after Earl. This one is mostly C. Bow Bells (has Bow Bells as a grandparent on each side). Similar shape and yellow lip though!

 

[Ozpaph]

an old classic.

 

[tomp]

Classic whites rule!

 

[terryros]

No Sylvia Fry in this one, Sylvia wasn’t registered until 1966, so 5 years after Earl. This one is mostly C. Bow Bells (has Bow Bells as a grandparent on each side). Similar shape and yellow lip though!

The fun puzzle is identifying outstanding albino hybrids that don’t have Bow Bells in the ancestry. I have Bow Bells and Bob Betts and then bought Rlc. Pastoral ‘Innocence’ registered in 1961 with only Suzanne Hye in the ancestry but no Bow Bells. I know there are a few other early, outstanding whites without Bob Bells in the lineage, but I don’t see them available to buy.

 

[Carmella.carey]

The fun puzzle is identifying outstanding albino hybrids that don’t have Bow Bells in the ancestry. I have Bow Bells and Bob Betts and then bought Rlc. Pastoral ‘Innocence’ registered in 1961 with only Suzanne Hye in the ancestry but no Bow Bells. I know there are a few other early, outstanding whites without Bob Bells in the lineage, but I don’t see them available to buy.

Deb and I saw a piece of C.Nancy Off 'Linwood' AM/AOS, and she told me that you were thinking of getting one, but decided that Bob Betts 'Tacoma' would be a better white. by the way, is your Bob Betts 'Tacoma' an original division? it has been cloned.

I have 2 really nice old whites that don't have Bow Bells in the background. the first is C.Nancy Off 'Linwood' AM/AOS, (Bebe White x Joyce Hannington) although Suzanne Hye appears 3 times in the lineage. it is from the original mericloneing, and is supposed to be better than the original, possibly a tetraploid, even though the original is probably a tetraploid as well.
the second is C.Dorthy Mackaill 'Chadwick' (Edithiae alba 'White Empress' FCC/RHS x mossiae alba) this an original division from Chadwick's and was selected from a blooming bench of this hybrid at Patterson Orchids, Bergenfield, NJ. It shares a parent with Bow Bells, C.Edithiae alba 'White Empress' FCC/RHS.

It seems to be that all good modern white hybrids have either, or both, C.Suzanne Hye FCC/RHS C.trianaei alba 'Broomhills' in the background.

-Patrick

 

[Carmella.carey]

Blooming in time for the New Year, Happy 2024 Slippertalkers! The cross is C. Empress Bells x C. General Patton and was registered in 1961. This plant got an 84 point AM in 1967 that was upgraded to an FCC in 1980. Original virus-free division from Silva Orchids. I love this plant, vigorous with a compact growth habit it puts out two leads per year which bloom sequentially (this is the first growth, the second is still in bud). The flowers are not super flat this year, but they are always frilly to the max, have upright dorsals, have a saturated egg-yolk lip, and are wonderfully fragrant. You can tell it was bred for the cut flower trade because it presents beautifully on a tall stem with minimal staking required. Not the largest flower by modern standards, but it's truly spectacular on a great flowering (which this isn't by far), and is totally deserving of its FCC. Last years blooming is HERE.
View attachment 44544View attachment 44542View attachment 44543

Where did it come from?

-Patrick

 

[terryros]

Deb and I saw a piece of C.Nancy Off 'Linwood' AM/AOS, and she told me that you were thinking of getting one, but decided that Bob Betts 'Tacoma' would be a better white. by the way, is your Bob Betts 'Tacoma' an original division? it has been cloned.

I have 2 really nice old whites that don't have Bow Bells in the background. the first is C.Nancy Off 'Linwood' AM/AOS, (Bebe White x Joyce Hannington) although Suzanne Hye appears 3 times in the lineage. it is from the original mericloneing, and is supposed to be better than the original, possibly a tetraploid, even though the original is probably a tetraploid as well.
the second is C.Dorthy Mackaill 'Chadwick' (Edithiae alba 'White Empress' FCC/RHS x mossiae alba) this an original division from Chadwick's and was selected from a blooming bench of this hybrid at Patterson Orchids, Bergenfield, NJ. It shares a parent with Bow Bells, C.Edithiae alba 'White Empress' FCC/RHS.

It seems to be that all good modern white hybrids have either, or both, C.Suzanne Hye FCC/RHS C.trianaei alba 'Broomhills' in the background.

-Patrick

I got Bob Betts ‘Tacoma’ from Chadwicks on an ebay auction. I am usually good about recording whether it was a mericlone and I didn’t note that but the plant looks like a non-bloomed seedling so I think it is mericlone. You probably know or can find out. Too bad that good photography didn’t exist to show us the original fantastic Suzanne Hye. Are either Edithiae ‘White Empress’ or trianae ‘Broomhills’ still in existence?

 

[NEslipper]

The fun puzzle is identifying outstanding albino hybrids that don’t have Bow Bells in the ancestry. I have Bow Bells and Bob Betts and then bought Rlc. Pastoral ‘Innocence’ registered in 1961 with only Suzanne Hye in the ancestry but no Bow Bells. I know there are a few other early, outstanding whites without Bob Bells in the lineage, but I don’t see them available to buy.

I agree, they are harder to come by, and therefore tend to be more expensive when they are available and also sell out extremely quickly. I've been fortunate enough to snag a few over the years, and just finished blooming two of them this fall. C. Helen P. Dane 'Magnifica' AM/AOS (C. Barbara Dane x C. Edithiae var. alba 'White Empress' FCC/RHS) reg 1941 blooming HERE and C. Joyce Hannington 'Shore Orchid Growers' (C. Barbara Dane x C. Snowdon) reg 1945 which on a good blooming can rival any C. Bow Bells in my opinion (this year's blooming HERE and a previous, better blooming HERE). I have one other non-Bow Bells lineage white just coming into bloom now, so I'll post it next week once it's fully open, but here's a preview:

 

[NEslipper]

Where did it come from?

-Patrick

Silva Orchids. This is a back-bulb division of the original plant, but I believe they also did a limited mericlone run as well.

 

[NEslipper]

I got Bob Betts ‘Tacoma’ from Chadwicks on an ebay auction. I am usually good about recording whether it was a mericlone and I didn’t note that but the plant looks like a non-bloomed seedling so I think it is mericlone. You probably know or can find out. Too bad that good photography didn’t exist to show us the original fantastic Suzanne Hye. Are either Edithiae ‘White Empress’ or trianae ‘Broomhills’ still in existence?

Yes, they are still in existence. I have a piece of 'Broomhill's', but it blasted this year when I was unprepared for some intense sun after an extended rainy/cloudy period during bud development. Here's a post from a previous blooming it's really a thin, scraggly, ungainly plant for a trianae. LINK.

 

[terryros]

I agree, they are harder to come by, and therefore tend to be more expensive when they are available and also sell out extremely quickly. I've been fortunate enough to snag a few over the years, and just finished blooming two of them this fall. C. Helen P. Dane 'Magnifica' AM/AOS (C. Barbara Dane x C. Edithiae var. alba 'White Empress' FCC/RHS) reg 1941 blooming HERE and C. Joyce Hannington 'Shore Orchid Growers' (C. Barbara Dane x C. Snowdon) reg 1945 which on a good blooming can rival any C. Bow Bells in my opinion (this year's blooming HERE and a previous, better blooming HERE). I have one other non-Bow Bells lineage white just coming into bloom now, so I'll post it next week once it's fully open, but here's a preview:

View attachment 44631

The Joyce Hannington picture is incredible. You have a great collection of outstanding heritage whites. Since all the flowers are fantastic, ease of growth, compactness, etc. become issues in deciding your favorite. Would you put one at the top of your list?

 

[NEslipper]

The Joyce Hannington picture is incredible. You have a great collection of outstanding heritage whites. Since all the flowers are fantastic, ease of growth, compactness, etc. become issues in deciding your favorite. Would you put one at the top of your list?

Thank you! I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how well they’ve done in a south-facing window. I’ve said it before, but I really think these old cut flower stocks are perfect for home-growers looking to try out cattleyas, and reasonably priced mericlones of some can readily be found. Certainly C. Joyce Hannington and C. Earl ‘Imperialis’ are at the top of my list in terms of growth, compactness, and willingness to bloom. Joyce blooms every 8-10 months, with larger flowers, but less consistent form in my conditions. Earl blooms ~12 months, and will flower two growths sequentially, so net more flowers but with slightly smaller size. Both smell amazing. If I had to pick, I would choose the Joyce for sentimental reasons.

 

[Carmella.carey]

I got Bob Betts ‘Tacoma’ from Chadwicks on an ebay auction. I am usually good about recording whether it was a mericlone and I didn’t note that but the plant looks like a non-bloomed seedling so I think it is mericlone. You probably know or can find out. Too bad that good photography didn’t exist to show us the original fantastic Suzanne Hye. Are either Edithiae ‘White Empress’ or trianae ‘Broomhills’ still in existence?

I've been bugging David Off to sell me a piece of his 'Broomhills', I'm not sure where he got his. I understand that NEslipper's came from Plato, but I guess Plato's either died or was lost before David got his plants. I would get a piece of Art Chadwick Sr.'s piece, but it is so virused that it no longer blooms.
I'm pretty sure they all have at least CyMV though.

'Broomhills' is widely believed to be the variety of trianaei used by the Belgian breeder, Theodore Pauwels in 1914 to make the original C.Edithiae (Suzanne Hye x trianaei) which Bore the famous stud 'White Empress' FCC/RHS. Another way it worked itself into breeding history is that it was Harold Patterson's stud plant and he used it produce fine whites such as C.Barbra Billingsley (Mandanae x trianaei 'Broomhills') 1946.
Another way it was important was that semi-alba forms of trianaei were even more rare then than they are now, with only a couple ever discovered.
So with alba being a lack of pigment, not a different color, it became a valuable parent for semi-alba breeding, since it was extremely fertile, and, when crossed with a semi-alba all the children would be semi-alba with improved shape, which trianaei is known for.

And a note, it was first exhibited in 1919 by Sir Mervyn E. M. Buller, of Broomhills Spratton, Northampton.

-Patrick

 

[southernbelle]

I got Bob Betts ‘Tacoma’ from Chadwicks on an ebay auction. I am usually good about recording whether it was a mericlone and I didn’t note that but the plant looks like a non-bloomed seedling so I think it is mericlone. You probably know or can find out. Too bad that good photography didn’t exist to show us the original fantastic Suzanne Hye. Are either Edithiae ‘White Empress’ or trianae ‘Broomhills’ still in existence?

Terry, you can look up the eBay listing of your purchase and it will tell you if it’s original I’m sure. I always screen shot the description and flower photo of things I get on eBay for documentation.

 

[terryros]

Terry, you can look up the eBay listing of your purchase and it will tell you if it’s original I’m sure. I always screen shot the description and flower photo of things I get on eBay for documentation.

Forgot that! I know you keep and track everything!

 

[southernbelle]

Forgot that! I know you keep and track everything!

You’ve taught me the history of plants is important!!