Cattleya Arthos (Dinard 'Blue Heaven' x trianae (coerulea) '#6')

[terryros]

I almost threw this plant out last year, but I gave it one more chance and it opened a week ago.

Charlesworth Ltd. in England registered Dinard in 1930 and Arthos in 1942, but Arthos was never awarded or used in breeding, suggesting that there was nothing special about the original plants. Orchids Limited remade Arthos some years ago using high quality parents, hoping for strong coerulea flowers with excellent configuration; some of their plants fulfilled this hope.

However, my previous three Arthos flowers haven’t been as nice as those on my Dinard ‘Blue Heaven’ that southernbelle most kindly gifted me. I gave Arthos one more try because I was changing some things with my culture and wanted to see the results. Now I think Arthos can stand proudly next to its parent.

This current inflorescence is thick and produced 4 flowers. While the various Dinard cultivars have all been able to have 4 flowers, I thought mixing in more trianae to create Arthos might reduce the flower count to only 2 or 3, but that didn’t happen. Here is a view of three of the flowers that were clustered together.

 

[Tony]

I'd keep that around.

 

[monocotman]

Wow that is stunning! Well done for keeping it around.

 

[Ozpaph]

missed the mark colourwise which would disappoint me.

 

[terryros]

missed the mark colourwise which would disappoint me.

Do you mean it isn’t quite coerulea? That is always my concern with plants in this color range. It isn’t a grey/purple. But, I don’t like grey-purple! This something-in-the-purple family is more pleasing to me.

 

[Just1more]

Yes,love this flower! Love the color….corerulea color has always puzzled me. I have a canhamaniana (?sp)in my small collection that I hope blooms this next year. I’m curious to see it’s ‘blue’ color.

 

[Guldal]

Very nice, Terry! Patience well rewarded!

 

[PeteM]

View attachment 43976

I almost threw this plant out last year, but I gave it one more chance and it opened a week ago.

Charlesworth Ltd. in England registered Dinard in 1930 and Arthos in 1942, but Arthos was never awarded or used in breeding, suggesting that there was nothing special about the original plants. Orchids Limited remade Arthos some years ago using high quality parents, hoping for strong coerulea flowers with excellent configuration; some of their plants fulfilled this hope.

However, my previous three Arthos flowers haven’t been as nice as those on my Dinard ‘Blue Heaven’ that southernbelle most kindly gifted me. I gave Arthos one more try because I was changing some things with my culture and wanted to see the results. Now I think Arthos can stand proudly next to its parent.

This current inflorescence is thick and produced 4 flowers. While the various Dinard cultivars have all been able to have 4 flowers, I thought mixing in more trianae to create Arthos might reduce the flower count to only 2 or 3, but that didn’t happen. Here is a view of three of the flowers that were clustered together.

View attachment 43977

Gorgeous lip, love the depth in color.
Curious to learn what cultural changes you implemented and if you were pleased with the results. Big changes take a long time to see the results.

 

[terryros]

Gorgeous lip, love the depth in color.
Curious to learn what cultural changes you implemented and if you were pleased with the results. Big changes take a long time to see the results.

A switch from LECA/rock wool to 100% LECA with weekly fertigation but daily heavy misting and careful attention to seasonal changes in temperature, day length, and nutrition. It may be excessive attention to detail, but I have the time!

 

[Phragper]

simply stunning

 

[SunsetChris]

View attachment 43976

I almost threw this plant out last year, but I gave it one more chance and it opened a week ago.

Charlesworth Ltd. in England registered Dinard in 1930 and Arthos in 1942, but Arthos was never awarded or used in breeding, suggesting that there was nothing special about the original plants. Orchids Limited remade Arthos some years ago using high quality parents, hoping for strong coerulea flowers with excellent configuration; some of their plants fulfilled this hope.

However, my previous three Arthos flowers haven’t been as nice as those on my Dinard ‘Blue Heaven’ that southernbelle most kindly gifted me. I gave Arthos one more try because I was changing some things with my culture and wanted to see the results. Now I think Arthos can stand proudly next to its parent.

This current inflorescence is thick and produced 4 flowers. While the various Dinard cultivars have all been able to have 4 flowers, I thought mixing in more trianae to create Arthos might reduce the flower count to only 2 or 3, but that didn’t happen. Here is a view of three of the flowers that were clustered together.

View attachment 43977

I LOVE this one! So beautiful.

 

[SunsetChris]

Gorgeous lip, love the depth in color.
Curious to learn what cultural changes you implemented and if you were pleased with the results. Big changes take a long time to see the results.

Yes, I would be interested to know your cultural changes as well!

 

[terryros]

Yes, I would be interested to know your cultural changes as well!

My plant has a sheath and I want to wait and see it bloom this season before making any judgments. Then I will describe some changes this last year.

 

[southernbelle]

View attachment 43976

I almost threw this plant out last year, but I gave it one more chance and it opened a week ago.

Charlesworth Ltd. in England registered Dinard in 1930 and Arthos in 1942, but Arthos was never awarded or used in breeding, suggesting that there was nothing special about the original plants. Orchids Limited remade Arthos some years ago using high quality parents, hoping for strong coerulea flowers with excellent configuration; some of their plants fulfilled this hope.

However, my previous three Arthos flowers haven’t been as nice as those on my Dinard ‘Blue Heaven’ that southernbelle most kindly gifted me. I gave Arthos one more try because I was changing some things with my culture and wanted to see the results. Now I think Arthos can stand proudly next to its parent.

This current inflorescence is thick and produced 4 flowers. While the various Dinard cultivars have all been able to have 4 flowers, I thought mixing in more trianae to create Arthos might reduce the flower count to only 2 or 3, but that didn’t happen. Here is a view of three of the flowers that were clustered together.

View attachment 43977

Oh my, I did not know you were thinking of getting rid of this one. For some reason I’ve always thought it was special. Maybe I’m a sucker, because ‘Blue Heaven’ was the flower that hooked me on cattleyas. Sometimes it’s worth giving a plant 3 or even 4 blooms. Yay!!! It’s gorgeous!!

 

[terryros]

Oh my, I did not know you were thinking of getting rid of this one. For some reason I’ve always thought it was special. Maybe I’m a sucker, because ‘Blue Heaven’ was the flower that hooked me on cattleyas. Sometimes it’s worth giving a plant 3 or even 4 blooms. Yay!!! It’s gorgeous!!

Now that I know a little bit more about Cattleya flowers I realize that my Arthos has good color and size, but inferior configuration compared to Dinard. It has much more open shape that wouldn't be close to award quality. If it stays this way this year, you would never choose it over Dinard.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Looks like Dinard genes are strong here.

These particular ‘blue’ purple range is a hard one to figure out. It’s so in between the true coerulea one knows and the type magenta pink ones. The only way to tell it’s on the blue range is to stick a magenta pink next to it and see it in real time. If it shows a grey cast, even 10%, it will be considered a ‘blue’.

 

[southernbelle]

Looks like Dinard genes are strong here.

These particular ‘blue’ purple range is a hard one to figure out. It’s so in between the true coerulea one knows and the type magenta pink ones. The only way to tell it’s on the blue range is to stick a magenta pink next to it and see it in real time. If it shows a grey cast, even 10%, it will be considered a ‘blue’.

Informative, thanks.