Cattleya Bob Betts ‘white lightening’

[Tom-DE]

I wish I still had mine(a different clone). Nice job!

 

[terryros]

I agree. I’m sure that what we all have are mericlones and maybe even mericlones of mericlones.
What surprises me is just how good this mericlone is, even after 70 years. Maybe there is some reduction in quality but as we don’t know what the original looks like, how do we know?
Its still a pretty good cattleya. If the original was better, it must have been quite a plant.
plus this one is even one of the awarded ones!
maybe it was one of the most vigorous ones that grew well and was easy and quick propagate

David, I have not been able to find 'White Lightning' as an AOS awarded cultivar. Perhaps it is RHS awarded.

 

[monocotman]

Terry,
I am not sure that this clone was ever awarded. So many of this grex were of such high standard that it was felt that enough is enough after 66 AOS awards and they gave up.
Maybe this is the one that has stood the test of time as regards vigour, growability and ease of mericloning and so is the one that is most often offered.
As a proof of the vigour, I’ve just measured the biggest leaf. It’s about 13 inches long and just under 4 inches wide at the widest point.
It’s huge.
Twice the area of the ones currently producing blooms.
Not bad for a clone that is probably over 70 years old.
David

 

[kitfox]

Seagrove Orchids has a division of ‘Liberty Hill’ AM/AOS that has never tempted me...until now...

 

[KateL]

The Bob Betts grex has 66 AOS awarded cultivars, including 2 FCCs, mostly in the 50s and 60s, the most awarded of any of Bow Bells progeny. White Lightning is not one of them .

 

[Tom-DE]

FYI, A flower/plant with a clonal name doesn't mean it has been awarded by AOS or RHS. David has never indicated it is an awarded plant/flower by AOS or RHS. You can give your plant a clonal name if you think it is desirable...there is no rule against that.

 

[KateL]

FYI, A flower/plant with a clonal name doesn't mean it has been awarded by AOS or RHS. David has never indicated it is an awarded plant/flower by AOS or RHS. You can give your plant a clonal name if you think it is desirable...there is no rule against that.

Hi Tom, I think David probably hit the nail on the head. There were so many great whites in the day, they could not all be judged. C. Bow Bells ‘Honolulu’, which I understand to be the pod parent of the 1950 Bob Betts cross, was never judged. Best, Kate

 

[monocotman]

As a follow up. White lightning put up another bloom on a late growth. Here it is with percivaliana albescens’ Oro blanco’. I love it when a cattleya with no roots is sufficiently vigorous to produce successive growths in its first season. It gives me two blooming seasons.

David

 

[My Green Pets]

Thank you for posting it! As I mentioned before, I have José Martí (Bow Bells 'snowflake' x Bob Betts 'White Lightning') and the form on your WL looks really nice and balanced. In the Historic Whites video also mentioned earlier in this thread, Jeff Bradley shows that 'Snowflake' is somewhat inferior in terms of flower shape, so I am hopeful that my JM will inherit the nice shape of WL. What is the natural spread of the flower?

 

[monocotman]

William,
the natural spread of this flower is 6.5 inches. It’s a good size, probably because it is a single bloom.
Good luck with the Jose Marti!
David

 

[Guldal]

I love your percy 'Oro Bianco'!

I wish you a Happy and Floriferous New Year, David!

Wonder where that last-minute Brexit-trade-agreement landed you CITES-wise?!

 

[monocotman]

Thanks Guldal,
and a happy new year to you too!
at the moment, as far as I can see, we need cites and a phyto to import from the EU.
That may change in the coming weeks, but then again, it may not!
time will tell. Glad I stocked up on new plants before Brexit,
David

 

[monocotman]

Guldal,
the Oro blanco is growing on me. The lip colour continues to develop as the flower ages and is now a deep egg yolk ( free range not battery) yellow,
David

 

[Ozpaph]

lovely

 

[cnycharles]

Amazing flowers! And interesting stories through the pages. I was at Kensington orchids when a new grower visiting relatives; wish still had those plants

 

[Guldal]

Guldal,
the Oro blanco is growing on me. The lip colour continues to develop as the flower ages and is now a deep egg yolk ( free range not battery) yellow,
David

Ah, nice! Does it deserve an update photo?

 

[SouthPark]

Guldal,
the Oro blanco is growing on me. The lip colour continues to develop as the flower ages and is now a deep egg yolk ( free range not battery) yellow,
David

That's because you're feeding it lettuce leaves instead of grain

 

[monocotman]

Guldal,
here is Oro blanco when it first opened and now.
Quite a change.


David

 

[Guldal]

OMG! It's, indeed a glorious stunner, David.

I need one, too...and quite badly! (was it this plant, that was a freebie from the estimable mr. Strauß?)

 

[monocotman]

It was! He may still have the clone.
David