Cattleya lueddemanniana concolor

[monocotman]

I’ve read somewhere that lueddemanniana can have very variable flowerings. This clone is no exception.
Most years it produces average flowers but every so often there are flowering like this.
The three blooms are a good size, 17.5 cm (just under 7”) across and 20 cm ( 8” ) tall.
Maybe the culture is improving. After advice from Dr Leslie and others plus my retirement, the plants are getting more individual attention than before.
The plant is not typical of the species. It grows like a gaskelliana, so it starts up in mid spring, grows quickly then blooms as soon as the growth is mature, in July/August.
It is also much larger growing than my other plants of this species, more akin to a typical labiata.
I love the pure pale coloured petals and the scent of super.

David

 

[SouthPark]

Absolutely beautiful flowers, and very nice relaxing scenery too.

 

[monocotman]

Thanks! We’ve had quite a wet summer so far so everything is looking lush.

 

[GuRu]

David, these are absolutely gorgeous flowers.
BTW by now I bought few cattleyas to give them a try on my empty window-sills. Wait and see what will happen.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Very well grown David. Three flowers on one spike for lueddemanianas is a happy plant.

The definition of true concolor means the lip has a base color of the petals and a yellow throat, with no other color of red, magenta or purple on lip.

Therefore, the category of this flower will fit the type form rather than concolor class.

It is common for concolor selfings to not provide pure concolor offsprings.

Also, culture can determine the lip color too. Next year it might flower out pure concolor.

 

[monocotman]

Thanks for the details, Leslie.
This plant has flowered with four huge flowers once in 2018.
The flowers have always been this colour right from its first flowering seven years ago, so I should probably relabel it as a tipo or a pale form.
I did question whether it was a pure form of the species but it has nice well developed horns on the column.

 

[tomp]

David, a truly beautiful and classy classic, Bravo!!

 

[southernbelle]

This is strikingly beautiful. I love the softness of the color. Well done! Retirement seems to be suiting your orchids!

 

[monocotman]

Thanks, it is a striking orchid ‘in the flesh’ and all the better as it was a freebie in a larger consignment. It may well have flowered poorly as it was a South American import and so been put in the freebie bin. This was its flowering last summer. It was affected by the heat and it was probably not watered enough. Two of the three buds blasted. It’s barely recognisable as the same plant. The good news for me is that there is a second large growth maturing with buds just visible at the base of the sheath.

 

[Ozpaph]

i love that!

 

[h_mossy]

Beautiful concolor! I haven't seen many of those on a C. lueddemanniana.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Gorgeous species!!

 

[monocotman]

Just as an extra, here they are in the same place minus the sun,

 

[abax]

Very nice, upright dorsal and the soft color is striking.

 

[My Green Pets]

they look enormous and i love the long, low hanging lateral sepals. you seem to have achieved cattleyas blooming every month of the year!

 

[monocotman]

William, thanks I do try to spread the bloomings out across the year!

 

[Guldal]

...in the same place minus the sun,

How did you succeed in finding that spot - I heard on the news, that y'all are sweating under the sun, overthere in Greater Brexitannia?!

Soon you can sing: "I wish I was in Brexie, Hooray, Hooray! ..... A-way, A-way, A-way down South in Brexie"

 

[Guldal]

I do try to spread the bloomings out across the year!

And, one must say, David, succeed impressively in that endeavour!
Is it just my impression, or have you the present year reached your zenith as Catt grower so far? It seems, that your (well, the plants of course) are sporting a steady stream of one gorgeous flower after another!
I hope you after having taken retirement are thrieving as much as clearly the plants are!
Most kind regards, Jens

 

[monocotman]

Hi Jens,
thanks for the comments.
Certainly I’ve been able to spend more time on the plants since retirement but much of the recent improvement in culture is down to advice form this forum!
This year I’ve been paying more attention to watering during summer. Some plants are receiving twice as much water as they did last year., especially if they are in some of the smaller pots.

 

[NEslipper]

Beautiful, soft pastels and the flower looks huge! Great growing!