Cattleya maxima semi alba ‘La pedrena’

[monocotman]

Not quite as many flowers as Williams coerulea clone but this mericlone has done well with 18 blooms.
It’s unusual because one of the spikes is from a growth over a year old. It didn’t flower last year and instead produced two new growths. Now all three are in bloom. It makes a nice show!
There is just a slight scent so far.
Maxima seems to be an easy grower and quite vigorous.

 

[GuRu]

........ It makes a nice show!.......

Indeed, what a nice show these lovely flowers are.....even if there are only 18 !

 

[Guldal]

Gorgeous, David! And yet another striking example of why semi-alba forms are such favourites of yours!

 

[My Green Pets]

gorgeous veining on those!

 

[abax]

What an impressive Catt. Lovely blooms and equally nice dorsals. Your culture is superb David.

 

[monocotman]

It’s another success for net pots. I’m transferring my entire collection to pots with holes in the side. Access to more air seems to help growth for so many cattleya species.

 

[Ozpaph]

lovely. Do you give it lots of light?

 

[dodidoki]

Wonderful flowers and very well grown plant!!! I look for a true s/a maxima for a while, not often seen, and all I bought as s/a, turned to regular form.Just after opening they seemed to be s/a, but after a few days they started to darken.

 

[monocotman]

oz paph, same as the others. South facing window much of the year.
dodidoki. I didn’t know that they were so hard to find.

 

[southernbelle]

Not quite as many flowers as Williams coerulea clone but this mericlone has done well with 18 blooms.
It’s unusual because one of the spikes is from a growth over a year old. It didn’t flower last year and instead produced two new growths. Now all three are in bloom. It makes a nice show!
There is just a slight scent so far.
Maxima seems to be an easy grower and quite vigorous.
View attachment 36203
View attachment 36204

Goodness, David. How on earth do you get this kind of flowering growing in windows?? Amazing!!

 

[monocotman]

Remember that orchids are infinitely adaptable! I just tried different species and saw which ones grew. The advice from everyone in forum helped me to optimise their culture, for which I’m very grateful.

 

[geoffsharris]

I've never seen a maxima S/A that didn't have a blush of color in the veins of the petals. Well grown and very nice.

 

[LadySlipper]

Looks lovely!

 

[PeteM]

It’s another success for net pots. I’m transferring my entire collection to pots with holes in the side. Access to more air seems to help growth for so many cattleya species.

So interesting. I’ve stumbled on this too in my experimenting with different media and pots in the past two years. I noticed a few nurseries use a nested net pot inside a plastic pot for establishing seedlings. So I tried a nested net pot inside an aircone pot on one of my mature cattleyas. I was surprised that the plant established much faster than others, sending out stronger new roots, and new growth.

I am also using some grodan cubes in a rockwool/ perlite/ bark mix. Since the aircone pots are clear, I am also able to grow moss on the sides of the net pot, which is tucked into the larger aircone. Once the moss establishes, the orchids really seem to take off. The best part about this method is that so far the roots seem to behave and stay inside the pot. You do have the occasional exploring root, but for the most part the roots explore in and around the net pot.

Main point is, I am also transitioning all my cattleyas slowly to this method as they come due for repotting.

I was trying to search for another post with the details of your pot type and method, please send me the link if you have already posted in detail about this, would love to check it out.

 

[Plantinmybag]

Hi, am wondering if this variety is a lowland or highland form? Am new to maximas and am find varieties that are of the lowland form to grow in hot humid singapore

 

[Ozpaph]

well it grows in Brisbane - not quite as hot or humid all year round as Singapore but grows fast in summer.

 

[Plantinmybag]

well it grows in Brisbane - not quite as hot or humid all year round as Singapore but grows fast in summer.

Cool! Thanks

 

[DrLeslieEe]

I've never seen a maxima S/A that didn't have a blush of color in the veins of the petals. Well grown and very nice.

There are pure semialba versions particularly in Japan.

Yes the lowland of tall caned maxima can grown warm all year.