Cattleya species

[terryros]

While I have enough Phrags and Paphs to still qualify as a legitimate Slipertalk member, I have to admit that Cattleyas are now about 2/3 of my collection and 1/2 of my Cattleyas are species. All of my species were new self or sibling crosses of high quality plants. The great majority of these species are from the large flowered, unifoliate group.

I have not obtained the following members of this group, either because of lack of availability of young plants from crosses OR because there is something about the plant or flower that I have read that makes me think I would not like it. I am asking you if I should reconsider any of the following small group and work harder to obtain them.

lawrenceana
eldorado
rex
quadricolor

 

[monocotman]

Terry,
I am in a very similar position to you. Two thirds of my plants are catts and the rest phrags. Most of the catts are unifoliate species of the large flower type. I don’t have any of the species you mention But would be interested to know what other thought
David

 

[CarlG]

Well, I have a quadricolor. The flowers of this species don't open fully, giving a more bell-shaped appearance. Mine's kind of pale, and the flowers smell of melted plastic.

FWIW.
YMMV
HAND

 

[terryros]

I knew that quadricolor ‘Elly’ AM is the rare one that opens, but it costs a lot. I did not know about the fragrance. I tolerate to slightly like percivaliana, but I don’t think I could get to melted plastic!

 

[PeteM]

eldorado
rex

these two I have added to the collection. I believe the flowers are worth the extra effort and challenge. William Green from my green pets is on this forum and has a YouTube channel which focuses mainly on his Rex culture and success in different conditions. Rex has been difficult and took a long time for me to establish roots and new growth.

Eldorado I was also hesitant to try because I thought the growing conditions were difficult. This is a great video on the species that also peaked my interest..

After seeing ‘mt Ito’ in bloom on this forum (Cattleya eldorado ) I tracked down a seedling cross from a ‘mt Ito’ (EROS orchids) I have managed to split my 2 seedlings into 4 separate plants and even the tiniest of this species is growing very well under my conditions.

I am interested to see what others say about lawrenceana, it has never been on my radar. What about this species was the interest or issue?

Yes. Mostly phrags and Cattleyas growing in the collection for me. I look to be in good company!

 

[geoffsharris]

Opinion of 1 human:
Quadricolor is a bit like a poorly colored and shaped trianae. Nice, but not fantastic.
Rex is a very cool plant, just not that available. Worth tracking down.
Lawrenceana can be very hit or miss. Some clones are super vigorous and have big heads of flowers and others are runty and slow, difficult growers. Nice ones are really nice, and the less nice ones are a waste of space and time.
True eldorado (aka wallisii, trichopiliochila) are from near Manaus where it is almost never below 75F at night. I've seen them in the habitat and can attest that it is quite warm day and night. Mt. Ito is suspected by some growers to potentially be of hybrid origin. The very dark colors and the fact that it has become so common because it is so much easier to grow hint at this, but to my knowledge no one has proven it. Beautiful plant. Other clones are often more difficult to grow if you don't live in a place like Singapore. If you can keep them 70F+ at night, 85F+ day they do quite well.

 

[terryros]

Thanks much for the video and other information. Eldorado is going to be a challenge and be in the warmest part of my room under high light. Orchids Limited has a seed grown eldorado alba (not sure if a selfing or sib cross) but it should be clean and I trust their breeding.

They are going to get some seed-grown rex in this spring that I think I will also get. Jerry Fischer told me the lawrenceana is "beautiful but difficult to obtain." so that probably isn't going to happen. I am still reluctant to buy the quadricolor.

 

[terryros]

Opinion of 1 human:
Quadricolor is a bit like a poorly colored and shaped trianae. Nice, but not fantastic.
Rex is a very cool plant, just not that available. Worth tracking down.
Lawrenceana can be very hit or miss. Some clones are super vigorous and have big heads of flowers and others are runty and slow, difficult growers. Nice ones are really nice, and the less nice ones are a waste of space and time.
True eldorado (aka wallisii, trichopiliochila) are from near Manaus where it is almost never below 75F at night. I've seen them in the habitat and can attest that it is quite warm day and night. Mt. Ito is suspected by some growers to potentially be of hybrid origin. The very dark colors and the fact that it has become so common because it is so much easier to grow hint at this, but to my knowledge no one has proven it. Beautiful plant. Other clones are often more difficult to grow if you don't live in a place like Singapore. If you can keep them 70F+ at night, 85F+ day they do quite well.

Thank you for joining the little Cattleya club hiding inside Slippertalk. You can definitely contribute to the growing expertise of this group. Would you please tell me a bit about your growing location and conditions, as well as a bit about your Cattleya collection?

 

[geoffsharris]

Hi Terry,

In N. California, used to be in San Diego. Pretty well represented collection. Coccineas, pumilas, sincoranas, purpuratas, jongheanas, most of the Colombian and Venezuelan Cattleya species, and a good cross section of the bifoliates - aclandiae, schilleriana, velutina, guttatas, amethestoglossas, nobiliors, walkerianas, tigrinas. Have a warmer greenhouse that is targeted to be 62-85F year round as much as possible and a second more seasonal one that gets down to high 40s in winter and about the same as the other greenhouse in summer. Most of the Cats, but not all are in the warm house. The other house is for Laelia anceps, other Mexican species and paphs from more temperate regions in Asia, and Ausie Dendrobiums. How about you?

-Geoff

 

[terryros]

Minnesota in a space-locked indoor plant room with three different types of LED lighting. I have to be very selective with what I grow. I think orchids are a kind of biology experiment for me, so I am into details of growth conditions for things. I think that is why I am attracted to species and primary hybrids.

 

[geoffsharris]

Happy to share my experience with the sub-group. I've come to appreciate that "Cattleya conditions" is not a very useful shorthand for a group with a lot of diversity in terms of optimal cultural practices. Don't know if you have these, but a lot of the smaller sized "Brazilian Laelias" like pumila, jongheana, alaorii, etc. are definite satisfying to grow, do well under lights and take up a lot less space that traditional unifoliates.

 

[terryros]

I have a few, but I have a definite preference for the large flowered unifoliates!

 

[Duck Slipper]

I like the Big Catts. myself. For some reason I have taken a liking to Warscewiczii’s. In the last couple years I have acquired 6 different Warscewiczii’s. Even acquired a “Firmin’Lambeau” division. Also, Jenmani, Dowiana, Mossiae, Lueddemanniana. Mossiae and Lueddemanniana have bloomed, others are to young.

 

[tomp]

while I have and like the big catts too I am gravitating towards the small Brazilians as well. Here are examples of why:

 

[southernbelle]

Love the second one!

 

[tomp]

Love the second one!

Sorry, I should have provided labels. They are as follows:
C. jongheana (syn L)
C. alaorii (syn L.)
the third is a rupicolous Laelia which may or may not be endsfeldzii

 

[geoffsharris]

I used to be somewhat of a unifoliatist when it came to cattleyas, but have come around to appreciating the bifoliates as well. If you have lots of space and sun, leopoldii/tigrina, gutatta, amethystoglossa are awesome. Aclandiae, schilleriana, walkeriana, nobilior, kerrii are great and take up a lot less space. Intermedia is also quite pretty and adaptable to a lot of conditions. Just so I don't loose all credibility on ST, I do have some number of paphs and a few phrags as well.

 

[PeteM]

Just so I don't loose all credibility on ST, I do have some number of paphs and a few phrags as well.

Thats what they all say

 

[geoffsharris]

Not the best picture, but Cattleya warneri coerulescens. Very unusual color from tropical orchid farm. Pretty much like a concolor , but the overall color is different than a tipo, but not exactly coerulea. Has the tiniest hint of yellow way back in the throat.

 

[monocotman]

Lovely!
David