Rlc. Princess Shasta

[PeteM]

(Rlc. Boontime x Stephen Oliver Fouraker)

It’s been over 5 years since this last bloomed for me. This plant was one of my very first cattleya orchid, won on eBay in 2007-2008. From a seller in British Columbia called Mooie exotics. I’ve never been able to track down info on the seller. Maybe someone here knows them.

Blooming was a challenge this round as the position in the grow room has lights tracking from two different sides. I should have turned the plant completely around earlier to avoid the leaf running between blooms. What can you do.

Enjoy.

 

[monocotman]

Who does not love semi albas? Superb!
David

 

[abax]

If this beauty is fragrant, it's perfect.

 

[Ozpaph]

Who does not love semi albas? Superb!
David

Nobody in their right mind, David!

 

[PeteM]

If this beauty is fragrant, it's perfect.

Yes, fragrant… strong high notes mid day.

 

[tomp]

Handsom, beautiful, and elegant all at the same time! She looks to have good substance also. It never ceases to amaze me when so many species can be combined and still produce such “simple“ elegance.

 

[tomp]

Who does not love semi albas? Superb!
David

I completely agree, every-one looks better when dressed as a semi alba!

 

[southernbelle]

Lovely!!

 

[Greenpaph]

Super presentation, color and form! Nice plant! Time to repot!

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Nice one.

Looks like strong purpurata or warscewiczii in the background. So may need higher light to get more frequent bloomings?

 

[PeteM]

Nice one.

Looks like strong purpurata or warscewiczii in the background. So may need higher light to get more frequent bloomings?

Thanks, noted. It's curious.. I did move it before summer from a light position on a high table, which was closer to one type of LED.. to a lower but raised floor position under a different but more powerful brand of LED. The original position was next to one purpurata that previously bloomed. I need to measure the difference in PAR between the two spots. I have this underlying suspicion that some orchids require different intensities from specific portions of the light spectrum to trigger blooming. Then again it could also be a general reduction in overall light triggering some type of seasonal response? It's hard to trust the numbers in the spectrum figures for many of these LED companies. It this case, after a few years of strong mature growth with no blooming, playing musical chairs with the plant seemed to have paid off. That said.. I have started migrating other stubborn cattleyas to different light sources.... to be continued.

 

[tomp]

I frequently move plants in my GH, sometimes on purpose, sometimes arbitrarily, and am often pleasantly surprised by a change in behavior. There may be more “factors“ in a GH than in a grow room, like micro climates, but it just reinforces the adage that if it ain’t working change something.

 

[NEslipper]

Beautiful, I love the contrast! Looks like this one has a lot of mossiae influence in the petal carriage.

 

[PeteM]

She’s done well this last year with two string new growths and one spike with two blooms.

 

[southernbelle]

Lovely bloom!!