Rlc. Ranger Six ‘A-OK’ (AM/AOS)

[southernbelle]

First bloom for me. Correction, second bloom, first was in December with 1 flower as well.

 

[terryros]

Deb, what do you think? The lip is huge. The petals are reflexing back. If they were out flat it would be a rounder flower?

 

[southernbelle]

It was stunning when it first opened flat. Form was great, but then petals reflexed. I need to look up the awarded flower. It’s a Waldor original division, but it doesn’t look like Waldor got the award. This cultivar has been awarded an FCC. Waldor’s tag says AM. Mine is NS 15 (reflexed), Lip width 6.5.

 

[southernbelle]

PeteM did you measure yours? I think we both have divisions, as I remember you posting when yours bloomed first. This division purchased 4/21. It was small and did not bloom til 12/22.

 

[abax]

Nothing's perfect. I think it's a gorgeous flower warts and all.
Is it fragrant? Oh, who the hell cares?! it's a lovely white
flower. Very nice dorsal too.

 

[NEslipper]

It was stunning when it first opened flat. Form was great, but then petals reflexed. I need to look up the awarded flower. It’s a Waldor original division, but it doesn’t look like Waldor got the award. This cultivar has been awarded an FCC. Waldor’s tag says AM. NS 15 (reflexed), Lip width 6.5.

It was awarded two AMs, 84 points in 1968 and 87 in 1970, both to a William Farrell. Armacost & Royston got the 91 point FCC in 1980. I love the amount of yellow on the lip, it's stunning. I wouldn't be worried about the form, cattleyas can be extremely variable year-to-year, especially on young/not yet established plants. I'm sure it's only going to get better! How's the fragrance?

 

[southernbelle]

Nothing's perfect. I think it's a gorgeous flower warts and all.
Is it fragrant? Oh, who the hell cares?! it's a lovely white
flower. Very nice dorsal too.

You are the sweetest thang!!! And I know you love those dorsals that stand up! It's funny, now every time I see a dorsal I notice that. And, I just had something judged and the judges commented that it had one less flower per spike than the awarded plant, and the dorsal leaned back (I overheard their discussion). Both things were valid, so I just need to work harder (or pray harder) next time.

 

[southernbelle]

It was awarded two AMs, 84 points in 1968 and 87 in 1970, both to a William Farrell. Armacost & Royston got the 91 point FCC in 1980. I love the amount of yellow on the lip, it's stunning. I wouldn't be worried about the form, cattleyas can be extremely variable year-to-year, especially on young/not yet established plants. I'm sure it's only going to get better! How's the fragrance?

Light and sweet in the evening if you smell the flower. It's not knocked me off my feet at another time of day, so suspect that's what it is.

 

[PeteM]

PeteM did you measure yours? I think we both have divisions, as I remember you posting when yours bloomed first. This division purchased 4/21. It was small and did not bloom til 12/22.

I do have a division, unfortunately I did not measure mine this round. Next time it blooms I’ll be sure to measure and post!

 

[terryros]

Deb, you know that I was interested in this plant, so have done some reviewing. The FCC plant had a horizontal spread of 18.0 cm with three blooms on one inflorescence. Five other cultivars of Ranger Six have been awarded besides 'A-OK' and none of the awarded flowers have reflexed and look flat and round. I know your cultural conditions are excellent, so I don't understand the petal reflexing. We will have to wait a year to see if it repeats. It if repeats, there are only a few possibilities, but let's not deal with those until we see if it happens

Whether this is a division, or even a mericlone, the tag of ‘A-OK’ should be FCC and not AM, after March 1980.

 

[southernbelle]

Deb, you know that I was interested in this plant, so have done some reviewing. The FCC plant had a horizontal spread of 18.0 cm with three blooms on one inflorescence. Five other cultivars of Ranger Six have been awarded besides 'A-OK' and none of the awarded flowers have reflexed and look flat and round. I know your cultural conditions are excellent, so I don't understand the petal reflexing. We will have to wait a year to see if it repeats. It if repeats, there are only a few possibilities, but let's not deal with those until we see if it happens

Whether this is a division, or even a mericlone, the tag of ‘A-OK’ should be FCC and not AM, after March 1980.

Since it opened flat, do you think I let it get a little dry. (I don’t see how, because it’s on a 5 day water cycle and that never goes longer than 6.). Could that have caused it to get a little limp and not recover? I’m so afraid in the winter of overwatering, but I did start raising the temps in Jan. and am up to 78 degree days, so maybe got behind the curve there.
I will fix the tag. It has another lead that could spike soon, so I’ll keep an eye out.

 

[Ozpaph]

Ive always wanted this catt, but impossible to find in Australia.
Love it!

 

[southernbelle]

Ive always wanted this catt, but impossible to find in Australia.
Love it!

You might check with Jerry Fischer at Orchids Ltd. If they have it, they are CITES certified to ship internationally. Email at [email protected] as they have loads of stuff not on their website.

 

[Carmella.carey]

Since it opened flat, do you think I let it get a little dry. Could that have caused it to get a little limp and not recover? I will fix the tag. It has another lead that could spike soon, so I’ll keep an eye out.

That was a problem I had before I started growing everything in sphagnum. The petals and sepals would reflex and curl and young spikes would dry up in sheeths.
-Patrick

 

[southernbelle]

That was a problem I had before I started growing everything in sphagnum. The petals and sepals would reflex and curl and young spikes would dry up in sheeths.
-Patrick

So you grow all your catts in sphagnum and clay pots?

 

[terryros]

So you grow all your catts in sphagnum and clay pots?

Deb, it would be easier to just water a little more often as buds are rising as a trial.

 

[Carmella.carey]

So you grow all your catts in sphagnum and clay pots?

Yes, Except for a few large plants in 8" plastic pots. It seems like they actually dry out more quickly and evenly, do to the constant contact and moisture wicking nature of sphagnum and clay. I was a little worried about the roots not having anything to stick to, but the pots seem to be enough. and I don't have problems with somewhat shaky Plants's fragile root tips attaching to bark then breaking off. But I use 3" 3½" 4" 5" and 6" clay pots and keep the plants relatively small ( usually three to eleven bulb pieces) I get excellent root systems and I never remove moss or disturb the old root ball except for when I remove back-bulbs or devide.
-Patrick

 

[PeteM]

Yes, Except for a few large plants in 8" plastic pots. It seems like they actually dry out more quickly and evenly, do to the constant contact and moisture wicking nature of sphagnum and clay. I was a little worried about the roots not having anything to stick to, but the pots seem to be enough. and I don't have problems with somewhat shaky Plants's fragile root tips attaching to bark then breaking off. But I use 3" 3½" 4" 5" and 6" clay pots and keep the plants relatively small ( usually three to eleven bulb pieces) I get excellent root systems and I never remove moss or disturb the old root ball except for when I remove back-bulbs or devide.
-Patrick

This seems to work for a lot of growers, as long as you can grow under cover out of the rain. I have also heard of growers using plastic pots to extend the interval between watering. I also believe having more moisture available to the plant during this process helps with the bloom quality. I guess you can always check the pseudobulbs and see if the leads are shriveling at all. Tricky in the winter, when temps fall and you don’t want to add too much additional moisture to the media in fear of root rot.

Patrick, do you repot your plants on a set interval with the moss? Like every two years or do you rely on repotting only when the plant grows out.. they are probably very close intervals.

 

[NEslipper]

Since it opened flat, do you think I let it get a little dry. (I don’t see how, because it’s on a 5 day water cycle and that never goes longer than 6.). Could that have caused it to get a little limp and not recover? I’m so afraid in the winter of overwatering, but I did start raising the temps in Jan. and am up to 78 degree days, so maybe got behind the curve there.
I will fix the tag. It has another lead that could spike soon, so I’ll keep an eye out.

Unfortunately, like most things in orchid growing, I don't think it's quite so simple as just giving more water to prevent petal reflexing. For a while I was also thinking the same thing, but then when some of my prized plants were opening up, I made sure to give them lots of water, only to observe pretty significant petal reflexing. Other plants that I left drier had perfectly straight dorsals (I've also observed variability between flowers on the same inflorescence). In general, I also let my plants dry out more in the winter, watering approximately every 10 days, instead of the 2 times a week I water in the spring/summer. Here is a side-by side comparison of my C. Joyce Hannington blooming ~8 months apart. I water much more frequently in May, when things are growing vigorously, then I do in February.


Here are two flowers on the same spike of Rlc. George King 'Serendipity'

Ultimately, I think it's likely a combination of water, temperature and plant genetics. I can see how cooler nights (and days) in winter would result in buds opening more slowly, perhaps this also helps to account for the better form. Maybe a bud bursting open quickly on a hot, sunny day is more likely to reflex? It could also just be general variability, everyone says so many things have to line up for a plant to get awarded, it's part of the mystery and thrill of growing these wonders.

 

[Carmella.carey]

This seems to work for a lot of growers, as long as you can grow under cover out of the rain. I have also heard of growers using plastic pots to extend the interval between watering. I also believe having more moisture available to the plant during this process helps with the bloom quality. I guess you can always check the pseudobulbs and see if the leads are shriveling at all. Tricky in the winter, when temps fall and you don’t want to add too much additional moisture to the media in fear of root rot.

Patrick, do you repot your plants on a set interval with the moss? Like every two years or do you rely on repotting only when the plant grows out.. they are probably very close intervals.

I actually repot about every year because the new pot usually only allows two more bulbs per lead. And it isn't really repotting more like potting on. I just pull the plant out of the pot and up pot it or, putting the whole old pot into another larger pot and back filling with moss.
-Patrick