What is the largest Cattleya flower?

[Theodoreorchidking]

I'm looking for a cattleya with absolutely huge flowers so I thought I would ask here what that plant/ plants may be. The bigger the better!!!

 

[big923cattleya]

A great many of the single leaved Cattleyas have large flowers in terms of natural spread. There isn’t one that comes to mind that produces 10” flowers while all of the others are under 8”.
Gaskelliana, gigas, lueddemanniana, trianaei, quadricolor, labiata, mossiae, etc. are capable of putting out large flowers. But I never thought about who is the biggest. Why? It ain’t really important. In poor conditions they can and will produce poor flowers.
Why isn’t it important? Because if you can not grow Cattleyas well, provide the culture/conditions that they need, how can they be expected to perform their best???
Then one must consider former Laelia now Cattleyas. Species such as tenebrosa and purpurata. Some of them can easily out perform some traditional Cattleyas!

How much time do you spend on thinking of these “unusual questions”? Why not do some research instead?? You will learn more that way. There are so many books on unifoliate Cattleyas that you dig out and read at your leisure.
But hopefully you will get people to respond and reply to you. But let me ask you one? What difference does it make???

 

[Ozpaph]

Pamela Hetherington 'Coronation' has huge flowers when well grown.

 

[Arne]

Generally speaking, of the pure species C warscewiczii has always been the one with the largest flowers (up to 12 inches).

 

[big923cattleya]

Gee Pamela Hetherington!
I wasn’t even thinking of hybrids. Oh well.

 

[southernbelle]

There are two that are the largest I’ve seen: Rlc. Mem. Grant Eichler ‘Lynnette’ HCC/AOS with a NS of 22.2cm (almost 9 screaming inches) and Blc. Mem. Crispin Rosales. Huge flowers on both that demand your attention.

 

[FlaskandFlora]

The retiring grower I bought my hoop houses from had this MASSIVE 1940’s hybrid called Lc. Lily Pond (Pons? The tag was quite faded, it’s the white petaled one pictured here). The flowers were 11”, which I guess is what you should expect from a plant you’ve been growing for 65 years. I’ve seen some huge flowers on Irene Finney ‘Spring’s Best’ as well, and was told they can reach 10” wide if grown well.

 

[Ray]

Yes, Lily Pons. Named after an opera singer.

 

[Guldal]

Yes, Lily Pons. Named after an opera singer.

Ray, not  an operasinger... the great French coloratura soprano at the Met in the 1940's.

First in the Bell Song from Lakmé:


Then one of her best recordings - the wonderful Hymn to the Sun from Rimsky Korsakov's Coq d'Or:

 

[mormodes]

There are two that are the largest I’ve seen: Rlc. Mem. Grant Eichler ‘Lynnette’ HCC/AOS with a NS of 22.2cm (almost 9 screaming inches) and Blc. Mem. Crispin Rosales. Huge flowers on both that demand your attention.

I second the Mem. Grant Eichler. Huge!

 

[Ozpaph]

Irene Finney'York' is huge, too

 

[Theodoreorchidking]

Thanks, everyone!!!! A lot of great flowers that I need to put on my bucket list: I think Im at about 3,862 plant I still need for my collection

 

[Tom-DE]

How much time do you spend on thinking of these “unusual questions”? Why not do some research instead?? You will learn more that way. There are so many books on unifoliate Cattleyas that you dig out and read at your leisure.
But hopefully you will get people to respond and reply to you. But let me ask you one? What difference does it make???

The kid is bored at school and needs some attention from grandpas and grandmas here... and he got some!
It can be...but don't just blame him for it. Well, you know what I mean....

 

[Tom-DE]

Thanks, everyone!!!! A lot of great flowers that I need to put on my bucket list: I think Im at about 3,862 plant I still need for my collection

Can we see that list? Start typing now, kiddo.

 

[big923cattleya]

I am just getting so cranky in my old age!! Sometimes I know that I react too quickly. I apologize for that.
An old track injury has been acting up lately and Captain Jack is doing his best to help!
It is not Theodores’ problem but I apologize to him.
I did find an observation which quoted 10 3/8” for a Pamela Hetherington and that would be a huge flower!! But I would suspect that with line bred hybrids that there are some that push 12”! I wonder
If that large flower would have any kind of substance to it?

 

[Theodoreorchidking]

The kid is bored at school and needs some attention from grandpas and grandmas here... and he got some!
It can be...but don't just blame him for it. Well, you know what I mean....

Hahaha, try 20 credits. But it doesn't mean I can't ask questions

 

[big923cattleya]

Unfortunately I did experience a heavy schedule in college but not 20 credits. I had two 19’s and two 18’s, and four 15’s. SUNY @ Syracuse was fun but I had loads of science courses and most featured a lab attached.

 

[Theodoreorchidking]

Unfortunately I did experience a heavy schedule in college but not 20 credits. I had two 19’s and two 18’s, and four 15’s. SUNY @ Syracuse was fun but I had loads of science courses and most featured a lab attached.

The science classes have so much information. Anatom Physiology has so much to memorize and don't get me started on quantum mechanics

 

[big923cattleya]

Just remember all of my sciences were in the natural sciences, Zoology, botany, wildlife management, entomology, dendrology, etc., etc. I was trained and hired to be a Naturalist, run wildlife research projects, manage a wildlife preserve that was open to the public for various outdoor activities. I graduated College with dual degrees, one form Syracuse University and one from SUNY Syracuse.

 

[Just1more]

I am just getting so cranky in my old age!! Sometimes I know that I react too quickly. I apologize for that.
An old track injury has been acting up lately and Captain Jack is doing his best to help!
It is not Theodores’ problem but I apologize to him.
I did find an observation which quoted 10 3/8” for a Pamela Hetherington and that would be a huge flower!! But I would suspect that with line bred hybrids that there are some that push 12”! I wonder
If that large flower would have any kind of substance to it?

We had an OS member who brought in a Pamela H in bloom. Huge flower. Until I saw it I wouldn’t have believed a cattleya bloom so large existed. The bloom had very good substance! That I well remember, because just as soon as I had gently felt of the petal, I quickly pulled my fingers away and was starting to apologize for touching when the owner stopped me saying a gentle touch would cause no harm!