My very first Cattleya hybrid bloom

[cluelessmidwesterner]

My very first and a first-time for the plant bloom CTNA. Why Not

[Roberta]

Great! And it's a wonderful little hybrid. There's a story behind the name... When Frank Fordyce (a wonderful hybridizer and nice person with a delightful wit) proposed the cross (C. auriantiaca x Broughtonia sanguinea) to his boss at Stewart's, at the time something no one that thought about doing (this in the late 1970's), the response was "Why not?" So he did, it was very successful, and that's where it got the name.

[Clawhammer]

Congratulations! A great feeling indeed.

[SouthPark]

Beautiful! Three very nice flowers too. You're no longer a beginner - so you should have posted in the catt section hahahahaha!

Wonderful.

Originally Posted by Roberta

the response was "Why not?" So he did, it was very successful, and that's where it got the name.

And 'thanks' to Frank ----- this beautiful orchid is now stuck with this name hahahaha.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

And 'thanks' to Frank ----- this orchid is now stuck with this name hahahaha.

That's the registered name (Registered by Stewart's, when he was working there)... been around for a long time. One of the very earliest mini-Catts- at that time Catt breeders were still dong a lot of big, floofy "corsage orchids". It clearly got the color from Gur. aurantiaca (small colorful flowers, potentially huge plant but floriferous), but the plant size (small) and flower form (excellent, and large for the plant size, as well as floriferousness) from Broughtonia sanguinea. It has the cold-tolerance of Gur. aurantiaca.

It also can bloom more than once a year. The hybrid was a stroke of genius.

[SouthPark]

Thanks for sharing that information Roberta!! The history adds extra wonderful dimension to the growing experience.

So much fantastic history and links to bred orchids is lost, as the information just didn't get out. So many orchid names remain mysteries ---- such as 'what is behind a name'? (answer - probably unknown!). But occasionally we get a nice surprise when somebody shares it!

[Roberta]

There have been articles, and series of articles, in the publications of organizations like American Orchid Society and Orchid Review (RHS). I suspect that the same is true of the various journals of the major Australian orchid societies. I know that AOS now has its entire archive online (for members) RHS hasn't gone electronic yet, as far as I know. (I wish they would... I subscribe to, and enjoy, Orchid Review very much but mailing is very unreliable)

[SouthPark]

Roberta - many articles in AOS (american orchid society) are really great. Actually, all great. I joined up maybe a year and a half ago. They told me about the online orchid magazines that they hold in their archives that date back to quite a long time. Really excellent archive!

I wasn't a subscriber with the australian Orchid Review (AOR magazine) - which sold its last magazine issue not that long ago. I know from the AOR magazine information that the editor's name is David Banks. I don't know him, and he definitely didn't know I was sometimes purchasing the AOR magazines from local newsagencies - even though I wasn't a subscriber. Quite nice articles in some (or a lot) of those magazines.

I will check out the RHS Orchid Review. Thanks Roberta.

[Jeff214]

Congrats, cluelessmidwesterner, on your delightful blooms!

Not so clueless anymore, eh?

[Leafmite]

Thanks for sharing the story! Really enjoyed it!

Nice flowers! Congratulations!