cattleya questions?? - Orchid Board

skarletjade · #1 03-13-2015, 10:35 PM

Hello everyone,

OK so I have some questions about some of the cats I have.

1) I have a lc. Lory ann ' paradise '. Is it a bifolia or ... man I can't remember what you call it

... anyway, the one with 1 leaf? I was wonder because the one I have has both.

2)I have a lc.south esk 'Catherine' that just bloomed, but it is a little smaller than I though it would be. Do the flowers grow any after they first open? And how big is this plants flower usually?

Ohh... and I'm really loving cattleyas right now so if anyone has any suggestion on what ones they like or that I should keep an eye out for I'd be

lol
expecially if they have big flowers haha.

silken · #2 03-13-2015, 10:57 PM

Unifoliate means one leaf and bifoliate is two. But many hybrids with a mix of parentage can grow some of both.

According to OrchidWiz, Lc. South Esk usually has very large flowers, close to a 7 or 8 inch spread. That's almost as good as it gets. I find many of my Catt blooms expand over the first few days and often gain 1/2 an inch or more in width. How big is yours and what were you expecting?

skarletjade · #3 03-13-2015, 11:53 PM

it just open today and its a little over 31/2 in, i was expecting around 5'. i dont think its completely open though. i hope that it gets to 7'. that would be awesome. i love ones with big flowers.

silken · #4 03-14-2015, 12:00 PM

Well, its gorgeous and your plant looks healthy from what is showing. There are lots of large floofy Catts out there and easy to find. Look in the Cattleya forum here on Orchid board for pics of other ones in bloom and you will know if you want one or not.

skarletjade · #5 03-14-2015, 04:36 PM

thanks and i definetly will.
haha... i just noticed that i put '(foot), insead of " (in.). lol

silly me. .

opps.

No-Pro-mwa · #6 03-15-2015, 01:30 PM

Maybe post in the Cattleya section and you will get better info. someone correct me if I am wrong but I think with Laelia in them they will not be as big of flowers. I have a white Catt Jose Marti 'Mothers Favorite' i got from Hausermanns and it has a flower right now that is 7" across. The only bad thing it only has 1 and I don't know if it is going to bloom on any other growth or not. I have kept it as one big plant in hopes of getting a big show but I did have a time re-potting it and I am a very big under waterier so it is probably my fault it is not putting on a better show.

I would love to get a couple more of the big ones it's just that they take up so much room. This one takes up space enough for 4 or 5 smaller ones. I do still love it however and it smells oh so good.

skarletjade · #7 03-15-2015, 10:59 PM

Lol yah. I don't know why but I'm really drawn to big flowers and plants. Fortunately space isn't an issue for me, my greenhouse is really empty. I only 36 plants in a 16x25 GH. It's kind of sad haha...

No-Pro-mwa · #8 03-15-2015, 11:10 PM

Then go for it. I use to think I had allot of room then well I got addicted. But I don't have a greenhouse so I would get a bunch.

silken · #9 03-15-2015, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

Maybe post in the Cattleya section and you will get better info. someone correct me if I am wrong but I think with Laelia in them they will not be as big of flowers.

This doesn't really have Laelia's in it. They are all re-named to Cattleya. Here is a page snipped from OrchidWiz that shows the parentage of yours. It is quite a complex cross with many good sized Catts. The average size of any awarded ones that were carefully measured is 17.8 cm. But remember, those are ones worthy of awards, so they will be the best of this hybrid. Still you should be able to get blooms with a 4 or 5 inch spread if it has good culture. If its a first bloom they are sometimes smaller or not as good form and colour as subsequent blooms.

I should add, there are many orchid shows on at this time of year. It would be a perfect place to find yourself some large Catts!

skarletjade · #10 03-16-2015, 11:26 PM

Thanks, it got its scent yesterday. Kind of sweet and very strong. so I think it is fully opened/mature. It's abut 5'' now.

I went to a show in February but we got there late so they didn't have much left, and I didn't have time to save up for it. But I'm planning on going to the one in new Orleans in may.

Haha... really penny pinching until then so I can get tons. I'm so excited lol