Genealogy for Two H&R C. walkeriana Compots

[K-Sci]

I have more Cattleya walkeriana than any other orchid. The compact size of this species is well suited to a small greenhouse such as mine. In about 4 years, I will be retiring, and I’d like to take up breeding orchids again, having dabbled in Phalaenopsis 40 years ago. The best walkeriana I know of are those bred by Harry Akagi of H&R Orchids. Unfortunately, divisions or clones of H&R walkeriana breeders appear to be closely held, so I'm trying to grow my own from two H&R compots.

• Compot #1 (26 plants) - 'Perfect Blush' 4N x 'Tokyo #1' 4N)
• Compot #2 (41 plants) - 'Sakura Snowblush' 4N x 'Perfect Blush' 4N

After doing some searching and reading, I think I can trace all of the plants used in these crosses back to importation in the 1970s, but with one guess. The guess is that "Sakura Snowblush"was produced from the cross (Sakura Snowball x Perfect Blush), as the name suggests. In email, Harry said he thought this was right, but he wanted to check his records.

If I'm correct, these are the walkeriana whose genealogy is of interest.


Based on a lot of searches and reading, the following may complete the picture.

The cross ('Puanani' x 'H&R') produced ‘Sakura Snowball’, 'H&R Supreme' and 'Perfect Blush'.

‘Paunani’, 'H&R', 'Tokyo #1', and 'Ann' AM/AOS were all grown from semi-alba seed from Brazil in the 1970's.

If I am right about the 'Sakura Snowblush' parents, 'Sakura Snowblush' has five siblings pictured in the H&R catalog.



Any information OB members can provide concerning the forgoing lines would be greatly appreciated.

-Keith

[My Green Pets]

i cannot contribute any genealogy info, but would love to request any growing tips you would like to share!

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by My Green Pets

i cannot contribute any genealogy info, but would love to request any growing tips you would like to share!

Yes. Read this: C walkeriana - Tips for Growing & Blooming

More later.

-Keith

[DirtyCoconuts]

Good luck. I can’t contribute more than that but I am interested in the experiment

[isurus79]

Harry is usually pretty good about answering lineage questions for his walkers!

[K-Sci]

I created this thread hoping there are other walkeriana fanatics on the forum who may know the topic. I'm starting to think there aren't. If nobody has any corrections or comments, I'll email the core details to Harry to see how much I've got right/wrong. Considering the number of years since the 70's, I may have some major gaps/errors. It was pieced together from tidbits found in a lot of posts.

Harry hasn't posted here since Jan 2020, but the posts he made before that contain a lot of valuable information.

-Keith

[realoldbeachbum]

Originally Posted by K-Sci

I have more Cattleya walkeriana than any other orchid. The compact size of this species is well suited to a small greenhouse such as mine. In about 4 years, I will be retiring, and I’d like to take up breeding orchids again, having dabbled in Phalaenopsis 40 years ago. The best walkeriana I know of are those bred by Harry Akagi of H&R Orchids. Unfortunately, divisions or clones of H&R walkeriana breeders appear to be closely held, so I'm trying to grow my own from two H&R compots.

• Compot #1 (26 plants) - 'Perfect Blush' 4N x 'Tokyo #1' 4N)
• Compot #2 (41 plants) - 'Sakura Snowblush' 4N x 'Perfect Blush' 4N

After doing some searching and reading, I think I can trace all of the plants used in these crosses back to importation in the 1970s, but with one guess. The guess is that "Sakura Snowblush"was produced from the cross (Sakura Snowball x Perfect Blush), as the name suggests. In email, Harry said he thought this was right, but he wanted to check his records.

If I'm correct, these are the walkeriana whose genealogy is of interest.


Based on a lot of searches and reading, the following complete the picture.

The cross ('Puanani' x 'H&R') produced ‘Sakura Snowball’, 'H&R Supreme' and 'Perfect Blush'.

‘Paunani’, 'H&R', 'Tokyo #1', and 'Ann' AM/AOS were all grown from semi-alba seed from Brazil in the 1970's.

If I am right about the 'Sakura Snowblush' parents, 'Sakura Snowblush' has five siblings pictured in the H&R catalog.



Any information OB members can provide concerning the forgoing lines would be greatly appreciated.

-Keith

K-Sci - I am so new to orchids that I should not even respond to your post. However, I WANT a walkeriana in the worst way. So far, in the last three years (my orchid life), I have wasted in excess of $200 on walkeriana seedlings. No success. VERY interested in your adventure.

Keep us posted. Thanks, ROBB

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by realoldbeachbum

K-Sci - I am so new to orchids that I should not even respond to your post. ...
Keep us posted. Thanks, ROBB

Please feel free to post anytime.

You didn't say how you grew them, or how you had no success, but I'm posting a couple growing tips anyway. This is only how I grow them, not a set of rules. I'm growing in my second greenhouse, the first was left behind in a move about 20 years ago.

I've not had success flowering walkeriana in windows indoors, even with added light, for three possible reasons.

- Wakeriana require higher light levels than most other Cattleyas to flower. I've had difficulty arranging this.

- Walkeriana flowering is initiated by day length and/or dropping temperatures. Controlling day length and temperatures in one's living spaces isn't easy. It is possible, but I've found it difficult.

- Walkeriana grow better and are stronger with a 10-20F day/night temperature differential. In the summer I can't see turning my air conditioner from 76F down to even 66F or colder at night.

I grow the seedlings in fine Orchiata (50%) mixed with perlite (25%) and charcoal (25%). Walkeriana (front tray) and dowiana seedlings (back tray) are shown in the 1st photo. I use translucent pots for seedlings when I can so I can easily see when it is time to water. I try not to let cattleya seedlings get bone dry before watering.

I grow smallish sized mature walkeriana in the smallest slotted ceramic pot possible with scoria (red volcanic rock) media. Larger plants in larger ceramic pots with chunk large (super) Orchiata. I hand select the largest pieces, as you can see in the second photo. To get a feeling for scale, that pot is 6-1/2". For all walkeriana, including seedlings, the bottom half of the pots are filled with shipping peanuts. I water when the terracotta pot outsides are no longer clammy (1-2 days).

One problem with growing walkeriana is that some of them "walk" pretty darn fast. If growths are spaced 3/4ths inch apart, a five bulb one lead division plus two years growth can be 9 x .75 = 6.75 inches (assuming 1 growth and 1 flower spike added per year.) Hence the 6-1/2 inch pot for a plant only 4-8 inches tall.

I don't grow walkeriana mounted because I don't have a good place to hang mounts.

-Keith

[thefish1337]

I have a compot of perfect blush x tokyo no 1 I'm pretty excited about it! i will enjoy looking at your posts as they grow to compare to mine.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by thefish1337

I have a compot of perfect blush x tokyo no 1 I'm pretty excited about it! i will enjoy looking at your posts as they grow to compare to mine.

You're on. Let's have a race to first flowering.

Mine were moved out of the compot in mid July. In my last post, they're the seedlings on the left side of the front tray in the taller pots. They have grown a good bit in a little over 2 months.


-Keith