Second bloom for this orchid named after my husband. From Fred Clarke's 2023 list. I wanted a really really orange Cattleya so when I saw this
Rth. Guess What x Rth. Orange Nugget hybrid I had to buy two. It was a lovely surprise when one of them bloomed shortly after I received it and I got to name it. This particular plant likes to bloom in early March like clockwork. Its sibling, albeit being twice as big (this plant gets huge) has yet to give me blooms, I await patiently!
As a young plant, the flower seems to be finding its shape. Last year the bloom looked exactly like Guess What, more yellowish with a flared lip and flat petals. This year the orange came forward and one of the petals looks flared, more similar to some cultivars of Orange Nuggett I've seen. Last year it produced one bud, this year it produced two on one stem, however one busted. I'm very excited to see this plant grow and the flower evolve over the years, it definitely seems to be growing into a multifloral and flowers are getting bigger, brighter, and a little bit more scented. The scent is very faint and becomes more pronounced in the middle of the day. The photo is about 3 weeks old and the flower has just faded, not great longevity, not terrible either. I kept the flower and the scent became stronger, it's a very rose-like smell. Quite delicious.
Last year's bloom for comparison:
---------- Post added at 02:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:19 AM ----------
>>>>>> I meant to post this in the Cattleya board. If a mod could help me move it over there??? Thank you <<<<<<