Which variety of c. nobilior should I get?

[Autumn Child]

I need expert advice of choosing which c.nobilior to get.

Choice 1: C.nobilior amaliae‘Brilliant’ X C.nobilior ameliae‘Perfection’. RMB400

Choice 2: C.nobior var coerulea x sibs RMB600

Both have no guerantee in term of flower quality. Personally i like both coerulea and amaliae perfection and they both have chance to bloomm the desired flower. The thing is choice 2 is 50% more expensive than choice 1. choice 2 is slightly more matured plant and is flowering size. choice 1 is about 1 year away from flowering size. the worst scenario for me is getting choice 2 and it blooms a regular nobilior flower. I asked the vendor why the price difference and he said its much harder to cross the coerulea. is this true? what should I get?

[smweaver]

Are you experienced with this species? If not, then I would get the cheaper one. One other piece of friendly advice: make sure it's an established plant with a healthy root system. In my experience this is not a species that's easy to reestablish if it's potted at the wrong time. Good luck with your choice.

Steve

[SOS]

The amaliae form is stunning, I personally like it better than the coerulea. Not to say that form isnt worth owning either, but, do one and then get the other when youre ready.

[kavanaru]

coerulea Cattleyas tend to be more difficult to grow than standard forms! if you are not experience with the species or Cattleyas, I would get choice N° 1

[Autumn Child]

I finally took a plunge and finally bought the nobilior courelia. I repotted it to s/h set up and has been growing new roots after the shock phase is over. Its a really tough choice because i like the amelie too, but i guess I will just have to make do untill Christmas and hopefully it is still available.

Its interesting that you guys think that the courelia is much harder to grow. I did not know that when i bought it. I just like blue flowers in general. Well its too late to think about it.

By the way my walkeriana courelia has doubled in size (7psb to 15psb) in just three months of growth in s/h set up. Is this normal for walkeriana? Hopefully, my new nobilior can be this vigorous too.

[kavanaru]

Originally Posted by Autumn Child

By the way my walkeriana courelia has doubled in size (7psb to 15psb) in just three months of growth in s/h set up. Is this normal for walkeriana? Hopefully, my new nobilior can be this vigorous too.

Actually, that's not normal for any Cattleya, for mot saying any orchid... do you have photos?

[Autumn Child]

I haven't taken it yet. One of the bulb is growing three new leads. currently two psb has matured and 6 psb has just started growing. In total this plant have put out somewhere between 9-12 psb this year. I will post the picture when I have time on my the other thread about c. walkeriana courelia 'manhattan blue'.

[smweaver]

Originally Posted by Autumn Child

I haven't taken it yet. One of the bulb is growing three new leads. currently two psb has matured and 6 psb has just started growing. In total this plant have put out somewhere between 9-12 psb this year. I will post the picture when I have time on my the other thread about c. walkeriana courelia 'manhattan blue'.

I've got a vigorously growing C. walkeriana var. coerulea, and it manages to put out maybe three to four new growths per year. So I too would be interested in seeing a walkeriana that's capable of producing 9 - 12 pseudobulbs per year (assuming that it's not already a huge specimen).