Cattleya Hardyana - Orchid Board

Mathias · #1 10-13-2010, 04:08 PM

This is Cattleya warscewiczii x Cattleya dowiana var. aurea, which is also a naturally occurring primary hybrid. It has a very lovely and strong fragrance (strongest during the day). I think the lip is amazing with its delicate mix of dowianas golden veining on purple and the yellow eyes of warscewiczii.

Unfortunately not the best shape, but it might improve in the future as this is the first time this plant flowers.

Grown in a bright window, but still with some extra light from a 150W MH lamp (3000K).

Zoi2 · #2 10-13-2010, 04:14 PM

Gorgeous, way to grow!!
Joann

Paula Frayne · #3 10-13-2010, 04:23 PM

That is an amazing lip!

kavanaru · #4 10-13-2010, 06:20 PM

one of the nicest colored Hardyanas I have ever seen! Congrats!

RosieC · #5 10-13-2010, 06:25 PM

Now that is really wonderful. Just love it.

smweaver · #6 10-14-2010, 05:31 PM

Those are beautiful, Mathias. The plant (from what I can see) looks like it takes after C. dowiana. Do you grow it warm throughout the year, or is it allowed to go through an intermediate-to-cool dormancy during the winter? Congratulations on your blooms. They're really lovely.

Steve

Mathias · #7 10-15-2010, 09:13 AM

Steve - I grow the plant just slightly cooler during winter, but not at the levels you ask about (intermediate - cool). More like 22 C daytime and 18 C during the night (summer temps around 26 C /19 C). I am hoping that this being a hybrid it will be more forgiving on the temperatures. I know Chadwick suggest that it should be grown with a nighttime temperature of 15 C and many wild populations of the parent species seems to experience quite cool winters.

I have only had it for 1.5 years so I am still learning how to grow this one. However, I really like this cross and would like to buy either a semi-alba (possibly hard to get) or a really dark clone.

smweaver · #8 10-15-2010, 09:23 AM

I don't have C. Hardyana, Mathias, but I do grow both C. warscewiczii and a couple of C. dowianas. Even though they are supposedly warm growers, all of my plants experience winter nighttime lows between 13 and 15 C. So I think that they are both rather adaptable species, and I suspect that dowiana is even more cool tolerant during the winter since it's dormant at that time of year and the winter night temperatures in my growing area sometimes drop down to around 11 C. My dowianas do fine with those lows as long as they are rather dry and given lots of sunlight during the day (well, at least whatever sunlight nature provides in our wonderful northern hemisphere winters).

Your plant's blooms are very pretty. I will interested to see how they improve in overall shape next year.

Steve

Tindomul · #9 10-15-2010, 11:15 AM

Very nice!

tuvoc · #10 10-15-2010, 11:54 AM

Superb colors.

Kim