My first serious Catt: a Blc. Chia Lin from Lowes

[annak]

Yep!! That beauty would come home easily with me too Amazing flower!!

[rosemadder]

Repotting!

It was in half bark, half potting soil with some perlite.






Some of these roots don't look so great. I've watered it twice in the month since I got it home, and only very lightly, so I'm not sure it's because of me? I'm curious how long it was in the store before I picked it up.

(Man... tapatalk uploads some pathetically tiny images!)

[GardenTheater]

Nice intense color! Good find!

[Optimist]

Hi,I own your Chia Lin's sister. It is from

Gubler/Lowes Just recently, and looks like yours. It has a very fuzzy blood red lip and a somewhat purple /pink but very dark petal.

It smells awesome and like a rose. It is a very strong scent and you can smell it from a cross the room. This is a keeper!

Here is a picture of mine:



---------- Post added at 05:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:03 PM ----------

I will keep in mind the shape of your roots. I will probably re-pot tomorrow. Have bought azelia ceramic pots for my big cattleyas and hope they do not loose their blooms, but if the bark is that soggy I want it in new bark right away!

[james mickelso]

You don't have to repot right away. Wait until the blooms drop and then pot. Just don't water as much as normal. The flowers are using the energy reserves and can last quite a long time if they are fully open.

[rosemadder]

Very cool, Optimist-- that definitely looks just like mine!

My flowers didn't last long, but it may have already been at the store for a while. I repotted shortly after they dropped. Whether or not it got soggy at the store probably depends on who they had minding the plants at the time, yours might be better off than mine. Do show us pics when you repot!

[Optimist]

Sure will. I did not pot right away, took James M's advice. When back lit it is that purpully red. When not, it is very dark red. Like the American Beauty Rose. And the scent is strong and amazing. All my big catts have purfume odors, but this is the strongest.

[upnorthorchids]

Wow! My mom bought Blc. Chia Lin 'New City' for me 10 years ago when it was $75. At least it was blooming size! She also had good faith that I'd be able to grow it "for her". There's a photo of it in my profile, too. I LOVE it because it smells like bubble gum to me!

I have to say that it is tricky to get to bloom... I have a laeliocattleya that is more reliable, as 'New City' tends to blast it's flower spathes -- but that's in a windowsill in Michigan. I would assume you would have better chances in San Fran. Enjoy, it looks like you have a healthy specimen! Mine is so vigorous, I'm throwing out the original plant... anyone want a piece? :-)

---------- Post added at 09:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:01 PM ----------

Oh yeah. By the way, I envy your Potinara! I have two and they don't like my house very well... I need to take pictures and troubleshoot with some others on here soon. :-)

[fotofashion]

I have (someplace) a Chia Lin New City. After seeing these photos, I'm going to have to do an expedition in my GH to find it and see how it is doing.
Beverly A.

[rosemadder]

I actually called up Gublers today, just for the heck of it, and asked them-- they said Blc Chia Lin is as far as it goes in their records, they don't know the cultivar apparently. She did say, though, that the blooms do start out a more orangey-red when they first open, and darken more purple with time.