Cattleya trianae 'Premier' FCC/RHS

[Leslie]

I recently acquired this famous heirloom cultivar from John of PureCountryOrchids... the plant is blooming now with one flower. But what a flower!

Rounder than any trianaes I have ever owned (I have over 25 different divisions including 'President', 'Mary Fennell', 'Cashen's' and 'AC Burrage') or seen, it is almost a full circle. Measuring 12 cm in NS and petals at 6 cm by 7 cm, it may grow even more in the next few days as it's only opened 2 days. The colour is a smooth candy corn pink, with a golden yellow throat and a deep magenta border on tip of lip.









It's unbelievable that this plant was jungle collected from the Colombian jungles along the Andes foothills and awarded almost a hundred years ago!!! And is still here to grace us with her beauty! I feel lucky to own a piece of a legend, a plant of historical importance.

[isurus79]

Wow, great score!

[sam1147]

Awesome

[pheli]

Pretty! I especially like the lip.

[Orchid Whisperer]

What an amazing heritage plant! 100 years and going strong!

[Leslie]

Thanks all!

It's pretty amazing that this plant had survived this long in cultivation. It was awarded in 1907 by the RHS in London. That means it's been around more that 110 years!!! WOW 😮... a living antique!!

I took a few more pics today. The flower expanded to 13.5 cm by 13 cm, almost a perfect circle. I suppose it was this great shape that kept it so valuable. At $200-300 per pseudobulb, it is on the high end range of cost for divisions.







The unique thing about this flower that is different from other famous trianaes (besides being very round) is the frilling that are along the outside edge of the entire petals and the lip. This is a consistent trait that I've noticed with other 'Premier's' that I've looked at and not as present in other clones like the 'President' (the frills start from the top of petals in 'Premier' but the others start from midline). The frills line the areas like the underskirts of ladies in the old days. Almost teasing the viewer to look at it more closely subconsciously... what nature can create for our senses!



The frilling on the lip is almost double in size as other trianaes, and almost excessive.... like a bunch of little squids guarding the entrance. The color is also more intense gold yellow and dark red lavender than most of the new trianaes. It's almost the perfect flower!



I can just imagine what people must have thought in the early 1900's when they first saw this flower. For today, it has grabbed my attention to exaltation ... and I have seen so many trianaes around the world for the last 30 years!! Even today, this heritage heirloom plant keeps me hypnotized, as it did ten decades ago, when man plucked it from the jungle.



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[blueggreen]

What a beauty, love the frills all around specially the lip.

[Leslie]

Thanks BG... did you know that trianae flowers can last from 4 to six weeks?


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[blueggreen]

Wow! lasting that long is a bonus because it is a real beauty ,with good form and excellent color , any fragrance would be add bonus (my weakness ).

[Selmo]

Like blueggreen said any fragrance would be a bonus, my weakness too.