Cattleya dowiana
 

This Cattleya dowiana is everything I ever dreamed it would be! Gorgeous lip, fragrant. Grown in semi-hydro in a choice spot on the tented orchid shelves. From Peter T. Lin (Diamond orchids) in June 2023.

Looks absolutely gorgeous! Congratulations!

Beautiful! Im getting closer and closer to trying one all the time.

How has it been, growing it?

So far it has grown pretty steadily, seems to love semi-hydro, and I haven’t done anything special other than giving it a choice spot with great light and humidity. Now that it has bloomed, I wonder if it will want a drier rest. Numerous people report their tendency for sudden rot when watered while dormant.

Looks great, congrats! Queen of the Catts!

I grow in SH too. Ive always doubted that anything would rot in my conditions. Im gonna add it to my list, see what its all about! Im thinking that as a dry rest i can just put a hole in the bottom of the resevoir so it doesnt hold water. Ill still wster just as much but it wil dry out right away. Then ill plug the hole when its time to water again

Three flowers seems impressive! Doesnt this species usually only have 1 or 2?

Lovely flowers. That lip is mesmerizing. Congratulations.

outstanding blooming, well-done!!!

Absolutely stunning, what an incredible lip she has!

I feel like you just joined an elite club that I'm hoping to join someday in the next few years!!

Absolutely everything indeed. The golden venation is incredible on yours, more than many others. Great job and save that pollen!!!! ;)

It really is an experience to see and smell this species up close and in person.
Congratulations!

Yes, it is!

In terms of breeding, Peter lists it as 2n x 4n so it is unlikely to produce offspring, but I may try anyway.

So beautiful. Are they fragrant? I read that 3n's have a different fragrance than 2n's . But yours is a 2n x 3n cross, so I'm curious! Thank you. Congratulations!

So wonderful plant you have and so wonderful specie congratulations

If you self the plant it will mostly be infertile but sometimes produces a small (<5%) percentage of 2n, 4n and 6n. Worth a try if you have any way to grow them!

Fascinating. Lost the opportunity this time, but maybe next time!

Great job! It is beautiful. I, along with some others, also hope to join the elite club someday in getting mine to bloom 😁

Beautiful! Congrats!

They're intensely fragrant. Different ploidy shouldn't change the scent, however.

It was very fragrant… room- filling and drifting down the hallway!

It is currently growing two new growths!