Cattleya jenmanii var semi-alba 'Surprise'
 

I got this plant in the winter of this year and it grew well over the summer to produce 5 flowers this month. What is 'surprising' is that the last flower opened up with a different lip. Goes to show that the genes for lips can change, perhaps due to the instability of the semi- alba genes!! Guess I'll wait another year to confirm this. In the mean time I will enjoy the wonderfully sweet fragrance and the beauty of the star shaped flowers! Notice the magenta flares on the tips of the petals. A bonus!

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How odd! Still, it's a beautiful species and you've done a great job w/it. I love jenmanii.

Interesting. I'm curious to see if that happens again next year.

Sorry, genetics degree forcing me to comment, but there is no evidence that this is genetic instability of a particular gene, or any genetic cause at all. The action of the semi-alba genes would be influencing everything but the lip anyway. A one time developmental glitch is far more likely, especially given the uneven color distribution, and it seems to me that lip shape may be slightly affected too. But it will be interesting to see if something like this happens again. Then we would have some actual evidence to start generating hypotheses.

But more importantly, I love the pleasing natural shape of these flowers, compared to the over-floofy flat round monstrosities resulting from generations of selection and so favored by orchid judges. Good taste and such good growing...

Just gorgeous... How beautiful color.... Congrats! :)

What an elegant bloom!

It's beautiful.

I agree with everyone. The species shape is so beautiful especially jenmaniis.

PaphMadMan, thank for info. I appreciate learning from experts in their field. I guess we will find out if it's just a one time event (caused by my incessant stares and over feeding) or a genetic instability. LOL


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Beautiful!

Wow that's beautiful, the lip is so vibrant and artsy, love it. Good growing & sharing the strangeness. Sometimes strange things just make it more wonderful! ;)

So true Lotis! Difference is good in the world of orchids.


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To my surprise, this plant produced another growth in three months after the last blooming in November last year and flowered again (four months later). This time it produced only 3 flowers but all had normal lips. Guess it was only a one time event with the odd lip.

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Flowers are still growing as it's only been two days opening. Will take more pics once it's set.


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Wonderful show!

Rob

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Very pretty. The lip color is fantastic. Very much anticipating photos once the blooms have completely filled out.

It looks beautiful.

Finally the flowers stretched out ... Largest is 14 cm, about 2 cm larger than last blooming. Goes to show less flowers mean larger blooms as less energy divided up among the many small flowers.

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Love the white picotee around the lip and the mini magenta darts on the petal tips (micro pincelada? Lol).


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What a beautiful flower display!

Very jealous of your skills!

Rob

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Thanks Rob for the compliments lol! I contribute it to the use of seaweed supplement!!


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Gorgeous. I think the seaweed has helped mine allot as well.

Seaweed contain growth regulators called auxins that stimulate root and tissue growth. It's a great asset to all growers!!


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Oh my - that is simply lovely and your photos are wonderful! I just picked up a jenmanii var. coerulea tonight from Roy Tokunaga of H&R Nurseries. He was the speaker at our society this evening. Also got a C. deckeri var. coerulea. I hope they eventually bloom half as beautifully as yours!! Agree about the seaweed.

Thanks KL!

Good news! The plant got an AOS award this afternoon at the Toronto monthly judging with a 78 point HCC/AOS! I'm tickled! So I decided to name it 'April Fools' in recognition of April Fool's Day (although a day late, but sounded fun!)


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Stunning!! A big congrats on the award and I like your choice of clonal name. :Tup:

Congrats on award. Two comments:

Yes, number of flowers on the spike definitely determines flower size.

Random deformities can occor in almist any orchid. Some could be cultural, others are just flukes. I believe I have seen such flukes most often in Paphs & Catts.

Thanks Katrina and Kim.

This plant got another recognition. It was picked as the best plant at the SOOS meeting here in Toronto by our visiting guest speaker Jason Fischer (from Orchids Limited) yesterday. What a run this plant is doing!


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Still keeping well with minor bruises from transport.

Here was how I transported the plants in a plastic tub (in minus 5C!). The cover clips on short ends with the black snaps. Keeps flowers and plants upright, with the help of stuffers in between spaces to prevent tipping.

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And here's the award description (not official yet until AOS HQ publishes it):

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It's November and the plant is in bloom again! When a jenmanii is happy it will flower twice a year!!! This time four flowers, albeit smaller in size than last blooming.

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And the fragrance takes over the room!


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Me too Tindomul!!


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So pretty. I love things that bloom more than once a year.

And for a species to bloom twice a year, it's a bonus!! A well grown happy jenmanii always blooms twice a year!!


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