What is blc? and is it Rare??
 

Hello....

The first of my thicky questions I'm afraid...

What is meant by 'BLC'? My first purchase of an Orchid was from ebay and although the description says "Rare" is it really so?? I'd imagine there must be huge amounts of these about.

The orchid I bought was a 'Rare Cattleya, Blc. Ports of Paradise 'Emerald Isle' FCC/AOS Very Fragrant.'

I'm aware that FCC/AOS = First Class Certificates/American Orchid Society.

Thank you! :)
Edit: To attach a photo.

Blc is an abbreviation for "Brassolaeliacattleya" meaning a complex hybrid of the genera Brassavola, Laelia and Cattleya. There lots of such hybrids, some dirt common, some not. On eBay everything is "rare".

OrchidKid ..... not rare, but is indeed a very nice choice you made to purchase that particular cultivar. It certainly is very very nice.

Ebay - yes type in orchid and pretty much every listing will be a rare one.
Of course all of mine are rare too though aren't they ;)

I think you still did well orchid kid.

What you got is referred to as a Cattleya. Over the years Cattleyas have been hybridised with laelias, sophronitis, rhyncholaelias, brassavolas and others to give very long names like brassolaeliacattleya, this is then abbreviated to BLC or RLC or SLC or LC etc. Over the years the names have also been swapped several times from brassavola to rhyncholaelia so much that most of us don't bother to keep track of whether it is currently called a RLC or a BLC.

I think the Ports of Paradise is a RLC these days, not a BLC anymore but that is a technicality the experts can sort out.

If it has a name in quotation after the hybrid name, it means it is a clone of a desirable plant that has won awards and is thus generally a better plant with nicer flowers once established and worth more, probably a bit rarer and the plant looks in great condition so a very good addition.

PS: I just need to add you did actually buy yourself a very warm grower. Some can handle going down to 7 degrees C in winter, your Cattleya will not want much lower than 18 degrees C which can make it harder to grow in a UK climate - just be aware this plant likes it hot all year round, lots of sun, lots of day time heat, 16 degrees absolute lowest night temperature in winter

Basic care guide for Cattleya Cultivating Orchids & Crafting Terrariums

Thank you very much for all your helpful replies....
Oh dear! my Greenhouse is set to not go below 10C. :( any higher temperatures and other things will possibly suffer.

oops! Time to build GH #2 hehehehe