Rlc. Iran Imperial Coronation and a side trip to politics
 

I am very lucky about the first flowers of this Cattleya, which I received incidentially in spring. Flowers might be surpassed by modern hybrids, but the historical context sets it off.
1967 was the year of the self coronation of the Shah of Iran and of the coronation of his wife as vice empress. In honour of these festivities Jeals registered two Cattleya hybrids, Iran Kingdom Festivals and Iran Imperial Coronation. One of its parents is Elissa which was often used for breeding.
Later in 1971 celebrations for the 2500 years anniversary of the kingdom of Cyrus were held in a tent city besides the ruins of ancient Persepolis. A vast number of crowned heads and heads of states attended. In consequence 1973 Armacost registered the semialba Persepolis with its famous clone 'Splendor'.
In these back years Amir Abbas Hoveyda was Prime Minister of the Iran. His signature feature was an orchid flower in the buttomhole of his lapel at official occasions. It earned him the nickname 'The Orchid Man'.
I even found one pic of this great man with Willy Brandt and one with an archaic omputer.

Cool story! You don't often think of Iran when talking about orchids.

I love hearing stories about humanities sordid love affair with orchids!!! Spectacular plant too.

beautiful cattleya, and a beautiful moment in history...its a shame it all went to blazes after the shah....dang extremists!

Cool. Nice little bit of history.

Pretty flower and interesting story.

I agree, beautiful flower, and interesting historic facts!

Interesting!

Gorgeous bloom and love the back story with photos.