Looking for Standard Cattleya Species
 

Hi everyone

I would like to purchase a standard cattleya. I will have to order it online as the only orchids that can generally be found around here are phalaenopsis. I have found a place in Canada that has some very nice orchids, but I don't know what would be a standard.
What I would really, really like is a dark red with frilly petals. But of course I have seen some other colors that are also beautiful.
As I am still fairly new to orchids I would like to know if any of you can give me some suggestions. I have done tons of research on the internet and quite frankly just don't know which ones are standard size. If they do state the size they are either mini or compact.
Here is the website that I am thinking of ordering from. Paramount Orchids
Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Generally speaking, a true Cattleya species will not bloom red.

Cattleya hybrids are often found in red because of the crossing with Broughtonia or Sophronitis, (predominantly Sophronitis).

If you're looking for large flowered Cattleya species with frills, here are some:

Cattleya dowiana
Cattleya eldorado (aka Cattleya wallisii)
Cattleya gaskelliana
Cattleya hardyana
Cattleya jenmanii
Cattleya labiata
Cattleya leuddemaniana
Cattleya maxima
Cattleya mendelii
Cattleya mossiae
Cattleya percivaliana
Cattelya quadricolor
Cattleya rex
Cattleya schroederae
Cattleya trianae
Cattleya warneri
Cattleya warscewiczii

If you're looking for the reds, look into the intergeneric hybrid called Sophrolaeliocattleya, (abbreviated Slc). Or the smaller flowered intergeneric, Cattleytonia, (abbreviated Ctna).

Ctna. Why Not is one of my faves as far as how it looks. Tiny flowers, great color, really cute. I keep thinking I should get one, but haven't yet.

Why don't you contact Paramount and ask what they recommend? Are you wanting a species in particular or can it be a hybrid that is made with the larger (standard) species. The hybrids are sometimes easier to grow and bloom and there is so much selection regarding colour and shape of flower.

Another reputable orchid grower in Canada is Cloud's: Cloud's Orchids. They also have a good supply of Cattleyas and are very friendly and helpful. Most of theirs are small or medium seedlings so it would likely be best to choose a med. or large seedling or NBS so that you will see blooms sooner. As a new orchid grower it is easier to grow a mature plant than a seedling but is not impossible to do.

I have bought many orchids from both Paramount and Clouds.

Take a look at what Sunset Valley Orchids has to offer. I bet they have just what you are looking for and if you want more choices look at Santa Barbara Orchid Estates. What Fred at Sunset doesn't have, SBOE has them. Nice big frilly BLC's and SLC's. There are more than you can count.

Only trouble is that this person is in Canada. They would have to get Phyto sanitary certificate and import permit worth much more than a couple plants would be worth.

They could wait to attend an orchid show in the area where lots of vendors bring plants and you can pre-order from most as well.

Thank you everyone for your responses.
And yes, because I live in Canada it really is not feasible to order from the US. The fees to get a plant across the boarder are just ridiculous. I am not looking for a particular species, but I would really like a cattleya that is frilly and gets large flowers.
Thank you.

Rlc. Chia Lin "New City' is one large frilly Cattleya that is fairly popular and you might find it. Here is a link to look at some pictures of it:

https://www.google.com/search?q=rlc....w=1315&bih=903

Thank You Silken

That is exactly what I'm looking for.
There are no orchid shows around here where I could find one so my work will be cut out for me to try and find one.
Thank You

I don't know what part of B.C. you live in. But you could look for an orchid society to join. There are a number of them in your province. We are 500 km. from the nearest city (Edmonton) that holds an annual orchid show but our society actively participates in it and a number of us attend the show and we enter a display.

Being a member of a society has a number of benefits. We often place group orders out of the country since we can then split the import costs over a number of plants. Growers from all over the world attend the orchid shows so we then pre-order from them and they absorb all the import costs. We have speakers to our meetings and we sell orchid supplies to our members which are hard to get where we live. We're in the middle of nowhere as far as orchid things are concerned but somehow I have managed to acquire 140 orchids :shock: