looking for Cattleya recommendations

[Shadeflower]

Hey people,
so I've probably got too many already but I am curious what other Cattleya's my collection is desperately missing

I have yet to discover which of mine bloom multiple times per year, which bloom at a certain time each year or which will bloom consecutively throughout but this got me thinking it's quite hard to find out that information.

One thing I learnt recently from alan koch is that cattleya alaorii apparently flowers 9 times per year.

Using it as a parent passes on this multiple blooming trait off to its offspring.

I was wondering if anyone had compiled a list of Catts that will only flower once a year and maybe some that can flower more per year.
I haven't really come across that information that readily, like if someone made a list for me pointing out which orchids definitely only flower once a year those are possibly varieties I would consider not getting.

But if someone has created an amazing new cross that flowers 9 times a year, that is quite appealing to add.

So I dunno, maybe if someone has a variety that flowers lots more than others in their opinion, I'd love to hear which ones.

Maybe you know which ones only flowers once a year. I know it can depend on the growing conditions and the care but I know there are some no matter how well you care for them they will only flower at one time a year.

Is Cattleya dowiana one of those?

Are all the hybrids better for this reason or do some turn out flops to avoid?

I know some hybrids will only flower once a year but when they do their display is far more impressive because all flowers come out at once so it depends what they have been bred for but I just don't have this information about any of the varieties I realized so a lot more for me to explore there.

[Roberta]

Most Catts are once a year. C. (L.) alaorii 9 times? Maybe in Brazil under ideal conditions, at my house it's once a year. Sophronitis (Cattleya) coccinea blooms for me twice a year. (Other Sophronitis only once) Maybe under better conditions it can do more. Some of the rupiculous Laelias (now Cattleya) can bloom for me more than once a year, probably under more ideal conditions can do more.


C. forbesii blooms for me several times a year. (Also very cold tolerant) Flowers are sort of "Meh" but it imparts those characteristics to progeny. I have a primary hybrid with it, C. Quinquecolor (other parent is C. aclandiae) that also blooms several times a year and is cold-tolerant. And very attractive (from the C. aclandiae parent)
http://orchidcentral.org/Images/Catt...inquecolor.jpg
http://orchidcentral.org/Images/Catt...inquecolor.jpg
http://orchidcentral.org/Images/Catt...inquecolor.jpg

[rbarata]

I was wondering if anyone had compiled a list of Catts that will only flower once a year and maybe some that can flower more per year.

I don't know if this helps.

[Jeff214]

Originally Posted by Roberta

C. forbesii blooms for me several times a year. (Also very cold tolerant) Flowers are sort of "Meh" but it imparts those characteristics to progeny.

I have a couple complex hybrids with C. forbesii in its lineage and they do bloom 2-3 times a year (sometimes more). Rby. Golden Tang is 25% forbesii and 25% nodosa... which makes it a flowering powerhouse.

My C. lueddemanniana and C. mossiae bloom twice a year (sometimes) but that's about it for me.

If you were looking more broadly among the cattleya tribe... Brassavola nodosa hybrids (Pvc. Golden peacock, Bc. Yellow Bird) are almost always in bloom for me. Encyclia garciana is constantly in bloom as well...

[SADE2020]

Originally Posted by rbarata

I don't know if this helps.

I love this sheet, you shared with me before and is very helpful

[Shadeflower]

brilliant answers everyone, thank you.
That has really helped.
I think forbesii hybrids are next for me then.

I did have my doubts about the alaorii.

I also definetely need some lueddemanniana still in my collection.

Thanks

also garciana flowers multiple times per year? Hmm. Not at mine yet lol but I have stuck it under my highest light now, it is next to my Nobilior and rhynchoaelia glauca - can certainly handle very high light so that might make a difference.

[Roberta]

My E. garciana blooms 2 or 3 times a year. Light, I think I'd characterize as "filtered sun or bright shade" ... but that's outside. Don't know how to translate that to indoors under lights. Since it does so well on my patio, I wonder if temperature variation might be a factor.

[Shadeflower]

discovered a longwellara

Anyone heard of that one before?

Longwellara Citrus Cricket

[Roberta]

Hoo boy... the genus changes strike again. But it was another weird one before, Vaughanara - another one I hadn't heard of. It contains Prosthechea mariae (used to be Encyclia) x C. forbesii as one parent, Rhynchovola Jimminey Cricket (B. nodosa x Rl. digbyana which 'way back was Brassavola) So it is a 4-way intergeneric. and changing the genera changed the nothogenus which was an oddball to begin with . Whew.

---------- Post added at 04:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:41 PM ----------

Rcv. (B) Jimminey Cricket is a classic. The other parent Cattleychea (used to be Epicattleya)Lime Sherbet (Psh. mariae x C. forbesii) is maybe less well known.

[estación seca]

The very small Cattleya (Laelia) alaorii, forbesii, lundii and pumila flower with much less light than the big ones. Sophronitis coccinea strongly contributes once per year flowering to its progeny. Lundii flowers multiple times per year, and the others may. If lundii is crossed with Cattleya alliance plants having other flowering seasons you can get small to mini Catts that flower multiple times per year.

I don't think I've yet transcribed my notes from Alan Koch's lecture on mini Catts. He said the above. He specializes in mini to small Catts that flower multiple times per year. His Web site depended on Flash and now it looks like it's abandoned. He has a Facebook page for Gold Country Orchids, but I'm not on Facebook.

Even if you can't buy Sunset Valley Orchids plants, look at the mini and compact Catts on their Web site from time to time. You will see what kind of ancestry leads to multiple yearly flowering.