C. walkeriana 'Tokutsu' blooms affected by temperature

[COCatts]

These blooms are from the same plant, but in warmer conditions the flares are gone. Apparently, this variety needs nighttime temps in the 50's to get good flaring. I was just getting the flares to start showing with NT temps in the low 60's.

[SouthPark]

In the tropics here - some of my yellow cattleyas don't develop certain red colours in the lip of my yellow catts as they would do in the colder parts of Australia - further south. Temperature dependence of colour in orchid flowers is very interesting!!

[COCatts]

Yes, indeed. I've understood how temperature can affect overall growth (in Colorado my plants grow slowly), but to impact the flower coloration is a new discovery for me.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by COCatts

Yes, indeed. I've understood how temperature can affect overall growth (in Colorado my plants grow slowly), but to impact the flower coloration is a new discovery for me.

You appear to be getting the best of both worlds over there in CO!!! I really admire the skills and effort of those people (not in the tropics) that grow and maintain tropical orchids in snow climate countries! This is growers like you, and many growers on this board!!

[COCatts]

It's definitely been a lesson in patience, but I love that most of my plants bloom in the dead of winter (now). Brightens the short winter days!

---------- Post added at 08:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:06 PM ----------

Originally Posted by COCatts

These blooms are from the same plant, but in warmer conditions the flares are gone. Apparently, this variety needs nighttime temps in the 50's to get good flaring. I was just getting the flares to start showing with NT temps in the low 60's.

Props to user "Anglo" who discovered this a decade ago. Check out his previous posts from 2009 for lots of interesting details on this variety.

[isurus79]

Not to highjack this thread, but here is an intermedia with different colored flowers on the same plant at the same time. One spike I let bloom with temperatures dipping just below freezing (darker bloom) and a few days later I pulled the plant inside with normal indoor temps and I got the "normal" white blooms. Cattleya intermedia by Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis, on Flickr

[COCatts]

Originally Posted by COCatts

It's definitely been a lesson in patience, but I love that most of my plants bloom in the dead of winter (now). Brightens the short winter days!

---------- Post added at 08:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:06 PM ----------


Props to user "Anglo" who discovered this a decade ago. Check out his previous posts from 2009 for lots of interesting details on this variety.

Originally Posted by isurus79

Not to highjack this thread, but here is an intermedia with different colored flowers on the same plant at the same time. One spike I let bloom with temperatures dipping just below freezing (darker bloom) and a few days later I pulled the plant inside with normal indoor temps and I got the "normal" white blooms. Cattleya intermedia by Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis, on Flickr

Thanks for jumping in and posting those pics. Maybe it's a Cattleya thing? User SouthPark mentioned similar temp-related behavior in Australia. Interesting! Now that I think of it, I did notice slight blushing in the petals of my C. w. 'H&R Surprise' under the same conditions that the flares showed up in my 'Tokutsu'. The 'Surprise' is supposed to be a semi-alba.

BTW, is the C. walkeriana in your profile pic a named variety? It's absolutely gorgeous!

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by COCatts

Thanks for jumping in and posting those pics. Maybe it's a Cattleya thing? User SouthPark mentioned similar temp-related behavior in Australia. Interesting! Now that I think of it, I did notice slight blushing in the petals of my C. w. 'H&R Surprise' under the same conditions that the flares showed up in my 'Tokutsu'. The 'Surprise' is supposed to be a semi-alba.

BTW, is the C. walkeriana in your profile pic a named variety? It's absolutely gorgeous!

Sunshine and temperatures affect the color of many orchids!

The walkeriana in my profile pic was the nicest one I’ve ever seen in real life and was “Estrella da Colina” x 4N from H&R. Sadly, it died!!

[COCatts]

Sad to hear it!

I had a really nice 'Divina' x alba, also from H&R that I was planning to try and get awarded. I decided to divide it to try and introduce some vigor and lost both divisions. One of my biggest growing regrets!

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by COCatts

Sad to hear it!

I had a really nice 'Divina' x alba, also from H&R that I was planning to try and get awarded. I decided to divide it to try and introduce some vigor and lost both divisions. One of my biggest growing regrets!

Deepest sympathies! Those ones you just showed definitely got my attention. Incredibly nice.

Were they lost due to cold weather?