Old Catleyas

[Bruce Ah Sing]

Some members may not have ever seen some of the very good older catleyas bred over 30 yeras ago. Some have recently been offered for sale Such as RLC Ranger Six.

Here is one of my favourites RLC Caribbean Brilliance.

Bruce Ah Sing

[smweaver]

That's a great-looking bloom, Bruce. I like the older cattleyas also. Even though they're frequently massive when they get to be mature, they're quite stunning when they bloom. Does this one have any scent? How long have you grown the plant?

Steve

[Bruce Ah Sing]

Originally Posted by smweaver

That's a great-looking bloom, Bruce. I like the older cattleyas also. Even though they're frequently massive when they get to be mature, they're quite stunning when they bloom. Does this one have any scent? How long have you grown the plant?

Steve

Hello Steve,

About 28 years. No significant Scent. Most of my cats are quite old. You may have seen some of the others I posted. They are not all large but some bred from "Old Whitey" can be enormous. I am not a fan of all the new splashed hybrids. The caption on the photo is not the name of the orchid. That was one of the parent plants .
I took the photo and filed it before I knew the registered name.

Regards,
Bruce

[smweaver]

Originally Posted by Bruce Ah Sing

Hello Steve,

About 28 years. No significant Scent. Most of my cats are quite old. You may have seen some of the others I posted. They are not all large but some bred from "Old Whitey" can be enormous. I am not a fan of all the new splashed hybrids. The caption on the photo is not the name of the orchid. That was one of the parent plants .
I took the photo and filed it before I knew the registered name.

Regards,
Bruce

I don't have Old Whitey, but I've seen photos. It used to be offered by Stewart Orchids back in the late 80s/early 90s before they went belly up. I believe Jones & Scully, another older firm that's no longer around, also carried it. Sad that so many of the older nurseries, for one reason or another, are no longer around. Not a big fan of the newer hybrids either, but that's just a preference. I recently acquired (purely by luck) two plants of Blc. Nacouchee, an old hybrid from the early 1950s. Very large and fragrant pink flowers (although they're already starting to bully some of my smaller cattleyas out of the way with their size). Congratulations on the blooms of your plant. They're really impressive.

Steve

[Bruce Ah Sing]

Originally Posted by smweaver

That's a great-looking bloom, Bruce. I like the older cattleyas also. Even though they're frequently massive when they get to be mature, they're quite stunning when they bloom. Does this one have any scent? How long have you grown the plant?

Steve

Hello Steve,

I always admire people who make the effort to grow cattleyas in places with a climate like Indiana.
When you were one year old I obtained a Masters degree from Purdue so I am familiar with the climate in Indiana.

If you like Cats with a scent try to get something from C. Gaskelliana "alba" also used by Stewart orchids in the early 80's. I have one which flowers several times per year in Sydney and up the three times per year in Queensland and grows on several forward leads.

Regards,

Bruce Ah Sing

[smweaver]

Originally Posted by Bruce Ah Sing

I always admire people who make the effort to grow cattleyas in places with a climate like Indiana.

I know, Bruce. There are times when I ask myself why I ever got hooked on growing orchids, when something like philodendrons or ferns would be far less of a hassle (and a bit kinder to my bank account). Moving everything outside during the spring and then carting the plants back in during the fall is a bit of a pain, but the blooms, when they appear, tend to brush aside any concerns I have about the wisdom of growing the orchids--even if I live in a climate that mimics Singapore in the summer and Siberia in the winter.

Steve

[Zoi2]

Beautiful!
Joann

[Zozzl]

That is very striking!

[Oscarman]

Real nice Bruce, especially like the slightly darker striations through the petals/sepals.

[Queenslander]

Originally Posted by Bruce Ah Sing

Some members may not have ever seen some of the very good older catleyas bred over 30 yeras ago. Some have recently been offered for sale Such as RLC Ranger Six.

Here is one of my favourites RLC Caribbean Brilliance.

Bruce Ah Sing

Quite beautiful, Bruce. Where in Aust. can these older Cats. be purchased?