Historical Cattleya Hybrids
 

I am getting more and more interested in historical cattelya hybrids and/or ones that belonged to significant growers lately and wanted to see what other people think. I to see what was done before the days of clones and also to see what has made it through the years and is still around in different people collections.

I have an LC. Calligula that I got as a bare root division at Redlands last year and was registered in 1913 by Armstrong/Brown.

Let us know what is in your collection and who it belonged to if you want!

Interesting thread.

I have a (L)C. C.G. Roebling (gaskelliana x purpurata) - this cross was registered in 1895 by Sanders[St Albans]. (alas, mine is not yet bloom sized)

C. General Patton, C. Karen Gubler, C. Bow Bells, C. Barbara Billingsley, and a couple more. One of my C. Carol Channing's is about to bloom. All very old late 40's to mid 50's.

Cool! I wish I had some old Cattleyas. Original divisions would be awsome! But expensive and I would be afraid to kill it! I did have a C. C. G. Roebling. But it got a bad infestation of scale so I pitched it after many failed attemps at getting rid of those pesky bugs. It was the 'Sentinel' cultiver and it was a clone. They are easy to find. But they are beautiful!

Most of my Catt collection are species and primary hybrids so I have a lot of very old crosses. This is C. Bob Betts 'York' AM/CCE/AOS.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8057/8...c5025366_z.jpg
C Bob Betts 'York' AM-CCE-AOS JCL_1272 by kentucky4, on Flickr

The York clone was put into the AOS system in 1965 but the first award was sometimes in the late 50's/early 60's. We got it from a grower who had the plant since shortly after it was awarded. We got the CCE on it in either '11 or '12.

We also have one of the parents of Bob which is C. Bow Bells. The grower received Bow Bells from the same person as Bob Betts at the same time.

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4088/5...31305f58_z.jpg
C Bow Bells LUR_5546 by kentucky4, on Flickr

We also have Guarianthes x guatemalensis which is arantiaca x skinnerii natural hybrid with the clonal name 'King' which was awarded in the 50's and received from the same grower. I wish I could find the picture but it is hiding somewhere today.

I love having orchids that have been around this long.

Brooke

Wow! Those are beautiful!

I agree with Leafmite. Those are some fabulous Catts.

Very very nice Brooke. Bow Bells and Bob Betts are very nice orchids and very healthy. I have a Bow Bells in sheath right now> It was nearly dead when I got it. The new pbulb has really come alive and grown wonderful roots since using some of Ray's seaweed stuff. I'll put up a pic when it flowers in about a month. Yours are very nicely grown too.

My Bob and Bow have been in sheath for quite a while but don't bloom until late November/early December. I much prefer Bob to daddy Bow - Bob's blooms last longer, he grows very upright and is easier to contain.

Brooke