Must have Catts

[james mickelso]

Sunset Valley Orchids has a category of just minis.

[Bud]

I have only two favorites:

1. Cattleya percivaliana = its a classic; I dont have one in my collection but I am looking for a specimen=soon to own one

2. Cattleya Abe Kehr = white fragrant large seven inches diaphanous ruffled flowers currently in sheath so I will post pictures soon...its an heirloom since 1961 way older than me which I found in a posh Hotel thrash I think it was used as a wedding centerpiece(I was lucky to have found the florist address and phone inside the pot or else it will be a NOID forever)

[Wynn Dee13]

Look at Sunset Valley Orchids and they have a section for Mini-Catts which are under 6 inches tall when mature and bloom in 3 inch pots. They also have compact Catts which are under 12 inches tall, standard/ large Catts, and a species section. They might even have a coerulea section and a spotted Catt section too. Sometimes he has rupicolous Laelia hybrids too. Here is a link to his site. Sunset Valley Orchids - Grower and hybridizer of quality orchids, Vista CA I visited SVO last month and it was awesome to see all the Catts in bloom. He has a beautiful personal collection which he also uses for stud plants. A lot of species Catts were in bloom when I went. It was the first time I saw some of the species in real life.

[james mickelso]

Ahhh. Another brother-in-orchids-found-in-the-trash. Since finding my first one, I always look when out strolling the alleys on the way to the beach. So many phals and catts left in the trash once the flower is gone.

[Bud]

My very first orchid was a couple of Phals found in the thrash outside the same five star Hotel on 5th avenue where my roomate was working. While waiting for him on the staff entrance, I saw this nice chintz blue porcelain pot with dead flowers but the colorful butterflies on the sticks caught my eye at the very top of the large bin....My roomate was so embarassed that I had to climb inside the garbage bin and also rummage for a paperbag to put it in=in my dress pants and all....I was very happy when I discovered the plant was not dead....my roomate graduated and moved to Texas yet my phals are still staying with me flowering Noids that they are....giving me joy all these years

[sthh]

Originally Posted by Bud

My very first orchid was a couple of Phals found in the thrash outside the same five star Hotel on 5th avenue where my roomate was working. While waiting for him on the staff entrance, I saw this nice chintz blue porcelain pot with dead flowers but the colorful butterflies on the sticks caught my eye at the very top of the large bin....My roomate was so embarassed that I had to climb inside the garbage bin and also rummage for a paperbag to put it in=in my dress pants and all....I was very happy when I discovered the plant was not dead....my roomate graduated and moved to Texas yet my phals are still staying with me flowering Noids that they are....giving me joy all these years

How interesting. Same situation here. After celebrating the Chinese New Year, many ppl will throw away their plants, and you can pick up many phals and other plants here this way too !!

My must have catt is one that i will never tire from looking at it, and it's a mini little hybrid with pastel colouring. It's quite unreal.
SLC Red Doll intermedia Soph. Cernua

[Franco24]

Im a sucker for sophronitis and big rare showy coveted cattleyas. Fragrance is always a plus too!

Species:
Soph. coccinea
Soph. wittigiana
B. digbyana
C. warscewiczii
C. dowiana
C. walkeriana
C. luedemaniana

Hybrids:
Blc. Hawaiian Lightening 'Fiesta'
Blc. Dora Louise 'Capen'
Blc. Solar Flare
Pot. Dick Smith
Blc. George King 'Serendipity'
Blc. Waianae Leopard 'Chung Hua'

.... Just to name a few!

[james mickelso]

My very first, or I should say second was found in an alley in a dumpster. A cymbidium I still have called party dress. Very pretty mid size cym. I have divided it many times and given the divisions away. It has a slight fragrance too. My first was a epidendrum ciliare that my dad picked off a tree in Panama in 1949 and I still have it. Diovided lots of times and has the most intense fragrance at night.

[MACH5]

Originally Posted by sthh

How interesting. Same situation here. After celebrating the Chinese New Year, many ppl will throw away their plants, and you can pick up many phals and other plants here this way too !!

My must have catt is one that i will never tire from looking at it, and it's a mini little hybrid with pastel colouring. It's quite unreal.
SLC Red Doll intermedia Soph. Cernua

WOW! Gorgeous!!!

[james mickelso]

Very pretty indeed. I agree. I look at my blooming orchids all the time. I never tire of looking at them. And if they are fragrant, all the better.