Re: things to look forward to

Here are two plants that had been growing in one direction for a few years - in other words, each year there was just one new growth.  This year, they decided to start growing in multiple directions.  The first plant is C. mendelii.  I posted this plant earlier this year and the flowers were very disappointing.  If it doesn't improve a lot next year, I will look to trade or sell it.  It is now putting out four new growths, which should bloom in Spring.  The second plant is a C. purpurata that has not bloomed for me yet.  There is one new growth off to the right that has a nice fat sheath in it.  Plus, three new growths (one hidden) just started.  So this too could bloom off four growths next Spring.  I think I'm getting the hang of this whole orchid thing.  Only took me three years(!) to figure it out...

Cattleya lueddemanniana

Here we are.  Great color. 

Cattleya lueddemanniana buds

According to my records I acquired this seedling three years ago.  I almost killed it, but it came back with a strong growth and two buds this year.  This species normally flowers in the Spring.  The flower-to-plant ratio on this plant is high.  Fingers crossed that the first bloom will be nice...

Cattleya maxima sheaths

Not a lot of blooming going on - but lots of good growth.  I have several Cattleya maxima - one of my favorite species.  Here are four plants that will bloom this Fall.  The first is a famous mericlone 'Hercules'.  The other are all seedlings.  There are two major types of this species, the lowland form and a higher elevation upland form, which tends to be shorter than the lowland form.  'Hercules' is clearly upland - the pseudobulbs are less than a foot long.  The last pic is of a lowland form - the p-bulbs are between 2-3 feet long.  I got this plant with zero roots about 1.5 yrs ago, and it just now really taking off.  The middle two look somewhere in between upland and lowland (leaning towards upland) in terms of habit.  As is always the case, Chadwick's article on the species is worth reading.

Cattleya labiata seedling

I'm pretty excited about this.  I bought this plant as a small seedling in 2007 and finally it put up a really robust new growth with a sheath that will bloom this Fall.  This is a semi-alba form.  Note the shadow inside the sheath.  That is the typical double-sheath (sheath within a sheath) characteristic of the species.

Cattleya lueddemanniana first bloom seedling

This is a seedling of a cross between a coerulia and an alba.  Very pale lavender petal color, slightly darker around the edges.  Wonderful fragrance.