Breeding Cattleya's

[Drorchid]

Well, seeing the Rsc. Terra Nova cross in bloom, inspired me to take out the toothpick, and make some more Cattleya crosses. I tend to like more bold and bright colors: dark purples, reds and yellows. I don't care too much for light pinks. I am also trying to breed for more miniature type Cattleya's that have large flowers. These are the crosses I made:

1) Rsc. Terra Nova 'Purple Velvet'

x Rsc. Lebenkreis (Circle of Life x Rubescence) This is a nice new Mini Cat with vibrant red flowers that are pretty large in size.

2) one of my favorite Cattleya Hybrids: Blc. Dora Louise Carpen LeaAM/AOS

x Slc Barefoot Mailman 'HR'

3) One of my minature crosses: Sl. Mairottiana flava (made with sophronitis flava):

x Slc Barefoot Mailman 'HR'

4) Sc Mini Collins 'PinkSherbet' AM/AOS (a miniature cat)

x Blc. Dora Louise Carpen LeaAM/AOS

Robert

 

[Kyle]

Hi Robert,

Are you a member of the hybridizers forum? Dean Stock is one of the moderators

http://www.thehybridizersforum.com/yabb/YaBB.pl

They talk mostly about phals, but lately some Cattleya issues have been discussed.

I would like to cross some catts, but the time from seed to flower turns me off.

Kyle

 

[Drorchid]

Hi Kyle,

No I am not. I did not even no it existed, so thanks for sharing. I will probably become a member now.

Robert

 

[JeanLux]

Robert, this is really a pretty selection!
As already stated, and now seeing the others, my fav. remains Terra Nova; but I like all the blooms influenced by dowiana, so BLC Dora Louise Carpen Lea has it !!! And, as I like white flowers, of course SC mini Collins is among my preferred!!! Jean

 

[Candace]

Good luck with the hybrids, Robert. The catt. crosses I'm doing are mainly bifoliate hybrids (spotted) and splash petals. I don't care for mini catts at all really, so am crossing what I like to grow. Really, I think that's important in any hybridizing. Make what you'd like to buy or grow because if you wind up with a bunch of seedlings and flasks, it better be something you care for. Since I'm not commercial, I can cater to my desires only;>

If all things go well at the lab I should have quite a few flasks coming in the next year.

The one good thing about breeding catts vs. paphs is the much easier and faster germination. Plus, the pod times are usually significantly shorter. Alan Koch has very good success getting minicatts that he crosses, to bloom out in a couple of years out of flask.

 

[Yoyo_Jo]

Beautiful photos of the parent orchids. I can see how one might become addicted to growing catts. :drool: Good luck with your crosses.

 

[NYEric]

Argh! system admins making photos appear then disappear! :crazy:
thanx for posting

 

[SlipperFan]

Good job, Robert!

 

[TyroneGenade]

Hi all,

This my little Sl. Marriottiana (flava x coccinea). This is probably a 4th generation division now. I got it from a guy who got if from a guy who probably got it from another guy. Seems to be one of those popular hybrids that just keeps going around. This is the second time that it is flowering this year. It is carrying 2 buds but I'm told that the second bud will probably abort. Alas this one that opened was gotten at by some bug that took a nick out of the dorsal sepal (little bastard). It is a small plant (as you can see from the picture) but the flower colour is very very striking. I would prefer a larger star-shaped flower, more like the Psyche or Jewel Box hybrids (just not as frilly around the edges).





I've picked some pollen and now am waiting for something to use it on. I am contemplating using it on the Nitsi x Trick or Treat pictured below or perhaps m L. anceps. I quite like the shape of the Ntisi x Trick or Treat flower but it is still small and the plant also gets a bit untidy (i.e. ugly) where as the ancepts flower is larger (got a nice shape) and has a compact plant. Also, the anceps has a long flower stem (which I also like). From what I have read, the flower shape, stem length and plant size/shape of the anceps dominates in crosses much like the red from the coccinea dominates. Correct? I haven't yet decided... It will probably come down to which flower (Nitsi x Trick or Treat or anceps) opens first.



I find the whole idea of making a hybrid very exciting. What is the end result going to look like? Will it be all for nothing or will you strike gold? The goal is something bright red with about a 4 inch wide star shaped flower born well above a compact tidy plant.

Kind regards

 

[Bolero]

There is great potential in those crosses so good luck with them. I have recently crossed some plants which I will post later on, I think the seed pod has been growing 5 months. I wonder how long the whole process takes?

I didn't know about the forum either so I might investigate that one.

 

[biothanasis]

Gorgeous all of them!!! I mostly like the Dora Louise CAptain and Barefoot mailman!!!! Good luck with the crosses...!!!

 

[labskaus]

Very nice pics and excellent blooms!

I personally dislike the small, indistinguished lip in most mini catts, and the lack of scent in most, but that's something one can breed for.

What I find equally amazing and frustrating is, that people who admire your catts in an exhibition just turn away when you tell them that a flower lasts about a month once or twice a year. Their phals flower all year and they are simply not interested in a plant that is out of flower for most of the time.

Robert, you need to breed an everblooming catt.

Cheers, Carsten