John M
Orchid Addict
This poor plant was in my display at the Ottawa, Ontario show way back in 1996....when it won a CCM/AOS. Since then, it has had a rough life! A couple years later I got sick and neglected it for a long time......until it almost died. A small, seedling-sized piece did survive and I had been working on it for many years to bring it back from the brink. Then, just as it began to take off, the big freeze hit in March 2008 (39 months ago). I had mounted it on a paper-thin Cedar Shake from Home Depot, which it seemed to like. After the freeze, I just left it on the same Shake to re-establish with new roots, which it did remarkably fast.
Now, finally, it is back in full glory! It had two flowers on another growth that finished just as these 14 flowers began to simultaneously open. It's got 7 lead growths now (6 currently in bloom); but, technically it's not a specimen plant because I did help it along by cutting the rhizome in a few places to encourage branching. However, since I'm not interested in exhibiting for awards anymore, that doesn't really matter.
Today, I crossed it with my Cattleya violacea 'Robert's Chiller'. The cross, "Cattleya Super-forbesii" is a classic beauty with an almost Schomburgkia-like look; but, without the lo-oooong inflorescence!
After the freeze 39 months ago (March 2008).
Now, finally, it is back in full glory! It had two flowers on another growth that finished just as these 14 flowers began to simultaneously open. It's got 7 lead growths now (6 currently in bloom); but, technically it's not a specimen plant because I did help it along by cutting the rhizome in a few places to encourage branching. However, since I'm not interested in exhibiting for awards anymore, that doesn't really matter.
Today, I crossed it with my Cattleya violacea 'Robert's Chiller'. The cross, "Cattleya Super-forbesii" is a classic beauty with an almost Schomburgkia-like look; but, without the lo-oooong inflorescence!
After the freeze 39 months ago (March 2008).
