Cattleya Jose Marti (Bob Betts x Bow Bells)

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Excuse the absence of the diacritical marks in the names Jose and Marti.

A nice and informative post on Cattleya Bob Betts and Bow Bells was started by monocotman:

https://www.slippertalk.com/threads/cattleya-bob-betts-‘white-lightening’.50271/#post-696110
CambriaWhat contributed a comment about Cattleya Jose Marti in the chain, so I thought I would close the loop.

Jose Marti was registered in 1959 as (Bob Betts x Bow Bells). I have never seen which cultivars of Bob Betts and Bow Bells were used in the plant that was registered. The only AOS award for flower quality to Jose Marti was in 1965, to the cultivar ‘Fetzer’. In 1990 Cattleya Mother’s Favourite was registered with RHS but it was subsequently determined that this was a mistake because it was the same cross as Jose Marti so Mother’s Favourite became a synonym for Jose Marti.

A few years later the cultivar Cattleya Jose Marti ‘Mother’s Favorite’ appeared (notice the change from British to US spelling of Favorite) and received AOS CCM awards in 2000 and 2001. This is a confusing cultivar name, given the confusion between the hybrid names Mother’s Favourite and Jose Marti. I can imagine a tag that said Cattleya Jose Marti (Mother’s Favourite) being easily mis-transcribed on a next tag to Cattleya Jose Marti ‘Mother’s Favorite’. We all know how tags go. I think someone’s 'Mother's Favorite' plant was mericloned some years ago because I have almost exclusively seen this cultivar of Jose Marti available in recent years.

However, CambriaWhat's post noted a Jose Marti cross of (Bow Bells ‘Snowflake’ x Bob Betts ‘White Lightening’), which would not be a division or mericlone of the ‘Mother’s Favorite’ cultivar and could be a superior plant. My plant of Jose Marti ‘Mother’s Favorite’, purchased from Orchids Limited, has bloomed several times and currently has been open about 1 week, so I thought I would attach a picture. The flower is 16.5 cm horizontal natural spread.

IMG_1706.jpeg

Nothing most of us can show in our pictures of Bow Bells, Bob Betts, or Jose Marti is going to come close to what was achieved by the amazing older cultivars of these plants shown by Jeff Bradley in the video linked in monocotman’s chain. I need to accept what we can obtain (and afford) and grow these as well as I can.
 
I also echo this sentiment. Thank you for posting this information to the forum so others can search and learn. I’m definitely pulling my tag today to make note!
 
Terry thank you for this! I will certainly keep you all updated on the progress of my José Martí. I bought it earlier this year from a person who was clearing out her collection due to illness. It is an unbloomed seedling but a very vigorous plant.

I will attach the tag. It was also accompanied by a purple tag that I believe said H&R, but I can't seem to find it to confirm.

If there is any hidden information from the tag that can be derived from the numbers and letters on the top, I'd love to know! SH014 / 8B5SS

jose marti.jpg
josemarti.jpg
 
View attachment 23130

Nothing most of us can show in our pictures of Bow Bells, Bob Betts, or Jose Marti is going to come close to what was achieved by the amazing older cultivars of these plants shown by Jeff Bradley in the video linked in monocotman’s chain. I need to accept what we can obtain (and afford) and grow these as well as I can.

The white flower is beautiful! To our eagle eyes, we can see that the lip on this particular one didn't open symmetrically about the vertical axis. But ------ that's ok! Natural is nice! In fact, they're all nice. No matter what they open up like. Natural and individual is very nice. :D

Opening up with symmetry is obviously a probability thing. Even with the best growing conditions ..... symmetry is not guaranteed - it's probability/chance. Even the originators of the cross most likely the pics of the ones that came out a particular way.

Anyway ... the one in the photograph is just beautiful already. The way the yellow has developed on/in the throat and lip ..... wonderful. That orchid is definitely one to live for.

I reckon there is a good chance that a future blooming is going to actually get the 'model' appearance. But model appearance isn't a requirement in my books. For some .... from a friendly judging competition perspective .... totally understandable in their quest for 'perfection'!

Privileged to be able to see that pic.
 
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