Cattleya labiata coerulea ‘Blue Diamond’

[DrLeslieEe]

First flowering of a division I got more than 3 years ago, possible more. Took its time growing but finally sheathed and popped out two blue flowers.

Not as round as my other one ‘Blue Bells’ but it has the shape of a good ‘wild’ type. I named it ‘Blue Diamond’ because of the lip marking and which also reflects the value of the natural form.

Nicely fragrant with respectable NS of 14.5 cm.



Let’s do a poll: do you like round or natural wildflower shapes in species?

 

[monocotman]

As usual very nice Leslie!
To answer your question, as a species catt grower I tend to the more natural shapes. But its not hard and fast. I grow Bob Betts and George king as well.

 

[terryros]

I think I have changed. My goal now with a species would be to see the best that its genome can produce. That probably means generations of selected breeding and the use of spontaneous or chemically induced tetraploids. I know these flowers will end up being larger, of heavier substance, and perhaps with other configuration differences from a wild collected diploid plant. However, I think our earliest famous species cultivars that were used for early breeding were often spontaneous polyploid plants brought from the wild. If we had weight classes for each species (confirmed diploids versus polyploids) I could probably have two different standards but this is currently impossible. I don’t want a hybrid masquerading as a species, but would I currently prefer the largest, best looking, heaviest substance, longest lasting flower possible from a species!

 

[Greenpaph]

Still beautiful

 

[GuRu]

Leslie, this is a lovely flower, good colouration for a coerulea type and very good shape and stance for a 'wild type' flower.

............as a species catt grower I tend to the more natural shapes.......

This would be my preference, too.

 

[Guldal]

Let’s do a poll: do you like round or natural wildflower shapes in species?

Why not go for the best of both?! And I certainly wouldn't mind if I had a labiata with a dorsal with such a nice erect stance as yours!

 

[JLOG]

First flowering of a division I got more than 3 years ago, possible more. Took its time growing but finally sheathed and popped out two blue flowers.

Not as round as my other one ‘Blue Bells’ but it has the shape of a good ‘wild’ type. I named it ‘Blue Diamond’ because of the lip marking and which also reflects the value of the natural form.

Nicely fragrant with respectable NS of 14.5 cm.

View attachment 32499 View attachment 32500 View attachment 32501

Let’s do a poll: do you like round or natural wildflower shapes in species?

I prefer wild shape flower. stunning this one