Cattleya lueddemanniana

[NEslipper]

Life has been pretty hectic lately, but I finally snapped some photos of this lueddemanniana in bloom. Unfortunately, the flower is already going south so the sepals and dorsal have started to wither and curl back - I promise they had better form last week! This is a plant from Orchids Limited from their cross 'Big Pink' x 'Dark Pink'. The plant took a couple of years to settle in, but is now a reliable twice a year bloomer. Smells incredible and the flower is enormous (petals are 10cm each, so would be 20cm if perfectly flat). The lip on this plant is outrageous, I absolutely love the waterfall pattern. Here are last years bloomings LINK. The black background distorts the color, making the flower appear more blue - without the black background the color is a more accurate lavender with faint splashes on the middle of the petals.

 

[monocotman]

Love this species!

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Great lip!

 

[GuRu]

........ I promise they had better form last week! ........The lip on this plant is outrageous, I absolutely love the waterfall pattern. Here are last years bloomings LINK. T................

Indeed, the lip is stunning and with the form of last year ... this flower is an eye catcher.