Cattleya mossiae reineckiana

[monocotman]

So at the moment we are on a roll with the Catt species.
This is the latest to flower, a semi alba form from the Fischer’s at OL. It is not a selected plant but the overall quality of this grex is amazing. It is certainly a far cry from the jungle forms and must be the result of several generations of line breeding.
This particular plant had an attack of scale on the rhizome a month ago that I did not pick up on as it was hidden under the bark so we lost some of the flower buds. There are two leads and just two buds survived from maybe eight. However the individual flowers are big. The natural spread and height of this photographed bloom is seven inches (18cm) and flattened out is eight inches.

At the moment we even have a vertical dorsal sepal. I’ve added my phone for scale.
Here is a comparison of the plant together with Rochelle.

David

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Huge! Too bad about the other buds...

Did both mossiaes flower out from dry sheaths? Any trouble?

 

[Ozpaph]

absolutely gorgeous!

 

[monocotman]

Leslie,
there was a dry sheath on Rochelle and a dry and a green sheath on the semi alba. The green one was on the growth that developed later. It’s the green one that actually flowered.
David

 

[monocotman]

Leslie,
I also lost the buds on another sibling of this semi alba this spring, and that too had a dry sheath. I think that the buds died when the strong spring sunshine hit the dry sheath a month or so ago and cooked them a bit.
I will move the mossiaes to the east facing window for a bit after Christmas when the growths and mature and before the buds develop to see if that helps,
David

 

[PeteM]

Very nice, and attractive dorsals on both. Can’t wait to see these when you get them through the next growth / bloom cycle and can make these adjustments to preserve the other set of flower buds. Do you notice at all with an increased flower count, the average flower size decreases?

 

[monocotman]

The first time that this semi alba flowered , there were four blooms. However this was two years ago and I didn’t measure them. I do remember them as being quite big, but probably not the size of these two. The four blooms were good enough for me to order another plant of this grex from OL a year later.
This plant is now well established with two leads and my culture has probably improved so fingers crossed for next year!
David

 

[abax]

Lovely flowers David.

 

[NEslipper]

Gorgeous, you are growing and blooming these so well! It must smell wonderful at your place this time of year!

 

[dodidoki]

Great flowers both!