Cattleya percivalliana 'Summit' FCC/AOS

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John M

Orchid Addict
Joined
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Hamilton, Ontario - Canada
Here are 3 divisions from my specimen Cattleya percivalliana 'Summit' FCC/AOS. My original plant was a division of the original awarded plant, not a meristem. I got it in the early 90's and it did very well for me; growing into a gorgeous specimen plant with no medium, just bare-root, in a 10" clay pot.
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The first two photos below (plant with 3 flowers and plant with 4 flowers), are growing in 6" clay pots, also with zero potting medium. There's just bare roots attached to the inside of the pot.

Although, it survived the freeze in 2008, not long after, without my realizing it, some mice imported lots of organic debris into the pot and made a nest. When the mouse nest began to rot, so did my plant! By the time I realized that the plant was in trouble, the rot had consumed all of the connecting rhizome in the bottom half of the pot. I was lucky to save "satelite" divisions from higher up around the pot perimeter.

I've sold off the extra bits, including the 4 flowered division, pictured below. The single flowered division is my last bit still for sale. I'm keeping the single lead, 3 flowered divsion and starting over. 'Hope to get it up to specimen sized again.

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That really is quite a specimen you grew of a classic Catt. Fantastic growing and rescue. Do you grow other big catt's without medium?
 
That really is quite a specimen you grew of a classic Catt. Fantastic growing and rescue. Do you grow other big catt's without medium?

I tend to not like repotting. This is a jungle collected percivalliana growing "in" a 6" plastic pot. The plant was over 4' across. I've had others like this; but, eventually, they become too valuable to just leave untouched. So, I chop them up, sell the bits and pay bills.....and start over.

Had my 'Summit' clone not met it's match in the form of a mouse, it would've been as big as the one pictured below, by now. *sigh* 'Guess I'll have to wait another 15 years to see that finally happen....and keep the mice away in the meantime!

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Unfortunately, this moster perci died in my greenhouse freeze of 2008. I was really crushed!:sob:
 
Thanks everyone.

Intermediate temperatures; intermediate light intensity; water when dry; don't worry about humidity - or lack of it; feed weakly weekly in summer and weakly monthly in winter......standard Cattleya care. Nothing special.
 
Actually, after that I started buying 50 new mouse traps each fall and placing them all over the greenhouse. They last about 6 months before the moisture rots the wood. The mice are not any trouble at other times. But, in the fall, they find their way inside, where it's warm and then there's competition for good nesting sites. Plus, they start to do damage to my plants. So, the population needs severe culling from early fall until winter sets in and the mice outside are in their burrows and not still looking for ways to get into my greenhouse. In the spring and summer, when the vent is open and the door is open whenever I'm inside (which is much of the time), I have no problem with mice. They don't bother with the greenhouse much. But come October......they're a real menace!
 
'Thought I'd add this too. This was taken in May 2007. It's Lc. Carla Off. Each flower is about 7" wide. It had over-grown an 8" clay pot and was heading to become a huge, round ball; but, the freeze the next year set it back. Luckily, it did not die; but, it will still take a few more years to get back up to that size again.
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those are amazing plants John,the fragrance must be over powering when in the Greenhouse. I must stop down your way one of these days for a visit
 
Oh man those photos make me want a classic cattleya again. I saw these big ones in person and they were breathtaking. John you sure know how to grow them. :clap::drool::clap::drool:
 
Very impressive growing!! Would I LOVE to have seen that guy in person.
 
Wow, John! These are such gorgeous specimens! That freeze must have been devastating, but I'm so glad you came back from that experience. Some would have given up.
 
Your 'Summit' is the best one I've ever seen and I'm not just talking size of
the plant. The individual blooms are...well...perfect. I've seen a LOT of
'Summits' and none with blooms so perfectly shaped and such intense color.

I'm gonna have to email Jerry Rodder and let him take a look at your plant.
I think he'll be flabbergasted!
 
I must stop down your way one of these days for a visit
Sure Russell. Just say when and we'll set it up. Although, the big specimens are not still here, of course. The perci 'Summit' got divided, thanks to that mouse. The HUGE perci specimen dimped in the freeze and the Carla Off was cut down in size by the freeze; but, it's coming back.

Dot, I almost did give up. I was in shock and rather robotic for weeks afterwards. It was a HUGE shock to my system. 'Never want to experience that kind of loss again.

Angela, the photo of my 'Summit' while it was a specimen shows flowers that were larger and of better form (wider segments), than when the original mother plant was awarded the FCC. So, you've got a good eye. This plant of mine is a division from the mother plant, not a meristem. If you've seen "a lot" of 'Summit's', then most, if not all were clones. Clones are usually very nice and worth the trouble; but, they cannot be relied upon to be 100% identical to the original. In theory.....Yes; but, in reality.....No.
 

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