Cattleya rex flameas: The Holy Grail

[DrLeslieEe]

So after a decade of searching (and pleading), I finally secured two rex flameas from Peru! It is my all time favourite of all flameas, my holy grail! Presenting not one but two plants!

First one is rex flamea ‘Yawar Saywar’, rounder and fuller petals. Second one is rex flamea ‘Flameada en Petalos y Sepalos 21’, larger and wider.


Pictures courtesy of Manolo (PeruFlora).

 

[Greenpaph]

Just spectacular!

 

[chris20]

Awesome.

 

[terryros]

I maybe have a lead on a rex of some type for the spring, but why is it so difficult for us to be able to purchase a decent rex? And, while you are at it, why are wallisii/eldorado so scarce?

 

[dodidoki]

Holy cow!!!Incredible.My favourite unifoliate sp., furthermore splash and flamea form. Can i ask the source?

 

[papheteer]

So after a decade of searching (and pleading), I finally secured two rex flameas from Peru! It is my all time favourite of all flameas, my holy grail! Presenting not one but two plants!

First one is rex flamea ‘Yawar Saywar’, rounder and fuller petals. Second one is rex flamea ‘Flameada en Petalos y Sepalos 21’, larger and wider.

View attachment 32259 View attachment 32261 View attachment 32260
Pictures courtesy of Manolo (PeruFlora).

I love love love love them both… one day I will have the space for these…

 

[GuRu]

Leslie, if one had to name 'beauty in perfection' of an flower blossom by a name of a flower/plant......I think one would have to name it by these two plants !

 

[monocotman]

Nothing more to say Leslie, they are just stunning.
I have to say with two such wonderful clones, when are you going to cross them?
There would be a queue a mile long for any seedlings….

 

[LadySlipper]

Splendid. Thanks for sharing.

 

[tnyr5]

I don't even need seedlings, just a gram of seeds. I'll do the rest .

 

[dodidoki]

Nothing more to say Leslie, they are just stunning.
I have to say with two such wonderful clones, when are you going to cross them?
There would be a queue a mile long for any seedlings….

This is what i wanted to ask: i would make a sibcross, Leslie.BTW: I would go for a 0,1 gramm of seeds everywhere.....PM, if you have, please.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Thanks all for nice comments.
I will get the plants in October at Redlands.
I will sib them next year when they rebloom.
In the meantime they have been sib by PeruFlora’s Manolo and likely seedlings available in 2-3 years from them.

 

[Karp60]

Very showy! Love it

 

[Paphman910]

Really nice flowers! It is one of my favorite species!

 

[DrLeslieEe]

I maybe have a lead on a rex of some type for the spring, but why is it so difficult for us to be able to purchase a decent rex? And, while you are at it, why are wallisii/eldorado so scarce?

They are rare because of two main reasons in the past: hard to grow and lack of demand (popularity).

With the rise of species specialists, and the appearance of new and stunning cultivars like these flameas, people are beginning to notice.

As a result, a few nurseries took notice and are producing more in the future. Look for them from Peru (Peruflora) and Brazil (like Orquidário Americana).

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Holy cow!!!Incredible.My favourite unifoliate sp., furthermore splash and flamea form. Can i ask the source?

That’s why these are my Holy Grail!! I was overtaken with wonder when I first saw these on the internet. And was searching for them ever since then. Finally the day has come when I finally get my hands on them!

 

[monocotman]

In case anyone is interested, one of our fellow slippertalk memebers, William Green has uploaded an extremely useful video on his YouTube channel ‘my green pets’ all about growing Cattleya Rex. Worth searching out. Also with sources for plants.

 

[Guldal]

Holy Moly! Congrats, Leslie - as it says in The Good Book: "... he that seeketh, findeth" (Matt. 7:8)!

 

[My Green Pets]

Congratulations Leslie!

For anyone thinking about one of these I have seedlings of flamea, splash flamea, rosita, semi-alba, Moyobamba and Ayacucho varieties. Peruflora has all of them available in flasks and will deliver to the US, as Leslie mentioned. I got several flasks in May of last year. It will be a few years before blooming, but I hope to have lots of rex varieties available eventually.

They're rare because they are so damned hard to grow. Even after 8 years with them, I still have rot popping up from time to time, and still lose a plant nearly every year.

Good luck, transitioning them from southern hemisphere to northern hemisphere will be a tremendous challenge. Don't hesitate to reach out if you would like to talk rex cultivation.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Congratulations Leslie!

For anyone thinking about one of these I have seedlings of flamea, splash flamea, rosita, semi-alba, Moyobamba and Ayacucho varieties. Peruflora has all of them available in flasks and will deliver to the US, as Leslie mentioned. I got several flasks in May of last year. It will be a few years before blooming, but I hope to have lots of rex varieties available eventually.

They're rare because they are so damned hard to grow. Even after 8 years with them, I still have rot popping up from time to time, and still lose a plant nearly every year.

Good luck, transitioning them from southern hemisphere to northern hemisphere will be a tremendous challenge. Don't hesitate to reach out if you would like to talk rex cultivation.

Thanks William! I definitely will get your help when they arrive here.

It seems like the flamea genetics are very unstable. Manolo says of the original flamea selfing cross made available, 60% of progeny were normal type, 30% light to poor flamea, and 10% flameas. Of the 10% flameas, half of them had good pattern of petals and 2-3% had sepal flaring too. So in other words, only 2 plants out of a hundred will show these patterns above (1 in 50 chances).