Caulocattleya Sweet Fragrance 'Paradise'

[mauraec]

Hi - another of my latest catt-types to bloom. It still has a few buds to go, which I am desperately hoping won't blast with this weird cold streak we're having here in Florida. It goes into the 40s at night, so the orchids go out on the lanai in cool bright light during the day, and come in at night to a difference of about 5-10 degrees warner - backwards of their usual cycle, I know, but I'm afraid of losing them completely.

Anyway, again without my library and OWiz, I can only offer the following information: Caulocattleya Sweet Fragrance is a cross of C. Hawaiian Wedding Song and Caularthron (formerly Diacrum, I think) bicornutum. The latter, of course is a species, and supposedly a highly fragrant one. The photos I've seen of it remind me of giant white bluebells - very simple and uniform in shape. C. Hawaiian Wedding Song is another thing altogether. It is a striking snow-white largish catt with excellent texure, but, in my experience of examining about 30 of them, completely without fragrance. On this latter point I had a somewhat brief argument with the grower I was buying from - he insisted C Hawaiian Wedding Song is very fragrant.

In any event, the hybrid is beautifully fragrant - not the same heaviness as a catt, but delightful. It also carries purple/pink accents and a light pink background - neither of which traits I've seen in either parent. Fascinating. It is also in a long, leggy, awkward teenager kind of phase, which I hope it grows out of.

Anyway, here it is:









Thanks,

Maura

[Ron-NY]

Maura... I believe the cross is Caulocattleya Spring Fragrance. It is very nice!

[King Kjeldz]

Ron i think u are right...and Maura C.bicornutum has dominant lavender in its genes..usually stuff bred with it is mostly light pink or lavender...if this isnt passed on either the trident lip or the spots and of course the fragrance is....there is even a pink C.bicornutum a rare sport found in the wild

[stateless]

nice blooms and photos, and I know what you mean about the weather, most of mine have been on the porch for most of this week, this is Florida, isn't it?

[mauraec]

Maura... I believe the cross is Caulocattleya Spring Fragrance. It is very nice!

You're absolutely right, Ron - my bad - too many tags around. Maybe BD can fix the name on the forum.

[mauraec]

Ron i think u are right...and Maura C.bicornutum has dominant lavender in its genes..usually stuff bred with it is mostly light pink or lavender...if this isnt passed on either the trident lip or the spots and of course the fragrance is....there is even a pink C.bicornutum a rare sport found in the wild

Thanks for the info! I can see the light lavender in the petals, but the lip is a pretty intense fuchsia/violet.

[zainal abidin]

Wonderful flowers the plant is not that huge that great and the flower is bigger as compared to C.bicornutum what is the size of the individual flower?

[tucker85]

Beautiful cattleya! I like the flowers above the leaves like that.

[mauraec]

Wonderful flowers the plant is not that huge that great and the flower is bigger as compared to C.bicornutum what is the size of the individual flower?

Hi Zain - the flowers are about 2 1/2 inches across, and I believe there are about 8 on the stem. The plant, including the stem, is about 17 inches tall, which I think is considered tall for this orchid - I think perhps it did not get enough sun as the stem was growing.

[catttan]

That is a beautiful catt and beautifully photographed. I like the the presentation of the blooms well held above the foliage just like its Caularthron parent.