My Cattleya tenebrosa Valpota's Nights x self

[Halloamey]

Here are the pictures of the first time blooms of my Cattleya tenebrosa (formerly Laelia). It is a seedling from the selfing of a very beautiful dark tenebrosa form called Valpota's Night. I am bit disappointed though, the colours could have been darker and the petals could have had a better form rather than folding away, but one thing to consider is that the flower could have been better but it was ravaged by a snail my arch enemy, anyways I hope it will bloom better on its subsequent bloomings.

This is how the flower looked the second day of blooming, sorry for the bad picture quality due to low lights and flash



And then this is how it looks in sunlight a week later



In the next pictures the snail damage is visible at the lip and the petals. I hate snails !!!!

[Cjcorner]

My husband finds it hugely amusing when after snapping a few pictures and downloading them on the computer, I fly out the door muttering about bugs or snails. Snails seem to LOVE my vanda plants. I find them on the roots, leaves...in pots...under pots. Snails are a scourge! But if they ever disfigured such a lovely flower...the bait will go out! I hate to kill things...but not things that eat my most prized flowers!

[opaline]

Damage to certain parts of plants at critical times by a mere little snail has ruined my whole day and I mean literally down in the dumps.! Kill em kill them all!

[zainal abidin]

One of our enemy difficult to eradicate, they cause massive damage to den buds, I love to see this species very nice.

[Zozzl]

I think its pretty. I imagine the second bloomng the flower would be even better

[catttan]

In spite of everything I still think it is very pretty. You have your snail problem and I have the eternal yellow beetles. 3 - 4 times inspection a day is par for the course to catch and destroy the pest, but as it has been raining the last 3 days I couldn't go out to the orchid house as much as I would like to. Result ... damage to my Blc Helen Brown, Blc Pornthip and Blc Taiwan Queen blooms before I could photograph them. At the moment they are leaving my vandas alone.

[Halloamey]

Thanks for the encouragement and liking these.

In spite of everything I still think it is very pretty. You have your snail problem and I have the eternal yellow beetles. 3 - 4 times inspection a day is par for the course to catch and destroy the pest, but as it has been raining the last 3 days I couldn't go out to the orchid house as much as I would like to. Result ... damage to my Blc Helen Brown, Blc Pornthip and Blc Taiwan Queen blooms before I could photograph them. At the moment they are leaving my vandas alone.

Yew imidachloropid not working on your beetles??? Thats sad to know, I hope those beetles don't fly to India. Atleast it does not affect snails, only ferricphosphate bait and metal aldehyde will get rid of these nasty buggers. The problem is I do not know how it affects plants if I decide to spray it all over. After this the plants were drenched with coffee as some people from this forum had success with it. Hoping to get rid of this problem for ever.

[ang709]

I love Cat. tenebrosa. Sorry about the snails.

[Suresh Kalyanpur]

i think it is a beautiful specimen. Congratulations.

[Halloamey]

Thank you Suresh and Angie.