Cattleya percivaliana
Cattleya percivaliana is my theoretically favourite species Catt. I say that because when I started the present cattleya collection and spent a lot of time studying form, and made lists, this species was always top of the list.
Practice is sometimes different to theory. I have had my first example of the genus for about 4 years now; it was bought FS and now fills a 7 or 8 inch pot with its bulbs, which never get any larger ( about 3-4 inches high, thicker than my thumb ( I have large hands), but it has never shown the slightest inclination that it knows what flowering means.
This one which I am showing is my first example of the genus to flower, and I found the flowers today - not sure how long they have been open. Very poor substance and less than perfect shape - but in crossing the equator and the Atlantic, it arrived with no live roots ( normal, this ) and has just one set of roots, formed late last year - this species roots before it flowers. So it should get better, year by year from here on. This example was btw the most expensive plant in my entire collection....
I have another two examples. One is the albescens form, came last year, and has disappeared into the collection and I don't remember what state it is at, and the fourth and latest is due to arrive here at the end of March, and is a meristem propagation of a highly awarded form which the Chadwicks say is one of the two best forms of this species - and incidentally will take over the mantle of being the most epensive plant I have ever bought myself . ( I have been told that I can't take it with me when I go , and I don't mean cattleyas).
And, for all its imperfections, I am starting to love this particular example shown here.
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Originally Posted by Keysguy
