Rewards of growing semi-minature Cats

[jerrymeola]

I have been having a love afair this summer with semi-minature cattleyas. (defined as plants no larger than 6-8 inches, many people call these compact plants rather than minatures)

Many of the ones I have are parented by C. walkeriana. This is a great parent in that it makes small plants while retaining large size flowers.

It started with Lc. Mini Purple a very deep purple cattleya with 3-3 1/2 inch flowers on a plant usually 6-8 inch maximum height. The plant and flower were beautiful, but when I learned it was considered to be continuously flowering, I was hooked. Adult size plants very pot bound have been flowering every 7-8 weeks. Plants a little larger can be in flower continuously. The orchid also blooms very small and at a young age. It is a cross of L. punila and C. walkeriana.

Mini Purple is crossed with Blc. Hunting Island to produce a red flower with a ruffled lip. It retained the traint to bloom almost continuously. It was registered as Blc. Hawaiian Mini Island

Mini Purple was crossed with C. walkeriana again making it 75% walkeriana and the flower was more pink and very fragrant. It has been named Lc. aloha Case.

This Aloha Cse was crossed with Hunting Island recently and the result is a small plant with 5" red/purple flowers. Wow. I do not believe it has been named.

Small sizes, continuous flowers and many fragrant, what more could we ask for.

[orchid.gecko]

I am also a sucker for these and have been looking for a nice one for a long time but have never seen any in my area. I would love to grow one - especially compact, since I have limited space. Any other recommendations?

[Claire]

You can search Google for Mini Catts- or there is a list here of a particular breeder. I don't know if his plants are readily available or not.

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/...7097/jack.html

[Lagoon]

Ooh i so agree such beautiful orchids. I think everyone has to have atlease one. I'm still branching out. And i got myself 2 mini's last week thru mail order.
Slc. George Hausermann ‘York’ HCC/AOS, SM/JOGA AND Lc. Memoria Robert Strait ‘Blue Hawaii’
I still have to set up some proper lighting for them i cant wait til they bloom!
You should go ahead and treat yourself

Oh i hear that the mini catts can bloom under med light levels ... True?

Regards,
Gloria

[Sue]

I'm going to hijack this thread just a tiny bit (as far as the light levels go . . . I'm just not sure which of the mini parents might be lower light).

I recently stumbled across a mini- and compact-Catt breeder, whose stuff looks REALLY interesting to me. I don't grow many Catts at all, but they're doing crosses with wonderful underutilized species, like Laelia anceps, Myrmecophilia tibicinis, and Epidendrum ilense. Also, they have some other interesting breeding directions, such as in Bc. Saint Alban, Epi. Memoria Young C. Lott, and Catyclia Leaf Hopper.

http://www.marblebranchfarms.com/index.html

Anybody have any experience with them?

[Claire]

Dang. Good hijack.