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What this means is that many hybrids that were registered as having C. guttata as a parent (and there are many) may have actually been made with C. leopoldii (and there are many). In some cases it's easy to tell just by looking at the offspring, in some cases it doesn't matter anyway. What does matter is that to this day you will still see this confusion as it exists on nametags of the species themselves ! I have within the past year seen for sale; harrisoniana labeled as loddigesii, nobilior tagged as walkeriana var. nobilior and try to buy a C. guttata ! You'll probably end up with C. leopoldii. Advice: buy Bifoliate Cattleyas in flower whenever possible.

Let's try to put these 20 or so orchids into logical groups based upon cultural requirements then we can discuss them individually.

First group will be "mostly lavender mid-sized", we'll add forbesii, granulosa, guttata, harrisoniana, intermedia, loddigesii, porphyroglossa & schofieldiana.

Then we'll make "green & tall & skinny", we'll include bicolor, velutina & dormanniana.

Next group will be "tall & spotted", here we'll put amethystoglossa, elongata & leopoldii.

Last group will be "short stuff", aclandiae, nobilior, walkeriana & schilleriana go here.

And C. violacea will be treated separately.

There are a couple of general culture suggestions that apply to ALL Bifoliate Cattleyas: they seem to do best either mounted or in a coarse potting mix, they don't like wet feet. These are basically low-elevation plants that range up to about 3000feet, so an intermediate temperature range is indicated although they do well in our warmer temperatures. I have always tried to grow these plants "hard" and in doing so have been able to leave them unprotected during a night of mid-30F. temps without damage. Some of these Cattleyas can attain a height of 3-feet or more so if space is a consideration choose wisely (some are also very dwarf and used extensively in mini-Catt breeding). If you consistently have problems with one, try starting with seedlings or a flask; sometimes they are more adaptable at an early stage. One additional general culture note of importance; you can kill these orchids by repotting them at the wrong time (notice I didn't say you will). Although you can re-pot them any time they are actively making roots, the SAFEST time is in the spring when the new growth is a few inches high and there is a nice cluster of green root tips at its base.

Now we'll discuss the requirements of some of our "groups". Please note that none of the species fit strictly within a given group, this is just the way I'm organizing them tonight.

"Mostly Lavender Mid-Sized" contains the most adaptable and least fussy species. These plants will grow easily under average Cattleya conditions. They can be grown in whatever medium you usually use (some coarse drainage in the bottom of the pot is good) and do well in medium Cattleya light (ca. 2500 foot candles). forbesii, granulosa & guttata flowers may have clearer colors if you suppress anthocyanin by growing them a little shadier and loddigesii & harrisoniana may have deeper-colored flowers if grown a little brighter but it's not a health issue in either case. A coarse medium is a good option for these Cattleyas if you're heavy-handed with the water.

In my experience, the plants within the "green & tall & skinny" group prefer slightly less light and can stand a little more moisture at the roots, hence a slightly less coarse medium. Indeed, in the Serra do Orgao in the state of Rio de Janeiro, dormanniana can be found growing on decaying wood. This will be the last mention of this species, it does not find much favor horticulturally and is not common in cultivation. These three species bloom in the fall however dormanniana can be erratic.

The next group, "tall & spotted" contains two of the showiest Bifoliate Cattleyas; amethystoglossa and leopoldii. To see three-foot tall pseudobulbs crowned with a head of a dozen 3-1/2" flowers is truly a sight that impresses one. These orchids can stand a lot of light, near full sun depending on other cultural factors. Large pots and coarse medium is required for mature specimens. Questionably, guttata could be moved into this group depending upon clone & environment.

Our last group, "short stuff" contains a few anomalies as well as two of the more difficult species; aclandiae & nobilior. All of these orchids do better if mounted although schilleriana will usually do equally well in a pot. They all can stand bright light although maybe not quite as bright as "tall & spotted". C. aclandiae seems to prefer a HORIZONTAL mount, this has been determined after numerous failures. Nobilior can be easy, or it can be difficult depending on the clone & environment. These are not orchids for dank conditions...they do not like to stay wet; cork slabs are preferable to tree fern. Their root structure is linear rather than branched, they need room to ramble and an opportunity to dry out.

The following are brief comments regarding the remaining four Brazilian Bifoliate Cattleya species. If there is sufficient interest we can discuss the Central American species Cattleyas aurantiaca, bowringiana, deckeri, patinii & skinneri at a later date. Greg Cattleya porphyroglossa is not found in collections very often...I suppose I may be one of the few who find it attractive(?), or at least interesting. The medium-sized plants will grow easily alongside harrisoniana and loddigesii albeit ours seem to grow a little less vigorously than those species. The flowers are small and mustard-colored and usually quite bow-legged. Think of it as a mini granulosa. But take a close look at the rubies on the lip. You'll need a magnifying glass and good light. An unusual but not unpleasant scent adds to the allure.

Yes indeed, C. schilleriana is the taco-scented orchid, trust me on this...just like a corn tortilla. We have never had any trouble growing schilleriana...we grow it in clay pots under intermediate light, but you can grow them mounted and brighter. There is considerable variation from clone to clone but even the dogs are usually worth growing. I offer photos of of an awarded clone from Gene Monnier (the lip was over 2" wide) and a plain vanilla of ours...both are nice IMHO. Schilleriana can bloom on each new growth

(several times per year if you're doing it right) I have a particular affection for C. schofieldiana...it was the first of the "gawky" Bifoliates I developed an appreciation for. By horticulture standards it's a real dog; certainly neither round nor flat. It's all in the details . The spots on many clones are not just spots, they are ringed with gold...often there are rubies on the lip. Like them or not, these large flowers have presence and are a worthwhile addition to any collection. Culture is easy, as for loddigesii/harrisoniana but many clones can stand more light. Blooms in the late summer - fall.

I'm still looking for an exceptional clone of Cattleya violacea is the odd man out. This species doesn't really have any affinities with any other Brazilian Bifoliates not to mention that it's more a Venezuelan species than Brazilian coming only from the extreme north of the former country. Plus it can be a real pain to grow. It sort of resembles aclandiae in that the flowers emerge as soon as the leaves start to spread on the new growth. But flower and plant structure seem closer to the Central American species. We've had this plant for 5 or 6 years now and it grows and flowers reliably... but I always feel as if I'm on the verge of losing it. It has a really weird growth pattern which I'm beginning to now think may be partly in response to climate; it can be unpredictable. Normally violacea starts to push a lead in early spring and completes it sometime in mid to late spring at which time it flowers immediately. USUALLY it produces NO new roots on this growth before flowering. Which means it's producing flowers on last year's old batteries; roots & bulbs. That makes me a little uneasy. Sometimes it will follow the first growth with a second that also flowers....roots are made up whenever it decides to take a break from flowering and then not profusely. So I'm afraid I don't have any magic bullets for Cattleya violacea, only these observations based on growing at least 3-different clones from seedlings to mature. Any advice would be to grow it on the dry side under intermediate light and disturb as infrequently as possible...a mount might be a good option. Maybe somebody else has some experience they can share with us concerning this species ????

OPEN CHAT

graphicgreg
okay guys, if anybody has to go potty or get a drink do it now...we're about to resume where we left off a week ago, first I'll post an addition to the general cultural notes of Bifoliate Cattleyas.

This part is an addition to the general culture; as with any orchids, ventilation is important. The November, 1981 issue of the AOS Bulletin featured a C. granulosa on the cover and a short Bifoliate culture article by Gene May. His words made a lasting impression on me; "strong air movement is neccessary...if you have to hold your hat in the greenhouse so much the better"

graphicgreg :
I would also like to mention that that very same issue contains the discovery of Phrag. besseae, description and all.

I'll re-post the first two individual species that we covered last week, and then we'll move on.

Cattleya aclandiae along with nobilior & walkeriana may very well be the bad boys of the Bifoliates. Success with this dwarf species can elude even seasoned growers. A local commercial grower received an AM/AOS on an aclandiae some years ago; the plant had climbed out of the pot and was working its way around the outside...she was afraid to re-pot it but finally did. The plant promptly died. After losing several of these beautiful orchids to everything from scale to possums I feel like I may be on to something: they resent being disturbed and MUST be mounted, preferably in such a way that allows them to walk HORIZONTALLY along the mount, give them bright light once established. I would like to clarify this...tiny mounts please. Do not take a three sq. ft. piece of cork (with a depression) lay it on the bench and plop aclandiae in the middle...it will die. Small pieces of cork or tree fern totem work well or a 1-1/2" diameter branch from a hardwood tree such as Florida buttonwood is also good. Many mini-catts have been made with aclandiae as a parent, the colorful LC. Jungle Elf among them.

Any discussion on aclandiae ? I've embellished the mount description, think of how you would put an equitant oncidium on a twig and go three sizes larger.

I'm going to move quickly through these first two...we covered them last week. Amethystoglossa is one of my favorite bifoliates, preferred clones display the spots against white rather then pink. The textured lip adds to the interest. These plants can get huge, up to 3' in height. In their native habitat in the state of Bahia they grow in the tops of Royal palm trees...that must be quite a sight to see in flower. The plants are easy to grow but like any orchids, can succumb to pests & disease. I have done well growing amethystoglossa in either coarse tree fern and tree fern chunks or large lava rock and giving it as much light as possible once established. The spots sometimes disappear in the offspring. A pleasant delicate aroma reminiscent of my third-grade teacher is an added bonus.

nodosa (Ed in SAT):
Is the Jungle Elf one of ours. We got two awarded.

HelenH (HelenH):
Greg so there is no real way of keeping it happy in a pot...mounted stuff is so hard for me to keep cause of watering.

graphicgreg :
Ed, the Jungle Elf is 'Cheryl Isobe'...what a masterful hybrid.
Helen. you could always let the aclandiae grow on the OUTSIDE of the pot and water the inside. Otherwise I would suggest going really coarse, like large lava rock or tree-fern chunks

We're about to look at C. bicolor - does anybody remember the name Bill Osment? C. bicolor ---- no problems here, bicolor generally does well in captivity. An interesting feature of this species is the lack of side-lobes on the lip giving the appearance of a tongue (c'mon folks, use your imagination). There are several named botanical varieties (minasgeraisensis, measuresiana,) that often become confused in commerce. Best to buy awarded clones or plants in flower or better yet, flasks & compots of named sib-crosses. Althouge the pictured clone is of a tawny color, many clones are in the green color range indicating bicolor's features as a parent. Cattleya Iris, a cross between C. dowiana and C. bicolor, is in the family tree of nearly all modern yellow hybrids.

HelenH (HelenH):
Thanks for the aclandiae help maybe I can pick one up when I go down next week.

That is a beautiful bicolor is it an awarded clone?? graphicgreg : Fifteen years ago a local orchid nursery was closing out...I hit them a couple weekends and built the core of our present collection. Among the purchases was this bicolor, not awarded but given the clonal name `Bill Osment". These are big flowers folks, about 5" across.

HelenH (HelenH): Greg that was lucky! Have a fabulous bicolor hybrid from Floralia who has some fabulous clones..

graphicgreg :
Bill Osment was a pivotal orchid figure in the seventies in south Florida, he made many trips to the Americas and Caribbean and was considered an authority...he also introduced many great species clones into cultivation, let's move on to another green breeder, C. forbesii

gaillevy (Gail):
My bicolor is in aliflor and doesn't seem very happy, any suggestions?

nodosa (Ed in SAT):
If forbesii would just give us the lip and not the form and substance, I'd love it as a hybrid parent.

graphicgreg :
Helen, we brought back a few of Floralia's bicolor clones including an albino, they're all doing well.. We'll cjheck it out Carol.. C. forbesii is another easy-growing bifoliate. Without forbesii there would be no BLC. Waikiki Gold. Used frequently in green & yellow breeding programs this Cattleya can be close to a foot tall but is generally much smaller often displaying a dwarf stature. Give it medium Cattleya light and normal-normal on all other culture. Lower light at flowering time (which can be several times per year) will suppress the anthocyanin pigments and give a purer color - In theory, these flowers would be green if we could grow them in the dark. Many clones have a tendency to be quite open so try to buy in flower.

nodosa (Ed in SAT):
More Catts than you think like no mix in the pot. Turn a clay pot upside down and you have a perfect place to grow species Catts. We finally cured BLC Norman's Bay of wandering by slabbing it.

graphicgreg :
Aliflor is a good choice Gail, coarse stuff in the bottom is also a good idea. Ed, true about the form...but that disappears after a few generations. The lip is indeed gorgeous.

AndyNVA :
Greg, what do you mean by 'quite open'? The lip?

HelenH (HelenH):
Nice photo Greg I like the plant not often offered for sale...lucky about Floralias bicolors they used to come to New York till they were caught smuggling Cities 1 in so that was the last time they came lost ALL plants.

graphicgreg :
this is great, thanks for participating everyone. Next I'll offer a meager bit about C. granulosa

No Andy, I was referring to the floral segments not being very full, i.e., the flower is "open" & starry-shaped. Granulosa is one of the species that I don't have a lot of experience with, however we have some nbs seedlings that are going gangbusters without any special treatment, just intermediate Cattleya conditions. Prominent in the background of Blc. Mem Helen Brown and other green & artshade hybrids. Does anyone have any experiences with this species that they can share with us ????

Evlyn :
Ed--anybody have a list of those that prefer no media?

Evlyn :
Have been looking for Helen Brown "Seafarer' for 5 years anybody seen one?

nodosa (Ed in SAT):
Greg - all cowboys love granulosa because the "legs" are saddle-bent. Unfortunately, this gives bowlegs in progeny. Granulosa also gives good flower count and great substance. Finally, it is a composite form that people just naturally like.

nodosa (Ed in SAT):
Evlyn - try then in your conditions. They'll tell you pretty quick if they like bare roots or not.

graphicgreg :
WBS seems to have shaped up...what happened to RichardinWPB ? Couple years ago Kathy & I were up at Muses' in Haines City, FL and saw a mature C. granulosa `John Jensen' in full bloom....absolutely spectacular. About fifteen large green flowers atop 24" pseudobulbs. We just might see flowers on our mericlone seedlings of that this year.

HelenH (HelenH):
No species in my house but I keep my bicolor hybrid very wet and in VERY hight light each year I get more flowers and bigger growths...first one is 2 inches newest one is two feet!!!

Greg, Joe Kunish from Bloomfield orchids has a spectacular bicolor with 3 foot bulbs and huge heads of flowers that last for weeks...usually gets twenty flowers an awesome sight!

graphicgreg :
Ed, I guess the bow-legs are an aquired taste...I thought schofieldiana was pretty funny looking the first time I saw it...now I think it's spectacular.. next we'll look at C. guttata. any more comments ??

I was looking for a C. Mrs Mahler for my website last year, put out the feelers...Bob Cashen called & said he'd bring a flower spike to judging for me to shoot, way cool, about 18 3-1/2" flowers on a foot tall inflorescence, you saw that right Dick ?? Mature specimens of these things can blow you away. alright, on to guttata.

Cattleya guttata is certainly a common species, we've all probably seen the name on numerous occasions, but have we ever seen the flower ?? Among the Bifoliates guttata suffers from the worst case of mistaken identity...it seems that any tall bifoliate plant with spotted flowers must certainly be Cattleya guttata, and in this country, the plant will more often be C. leopoldii.

A few of the more obvious differences are:

guttata flowers in late winter/early spring,leopoldii late summer/autumn

guttata has considerably smaller and often more flowers than leopoldii

in profile, the side lobes of the guttata flowers conceal the column completely whereas in leopoldii the front portion of the column is visible

guttata flowers are green to yellow-green, the side lobes of the lip and column are immaculate white

leopoldii ranges in color from yellow ochre to mahogany (depending on variety), the side lobes of the lip suffused with lavender

also, be sure to use COARSE medium for mature plants.

HelenH (HelenH):
I use medium bark straight with styrofoam peanuts in a layer on the bottom for all catts...any pictures??
Pix of the two different plants so we can compare???

graphicgreg :
Sounds like an ok potting choice Helen, personally I avoid styro peanuts 'cause I'm looking for a little extra weight to keep those tall pseudobulbs upright. let's move on to C. harrisoniana unless anybody has any comments ????

Helen, sorry no pix yet of guttata but we'll see some of leopoldii. I feel comfortable here at WBS and unless there are objections let's just continue...I'd like to finish tonight. Cattleya harrisoniana is another "no problems" Bifoliate. It may seem that I'm not sying much about a few of these, it's only because FOR ME they present no problems whatsoever culturally and we've already gone over its species' status. There are good clones available including some awarded ones 'Streeter's Choice' being a current favorite. Look for a nice dark color and full form. I'm certainly open to discussion on this or any other species you feel we shortchanged.

nodosa (Ed in SAT):
Greg - we never found any problem with the harrisoniana group (swarm?) in hybridizing. Always nice results.

graphicgreg :
again, we don't know just how many crosses registered with loddigesii as a parent actually were made with harrisoniana...we'll never know. let's move on to C. intermedia OK...anybody have anything to add ??

HelenH (HelenH):
Nice one...'Streeters Choice' is so expensive have been drooling everytime I get a catalogue from H&R.
is it an easy grower???

graphicgreg :
hey Ed...looks like I "pre-answered" your comment. Cattleya intermedia is a passion among the Brazilians in much the same way as L. purpurata; they love finding and naming new varieties...Seidel offers about 30 different ones. As John Atwood pointed out to me in line at the Rio airport; most are only horticultural varieties not botanical. In my observation, the lines become blurred. However var. 'aquinii' is indeed the distinct peloric variety responsible for most modern "splash-petal Cattleyas". Other desirable varieties might include parthenia (alba), amethystina (blueish), vinicolor (wine-colored). Again, many clones are open & starry so buy wisely. Culture is as for all other Cattleyas, nothing special. The year was 1946...two hybrids which remained popular well into the 60's were registered using Bifoliate Cattleyas as one parent, The intermedia clone pictured here was one of the parents of the famous C. Louise Georgianna.

gaillevy (Gail):
Helen H & R is at the show, I'll check it out!

graphicgreg :
Helen. for us , harrisoniana is a piece of cake.

HelenH (HelenH):
GREG that is a REAL heart throb any divisions available???

graphicgreg :
Let's move on. Having already discussed the differences between C. leopoldii and C. guttata there is not much more to say concerning the former but we will say it anyway... There are several named varieties of leopoldii worth mentioning; var. alba, all offspring reportedly originate from an import by a Mr. B.O.Bracey and used to create some beautiful green Cattleyas. var. immaculata, like the type but without the spots. button var. leopardina, more starry-shaped flowers of tanish-yellow base color with reddish-maroon spots. button All C. leopoldii have a distinctive spicy scent which carries through at least one generation of offspring and is a welcome burst of perfume for late summer. These orchids have no special cultural requirements however most clones can stand high light levels...they need large pots & coarse medium when mature.

nodosa (Ed in SAT): . . . . Greg - we had 44 clones of intermedia at one time. Found they were extremely variable year to year. I think you are on the right track with your gross assortment by essential color base. Atwood is in line, too, as the differences most often cited are not "fixed" but remain highly variable.

graphicgreg :
Helen, are you referring to divisions of the intermedia alba ? I'm afraid it's in orchid heaven.

HelenH (HelenH):
I love the spotless one too I have seen them with olive green backgrounds???

graphicgreg :
Ed, I find that a lot of these plants are variable from year to year...just like tomatoes. Taxonomy is not my field anyway...I just grow the things cause it gives me something to photograph *grin*

HelenH (HelenH):
Yes Greg the alba one...sorry it was beautiful do you want to move it is ok with me.

nodosa (Ed in SAT):
Greg - just don't develop negative thoughts toward any of them. They develop poorly when you do.

graphicgreg:
Let's go back to 1946 for a moment...another white "cocktail orchid" was registered by Clint McDade which would have a profound effect on the cut flower trade, so much so that they were casually known as "Japhets" by florists. Cattleya loddigesii (probably `Stanley', an alba clone) was crossed with Cattleya Eucharis to create the famous Cattleya Henrietta Japhet...I recall this plant still being available in the early seventies and I wouldn't be surprised if maybe one of us has her in our collection a half-century later. I've never been really sure why they called them cocktail orchids but i have an easier time picturing a young Bess Myerson's Japhet-festooned wrist clutching a martini glass in a NY penthouse than if they were BLC. Norman's Bay.

This was not the only famous offspring of C. loddigesii, today we certainly enjoy are SC. Calypso that is in bloom. C. loddigesii, button the most popular Brazilian Bifoliate parent, really belongs in your collections...they are of easy culture when given intermediate Cattleya conditions and usually quite adaptable to any growing environment. The plants don't get too big and reward with heads of bright rose-lavender flowers in laye spring...most clones produce attractive flowers. There are also several spectacular named varieties including an alba, and a blue `coerulea' form.

Ed_in_SAT:
Greg, we still grow C. Henrietta Japhet "Lines". Also, Henrietta Japhet was a lady in Houston Texas whom we knew very well. Her husband was one of the early presidents of the Houston Orchid Society and their home was a mecca for orchidists for many years.

Helen"
Greg the coreulea clone is spectacular, even got an ooohhhh from my husband who is watching the idiot box...is it yours???

Ed_in_SAT:
Be prepared when you ask for a Japhet to grow. They get 3+ feet tall and look like a palm tree. Love the blooms but OH! the plant. Unfortunately, many progeny look the same - also a characteristic of Claesiana breeding.

graphicgreg:
Thanks for that additional information Ed, May I add it to my data ? I figure I've gone this far we might as well make a slide program out of it. "Lines' was probably the most well-known clone, too bad they went out of "business" (but not before we snagged a set of Reichenbachia prints) It looks as if we're running out of time again folks...I'll just make one more post on C. nobilior and then sayonara. I can put the remainder in the synopsis .

Ed_in_SAT:
Greg - I wouldn't bet on John Lines getting more than 100 yards from the orchid business if I were you.

Hallie,_VA,_USA How big is "not too big"?

graphicgreg:
Hey Ed, the florists don't care about the plant...they only see the flowers ..... Along with C. aclandiae, C. nobilior has a bad reputation, it can be difficult for even seasoned growers. In order to succeed with Cattleya nobilior we need to understand that is a plant of the interior of Brazil and subject to a prolonged dry spell throughout much of the year. During this winter dry spell it must rely upon nightly dew and only occasional rain for sustenance. It is often said that more orchids are killed by overwatering than by underwatering...this is especially true with the nobilior. This native climate also indicates that C. nobilior should be mounted in order to allow the roots to dry quickly. The strange C. nobilior flowers from the base of the pseudobulb like C. walkeriana but naormally has a pair of leaves per bulb rather than the single leaf of walkeriana. button One additional point: many clones of nobilior produce clumsy, reflexed flowers, be sure to buy this one in flower.

I guess that's about it...thanks for your attendance and attention.

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