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IN BLOOM.
Cattleya loddigesii
C. loddigesii is usually found in various locations in Brazil and Argentina and in a variety of conditions, on rocks or trees, near rivers, in shade as well as sun and along coastal situations. It does seem to prefer warmth and light in my greenhouse and it benefits from a bit of a rest after flowering.
The colour is pale to a deeper rose and sometimes has a bit of darker spotting on the petals and sepals. The wide flaring side lobes are pink or white, bordered on the inside edge with pale yellow, there are some central veins running from the throat to near the apex of the lip, and the apex is frilled and a deep rose pink. It usually blooms in mid winter.
C. loddigesii was the first Cattleya to be introduced into European nurseries and they came from Rio de Janeiro to Messrs Loddiges of Hackney. There are a few varieties, alba, coerulea and others . My plant of C.loddigesii is not a very good clone, the sepals and petals are too backward facing and with a good clone the sepals and petals should be fuller and more rounded and flatter, though not the best of shapes it does bloom regularly every year for me with the minimum of attention.
Not getting a very good shaped orchid is one of the reasons that you should if possible buy one already in bloom then you can see what you are getting for your money
What are you Reading at the Moment?
It’s always good to be able to find a few quiet moments to sit and get lost in a book. Having just added a few more books to my library of orchid related material I find myself diving in and out of the three latest editions. A wait of 3 weeks for ‘ The Orchids of Crete and Karpathos’ by Alibertis Antonis direct from the Cretan Book shop seemed an absolute age and when it turned up it seemed such a small book for the money. Hidden within it’s 159 pages are 263 colour photographs and an immense amount of interesting reading. The orchids are beautifully presented and written about plus it gives information as to when they were last seen and it is amazing that a book written in 1998 was recording the last known sightings of orchids. Whether there have been any sightings since the publication is unknown but if you were to go to Crete then you would certainly be aware of this fact and could make some startling new discovery. I found this book one that you can pick up and open at any page and be absorbed within it in minutes. It is not for everyone but for those going abroad to search for orchids it is pocket size and would be of great use. The other book I am plodding through and I mean plodding is ‘John Lindley’ by William T.Stearn. This is the life of this great man, a botanist, a gardener and a pioneer orchidologist. How he came to be so productive just has to be read to be believed. He worked very long hours be it writing up new orchids or preparing papers on plants for publication. Organising horticultural shows at Chiswick and the like saw John Lindley always working. Born 1799 deceased 1865 and yet he did so much, here was a true workaholic. It is fascinating to read for it shows where our orchid names came from, were changed both in name and from specie to specie. It is a harder read than the other book but a fascinating look into the life of the man who did some much to give us what we have today within the world of orchids. No matter what area of orchids you are interested in a good book will help. Though the more autobiographical type may not be for you it does no harm to have a look you may be surprised as to what you find out. A second hand copy of ‘The Orchid King’ Frederic Sanders by Arthur Swinson printed in 1970 is my follow up book. A number of plates of illustrations of orchids of the time and a few black and white photographs with plenty of reading. Again autobiographical but it will give an insight into the man what he did and how he approached the orchid world. I am looking forward to this one once John Lindley is read.
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April 09 abridge |
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Angraecum Sesquipedale |
