C. intermedia var. amethystina

Graphicgreg · #1 03-28-2009, 06:47 PM

Our Cattleya intermedia var. amethystina 'Aranbeem' AM/AOS happens to be in bloom right now. Although I have other photos of it I decided to take more today because I liked the mass of flowers all facing one direction. This Brazilian species occurs along the Atlantic seacoast from Rio de Janeiro southward into Rio Grande do Sul. At Cabo Frio it can be found growing in low scrub with roots extending into the sand dunes. There are many different color varieties that make it a desireable orchid to collect.

Graphicgreg · #2 03-28-2009, 06:55 PM

Today we should be grateful for nursery raised species orchids. Even if they are not deliberately line bred with the goal of producing superior offspring, just selecting two good parents has resulted in species available in the trade that are far superior to what was available a decade or two ago. For those of you who are new to the hobby, I offer this photos scanned from the AOS Bulletin of July, 1984. I remember getting together with a group of local society members and placing a mass order for Brazilian species in 1982. We were pretty excited about having wild plants from the country of origin. And when they arrived, and bloomed...this is what the C. intermedia looked like. Today, breeders sib and self select parents to be able to offer us above average examples of species orchids. Life is good. There is however, another side of this coin and let's see if anybody brings it up ;-)

PaulRaleigh · #3 03-28-2009, 09:41 PM

Though you may have good genetics, you still have to give the plant the optimum conditions to look like this. Very well grown and congrats!

Ron-NY · #4 03-28-2009, 10:07 PM

Very nice Greg! I received a division of this one and it is currently developing a new growth, hopefully it will bloom this year. Are you growing it potted or mounted?

Tuvoc-Rno · #5 03-31-2009, 12:41 PM

I really like them both, Greg. Intermedia is my favorite catt species, but I have to say, there is something really special in the second one. Maybe it's because it is closer to what nature had in mind.

Kim

virgil · #6 04-06-2009, 09:46 AM

This is one of my favorite C. intermedias, I am working on a intermedia collection,

Marci in SoFL · #7 04-06-2009, 03:32 PM

That was my thought also, Kim. Greg - that's fabulous. Gotta love intermedias.