Second candidate for this month is a Cattleya Allen Condo 'Joe's Beauty' (Cattleya Summerland Girl 'Mid-Florida' AM/AOS x Cattleya Mrs. Mahler 'Mem. Fred Tomkins' AM/AOS). 

Cattleya Allen Condo was originated and registered by Joe Grezaffi in 1998. Cattleya Summerland Girl is the cross between Cattleya tigrina and Cattleya Grandee. Second parent, Cattleya Mrs. Mahler is the cross between Cattleya bicolor and Cattleya guttata. This cross has three major Cattleya species in the background - C. tigrina, C. bicolor, C. guttata.

Previous Awards:

There are 17 AOS awards for this cross. Cultivar 'Crystelle' FCC/AOS 92 pts awarded in August 10, 2024 is the latest award.

Description:

The candidate has 25 flowers on two inflorescences up to 45 cm (15 flowers on one inflorescence and 10 flowers on second inflorescence). Plant is 125 cm wide by 75 cm tall. Total height from top of the mix to tip of tallest inflorescence is 114 cm. Plant has 23 bulbs, all with leaves and growing in 50 cm wide by 35 cm deep pot. Mix is 90% 1.5" cork chunks/Styrofoam peanuts and 10% large sequoia bark chunks.

Flower Measurements:

NS H - 10.8 cm;                   NS V - 11.4 cm;

Dorsal Sep. W - 2.5 cm;    Dorsal Sep. L - 6.9 cm;

Petal W - 3.8 cm;               Petals L - 6.4 cm;

Lat/Sepal W - 2.7 cm;       Lat/Sepal L - 5.5 cm;

Lip/Pouch W - 3.8 cm;     Lip/Pouch L - 4.7 cm.

Judges' Comments

Al Messina (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

The success of this cross is plainly manifest by this candidate, which is (with limited close-up pix of individual flowers) as good as the three previous FCC's. A solitary pix of the entire plant is inadequate for culture evaluation but (assuming agreement with the description given) it could qualify for an additional cultural award. Flower count, size, form, arrangement, color, (substance and texture) are where they should be. Congrats to Joe!

Ginna Plude (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

This is a difficult plant to do anything with.  The award record, as you mentioned, is extensive.  Color and form is consistent with much of the award record.   With clusters of flowers like this it is helpful to have more than one flower measured so we can see if the flowers are consistent with each other as well.

In one photo it shows a very clear gap on the larger of the two inflorescences where the flowers do not fill in the entire cluster.  For cluster bloomers like this, the expectation is that the flowers fill all the space.  My guess is that this is likely due to the lighting while the buds were forming. 

It's a nicely flowered plant and the flower count is good, but with the award history such as it is I might find it difficult to nominate this plant. 

Note - There is a clonal name attached to this plant but I found no awards under that name.  

Thanks,

Ginna

Kris Mason (Accredited Judge, Cincinnati Judging Center)

Striking flower.  Evenness and depth of color very pleasing, floriferousness and size are above average, excellent presentation.  I really like the spacing on the inflorescence, not as crowded as many examples of this cross helping to display the individual flowers but also giving a strong overall impact.  If being very nit picking - some gaps in the overall presentation.  Good form.  I love the consistency of the lip presentation from flower to flower as well as the more downward presentation enhancing the flowers appeal.  Petal bas could be a little wider fulling out the center of the flower.  Some slight inconsistency in the petals from flower to flower.  Spectacular color impactful.  I love the contrast between the white column and the deep rich fuchsia lip.  I really like how the deep color extends over all of the lip really highlighting the column.  The deep color of the pigment and the consistency of the color in the sepal and petals give a nice complement to the center of the flower creating harmony and balance.  I love the contrast in texture between the velvet of the lip and the shinier texture of the sepals and petals, it adds additional interest.  Overall a wonderful flower and presentation.  I pointed this flower at 90, putting it in the high AM or low FCC area.  As far as cultural awards, although close, I felt like it was just outside the range of a cultural award (but very close).

Paul Wetter (Senior Judge, West Palm Beach Judging Center)

Thank you for submitting this specimen of Cattleya Allen Condo for Virtual Judging. 

Like the previously awarded plants of this hybrid Cattleya Allen Condo ‘Joe’s Beauty” is a beautifully grown well presented plant. The influence of C. bicolor and guttate are clearly seen in form and what looks like firm texture and deep rich color.  Recent high scoring awards raise the question of judging standards for this cross.  I would think that at judging this plant would be nominated and score in the mid AM range due to its presentation arrangement, color and form.

Best Regards

Paul Wetter

Deb Jenson (Student Judge, Chicago Judging Center)

This is a lovely, floriferous specimen, and I admire the color saturation with the contrasting coloration of the lip and column, which makes this a very showy orchid. In terms of form, there is some windowing between the sepals and petals, making it not as full, and the lateral sepals are not as symmetrical as I’d like to see, with the right sepal being slightly recurved distally. The measured flower is a nice size, and the substance looks firm with a waxy texture. I would score this as a low AM. 

Joe Bryson (Accredited Judge, Florida North-Central Judging Center)

I think with their color, one could award almost all of the C. Allen Condo's. We recently awarded another here in the FNCJC. I will be a little picky with this one. With the folds/tear on the top of the petals (probably dry when opening) and the reflexing of the lip mid lobe and sidelobes I don't think I would award it on this blooming. Maybe I could give an HCC if the majority went for that. 

Allen Condo is my wife's and my family doctor of many years. The cross was actually made in Melbourne by a hybridizer named James Thompson (J.E.T. Orchids) who went out of business many years ago and sold his whole collection to Joe Grezaffi, who named the hybrid for his doctor, as well. In my opinion one of the best bifoliate hybrids made.

Joe

Steve González-Costa (Accredited Judge, Chicago Judging Center)

When compared to the recent top scoring awarded plants, the candidate is very good is respect to STRONG color, flatter form, presentation, size, and flower count.  The first place I look when assessing any bifoliate is in the center and the lip.  This flower has a uniform colored lip, does not bifurcate, and is of good size.  The lip also doesn’t curl along the tips like other do so commonly.  Petals, although not as full as others, they are pretty nice.  Something I notice when comparing to previous awards is the “left petal lift” (right petal as you look into the flower).  It is slightly off and many other flowers show a right petal that is fuller and a pleasant 45-degree angle and you clearly see the left petal not only lifts, but also maybe slightly twists and is in fact possibly also slightly smaller than the right one.  More importantly, the flower seems more flat than other awards and does not exhibit severe forward petals.  Sepals are very nice, they are only marginally slightly larger than the other recent high awarded flowers, but more importantly, the photos don’t show severe twisty bow-legged lateral sepals.  Unfortunately, maybe due to a larger size, the flower does not fill in as nicely as others and has quite a bit of windowing between segments. With the many great things and some good, but not great, I scored this flowering at an AM of 83 points and a CCM of 84 pts.

Mary Cash (Student Judge, Alamo Judging Center)

Cattleya Allen Condo 

Cattleya Summerland Girl x Cattleya Mrs. Mahler

The candidate has two inflorescence crowned with blooms arranged in a near perfect cylindrical sphere. Each of the flowers are positioned perfectly. Non of the blooms are touching each other which allows them plenty of space to express their beauty individually. The deep radiant coloration is a positive characteristic from its parents. With the presents of C. bicolor in its parentage, brings out  the intense color and gentle slightly recurved of the lip.

Cattleya Allen Condo possesses the ability to produce up to 35-50 flowers per inflorescence, our candidate appears to be a younger plant and only has the sky as its limit. 

If this candidate was to come to the judging table, I would award it a HCC with a point value between 78-79.

Christian Carrillo (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

I would recommend that the owner of this pant bring it to a live judging for the award it deserves.  The color is absolutely exquisite.  Perfect. Deep. Rich. Saturated.  It's such a clean and clear burgundy red with little to no spotting. The arrangement of the flowers is excellent too — it is not bunched or crowded, and for the most part, you can see each flower segment clearly and distinctly.  Being unstalked is another impressive advantage here. I love the flared sidelobes — not a common feature of each awarded plant of the grex.  Plus, the sidelobes are so nicely colored on the candidate.  Just based on the photographs and measurements (bigger than the recent FCC), I would score this plant at least a very high AM, possibly higher. 

Larry Hennessey (Associate Judge, Louisiana Judging Center)

A well grown plant with excellent flower presentation. Flowers have upright wide dorsal sepals and wide petals. Colors are clear. I would nominate it for a flower quality award and expect some mid range AM scores due to the clear colors and large size. Due to the excellent flower presentation I would also nominate it for a cultural award. The plant looks well grown with no imperfections visible. Flower count is a little lower to previous CCM awards but the size and condition of the plant warrant scoring.

Bob Winkley (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

Thank you for sending this challenging candidate along.

When compared to prior awards, our candidate’s overall size and component part measurements are larger than the average, especially the length of various segments. This latter quality accentuates the stellate nature of these flowers, most prominently in the falcate/bow-legged nature of the lateral sepals.  Favorable factors for this flowering are the substance, texture, flower count, and arrangement of the one inflorescence.

The areas that I find challenging are determining the actual flower colors, as well as a few form issues. Looking at the video, the sepals and petals are almost a red-chocolate brown, while the lip appears sour cherry red. The close-ups of the flower appear more purple/deep burgundy in nature. The color of the flowers found in the photo of the entire plants seems to be intermediary between the two options. This could be a function of natural vs. artificial light.

Looking at form, I the undulation of the sepal and petal margins, as well as the distal recurving of the is not consist which I do find distracting. I would also prefer to see some overlap proximally of the petals, lateral sepals, and lip.

I very much like this flower but wouldn't nominate it at this time,

Bob W

Dave Off (Waldor Orchids, NJ www.waldor.com)

That cross was made by a friend in Florida, Joe Grezaffi. He had, at one point, 150 blooming size plants from the original grex. I believe that now there are only about 20 or so from the original grex. One of my favorite plants.

Exhibitor - Keith Davis (Keith Davis Orchids, www.keithdavisorchids.com), NC

Virtual Award Description

Twenty-five well-presented flowers on two erect inflorescences to 45-cm on a 23-pseudobulb plant 125-cm wide by 75-cm high, grown in a 50-cm pot in a mix of cork chunks, Styrofoam peanuts and large sequoia bark; sepals and petals mahogany, margins spotted dark mahogany; dorsal sepal lanceolate; lateral sepals broadly lanceolate; petals elliptical, margins gently undulate, slight burgundy flares; lip deep fuchsia, trilobed, midlobe margin deeply undulate; exposed column white, anther cap white; substance hard; texture waxy, lip matte. 

Grower's Advice

I got this plant from Joe Grezaffi in a 5” pot, unbloomed seedling in July of 2001.  The plant was divided last year, overgrowing a whisky barrel and this is one of 3 divisions that were bare root. 

My plant of Allen Condo has the clone name of ‘Joe’s Beauty’. 

I still have the original tag that came with it back in 2001 and the parents are listed as I stated.  At the time, the only Allen Condo in existence were those from the original cross that Joe made.  My wife and I were on vacation in FI and Courtney Hackney told me to be sure to go visit Joe Grezaffi and get at least one of that cross because Courtney said he thought it was going to be extremely nice.  And he was more than right.  Up to that time, I had never even heard of Joe Grezaffi, but we became fast friends, like brothers over the next few years.  He would always answer the phone by saying “well, hello Little Brother”.   He always called me that.  I really do miss him.

Lc. Allen Condo is a hybrid between Lc. Summerland Girl ‘Mid-Florida’ AM/AOS and Lc. Mrs. Mahler ‘Mem. Fred Tomkins’ AM/AOS that Grezaffi registered in 1998, naming it for his doctor.   I am pretty sure Summerland Girl ‘Mid-Florida’ is extinct, but there have been several remakes of Allen Condo, mainly from sib crosses or selfings.  Summerland Girl ‘Orchidglade’ is around, but it is a triploid and difficult to breed with, but is possible. 

Plant is growing in a 20” w x 14” deep pot.  Mix is 90% 1.5” cork chunks/Styrofoam peanuts and 10% large sequoia bark chunks.  There is a 1” top dressing of Pro-mix HP-CC with mycorrhizae and a dusting with 3 Tbs of Purely Organic over the top. 

Picture shows the whole plant/pot and my granddaughter, Rebbeca, age 5, for size reference.

In addition for your enjoyment, my grandson, Bentley when he was 5, with the plant when it was in the whiskey barrel 8 years ago, 5 spikes with 52 blooms.