New candidate for this month is Cattleya purpurata (f. striata 'Doraci' HCC/AOS x f. flamea 'Jean' AM/AOS).

Cattleya purpurata (previously known as Laelia purpurata), Lindl. & Paxton 1852 is accepted species by POWO (Kew). Found in Santa Catarina state of Brazil in the canopy of wooded hillsides, as a medium sizes, hot to cool growing pseudobulbous epiphyte.

There are several color forms of this species, including f. alba, f. carnea, f. flamea, f. rubra, f. sanguinea, f, striata and several other forms. 

Previous Awards:

There are 266 AOS awards for Cattleya purpurata, including different color forms and varieties. The latest award granted in Florida North-Central Center Monthly Judging in May 28, 2025.

Description:

There are 11 flowers on two upright inflorescences up to 40-cm tall (six flowers on one and 5 flowers on second inflorescence). Plant is 51-cm wide by 63-cm high. Plant growing in bark mix in 20-cm terracotta pot. 

Flower Measurements:

NS H - 16.3 cm;                   NS V -15.5 cm;

Dorsal Sep. W - 2.5 cm;    Dorsal Sep. L - 8.2 cm;

Petal W - 4.6 cm;               Petals L - 9.1 cm;

Lat/Sepal W - 2.5 cm;       Lat/Sepal L - 9.0 cm;

Lip/Pouch W - 5.2 cm;     Lip/Pouch L - 7.5 cm.

Judges' Comments

Alan Koch (Emeritus Judge, California-Sierra Nevada Judging Center)

Cattleya purpurata

Although I seldom respond to virtual judging, but purpurata I really want to.  Too often I see judges awarding flowers of poor shape even though several of us have judged shows in Brazil and set a new standard for shape.  We should no longer except the severe roll of the sepals and should expect to see flat petals.  It is like a Paph. rothschildianum in person it is a wow for size and display.  On this particular plant where the color in fine the shape is inferior and not to modern standards.  When judges look at purpuratas in their centers I don't think they look at all the fine plants that are in Orchid Pro that we have awarded in Brazil.  In virtual judging I would expect the majority judges to say no to scoring, but if the plant were in person I would bet that most would score the plant.  It is important to do the research and really see the inprovement that has taken place by hybridizers in Brazil.  That is why it is so important for judges to get out of their own center and travel.  

Alan Koch

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

Thank you for presenting this months virtual plant Cattleya purpurata. This is a very nicely grown plant and is floriferous and well presented. There is a good influence of the flames variety in the color. Though it is a very attractive and well colored flower, there could be improvements in the form with wider petals and less recurved sepals. Many of the previous awards also have a fuller lip form.  Floriferousness is good but would not ad enough to score.  Would be interested in what some of the other judges with more cattleya experience would have to say. I think that if scored it could be possibly be in mid HCC, but this may not be accurate due to higher standard having received so many previous awards.   Compliments to the grower and suggestions to reevaluate in subsequent bloom cycles.

Best and Thank you

Paul Wetter

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

Very well presented plant. The sepals curl a little more than I would like on a modern purpurata, but overall it has good form and presentation. Most of the Awarded AM C. purpurata (striata) of which I saw 15, has larger petal widths and larger overall size than this plant. Color is clear with good contrast. I would be somewhat hesitant to nominate this plant with so many previous awards, but I think it could score a low HCC, since I think it is as good as some of the previous HCC's to this species.

Joe

Jimmy Tan (Student Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

Striking plant!  Compared with recently AM-awarded plants (Gwendolyn Shields, Arnie, Darkest Spring, Hot Summer nights), candidate plant has 3 more flowers than Gwendolyn-Shields and double the number of flowers vs the other 3.  While overall size of the flowers are similar to these awarded plants, petals and/or petals are broader in some of the awarded plants, with less inrolling of the dorsal sepal (in Darkest Spring/Hot Summer nights) and the lateral sepals (all 4).  Compared to a recent CCM with 17 flowers (Waldor’s Big Blush), it’s probably not suitable for a CCM based on flower count, but this may be considered with a future blooming with more flowers. Consider for HCC based on striking pattern of same color white sepals contrasting with pink-purple petals/lip, seen previously in HCC-awarded Mem Erlinda Tolentino in 2022.

Thanks,

Jimmy

Daria Souvorova (Student Judge, Houston Judging Center)

It is a beautiful flower! Species are such fun to grow, but so much more difficult to award than hybrids because of the precedent and prior awards. Just looking at the photographs, one definitely has to commend these flowers for their flat sepals and particularly the petals, definitely representative of considerable line breeding from the more wild types that represented some of the earlier awards for Cattleya purpurata. There is some lovely venation in the petals that balance nicely with the saturated lip. The flower count is also comparable with recent quality awards. Looking at recent awards, there have been some quite amazing cultivars awarded to Waldor orchids over the past two years that have a stronger coloration, as well as a flatter dorsal sepal, and fuller formed petals. There is a bit of asymmetry in the frill of the lip, but I do see other awarded cultivars with a similar habit. I think, especially if the rest of the judging team was very enthusiastic, I would go with a lower end AM if scored. With this number of prior awards, I would be hesitant to score and award an HCC for Cattleya purpurata. It does not seem big enough to consider a cultural award, but I was surprised how relatively compact a specimen was recently awarded a CCM. That being said, it is a gorgeous plant, and I would be more than happy to grow it if it appeared on my doorstep :) 

Cheers,

Daria 

Judie Armstrong (Associate Judge, Florida North-Central Judging Center)

This flower has beautiful coloring with the pink/fuschia accenting the petals and the dark pink/fuschia lip.  I reviewed both parents and feel these flowers are an improvement over the parents.  There is less pinching of the sepals and petals when compared to the C. purpurata 'Doraci' parent.  And the flower count is increased.  The sepals of the parent C. purpurata 'Jean' seem to be twisting and we do not see that in this flower.  The size of the candidate flowers are equal to the Jean parent.  I would score this flower.  My score would probably be a low AM.  I also considered a CCM but the flower count was not high enough.  The last CCM had 20 flowers.

Thank you,

Judie

Beth Davis (Accredited Judge, Mid-Atlantic Judging Center, Waldor Orchids)

This is a beautiful, well-flowered purpurata. From the breeding, I think you got about a carbon copy of the parents. Both the flower count and the size of flowers, when compared to the awards given to the parents, are almost exact. 

Beth Davis

Waldor Orchids

Jay Balchan (Student Judge, Alamo Judging Center)

What an absolutely lovely flower, great plant and fantastic presentation!  If this is not the reason for growing orchids, I do not know what is!  There is nothing better than a well bloomed purpurata which this certainly is.

The challenge with awarding a purpurata is the sheer number of awards already granted and the high bar that must be met to get a current award.

For me, the presentation on this plant is a 10 of 10.  The flower shape is a classic purpurata, meaning generally narrow sepals and petals and a great trumpet lip.  The color and blushing are nice…. Again classic purpurata.  I would assume the substance is strong for a purpurata given the presentation.  The size compares very favorably for the last several striata awards.

I think this plant would get nominated and scored and I think it might receive a low to middle HCC.  Whoever is growing this is doing a wonderful job and getting the maximum possible from it…. but the plant itself is limited on its genetics (segment size, fullness, great color saturation) and would likely never achieve an AM level award given the current standards. 

Edward Weber (Accredited Judge, Mid-Atlantic Judging Center)

Between Waldor Orchids and Chadwick Orchids we see a lot of purpuratas at the Mid-Atlantic center. I seldom say "Wow!" when I look at one. This changed that. Don't get me wrong, the ones we see are excellent and we've awarded many, but the arrangement, size, color, and floriferousness of the candidate are all outstanding! The photos are great but it was the video that did it for me. We seldom see these so evenly flowered. Usually the flowers are clustered, some facing one way, others facing the opposite. This plant presents its flowers so that no matter what angle you see it from you are looking dead-on at a flower. The feathering on the petals is very delicate and enhances the appearance nicely. The only thing I find distracting is the recurving apically on some of the flowers but it's not enough to disqualify it for me.  The lip color is nicely saturated and the delicate white picotee margin is very pleasing. The golden yellow veined fuchsia in the throat is also a real eye-catcher. I like that all of the dorsal sepals are upright and can overlook the curling basally since that is a characteristic feature of L. purpurata... that's right... this will always be a Laelia to me! My overall assessment is that I would certainly nominate this candidate for a flower quality award and would likely come out with a mid to high 80s AM.

Ed Weber - Accredited
Mid-Atlantic J/C

Al Messina (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

As purpurata season in the northern hemisphere progresses, at least seven more AOS awarded plants have been entered into the record since this candidate was first presented, and the month has yet to conclude. This candidate is a lovely plant, well-grown and displayed, and still youthful, awaiting prime time.

AOS awards total 273 today, likely more by month's end. The competition is extensive and considerable. Minor defects in flower parts which might have allowed HCC in times past would most likely deny it today. I would encourage further growth and excellent culture and would be optimistic for a future award.

Albert V. Messina M.D.

Hendrik van der Hoven (Accredited Judge, Western Canada Judging Center)

Good culture. Very good flower count, good color but not exceptional.  Flower from the side nice and flat.

Petals in my look far too narrow and rolled backwards. I would not consider judging it with so many other awards.

Hendrik van der Hoven

AOS judge

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

Beautiful purpurata with good size (on the larger side with the 16.3 cm x 15.5 cm NSV), with a very good amount of flowers and good blushing, but a very nice colored LARGE lip that is a great 5.2 cm x 7.5 cm long.  The symmetry of the flowers is good and the petals are pretty open and they do not recurve, twist, and they have an even shape (no lopsided-ness). The petals do not do the teardrop, gull wing droop either.  It is a larger flower, but the petals maintain their width pretty well along the length even if they are not a round as others. Some detractors could be that the bottom half of the dorsal sepal really recurves, but that would be very typical for this species. The presentation is a little open for the two 5, 6 flower inflorescences. Flower photo #5 shows a more flat, uniform, non-twisting lip so I would keep that flower as the closeup one and see if the presentation of the entire plant looks good to the left and to the right.  Oh, since I’m already coaching the photographer, yes, I did nominate it and scored it at AM of 83, possibly 84 points.

Dave Sorokowsky (Accredited Judge, California-Sierra Nevada Judging Center)

Cattleya purpurata:

While the color is very pleasing and the flower count is good, the general form is very poor. The flowers have an asymmetrical lip, the petals are narrow by current standards, and the sepals recurve severely. This species has over 20 awards in the last year alone, and at some point you have to 'raise the bar' for what you expect for a quality award. 

I would not score this plant. If it was nominated by another judge I would recuse myself from the team. 

Dave

Stefano Bioni Accredited Judge, Società Felsinea di Orchidofilia (Felsinean Orchid Society), Bologna, Italy.

Cattleya purpurata.

Line breeding has borne fruit, generating an improvement over either parent, especially in the coloration. The flaring are intense and well defined, visibly enhanced by the flamea gene. The cultivation is outstanding, demonstrated by the vigor of the plant and the excellent number of flowers per stem, the lip is attractively edged in white, but it could be wider. The same ca be said about the sepals, while the shape of the petals is generally good. I would consider it f0r an HCC of 76-77 points.

Alejandro Capriles Accredited Judge, Società Felsinea di Orchidofilia (Felsinean Orchid Society), Bologna, Italy / AOS Judge (retired)

Interesting combination between a striated and a flared form of the species. The result is quite pleasing regarding color and shape, although the latter is slightly below today’s standards. The intense flaring on the white petals is enhanced by a very attractive white central veining and border, contrasting beautiful against the white sepals, but the shape, although pleasing, could be flatter and less arching. The lip is solid carmine delicately edged in white, washing slightly along the midlobe, but the shape could be considerably fuller and, in some cases, more symmetrical. The plant is beautifully grown and the number of flowers per stem is outstanding. Flower size and measurements are within award range. I would give this specimen an HCC of 78 points.

Lia Amato Associate Judge, Società Felsinea di Orchidofilia (Felsinean Orchid Society), Bologna, Italy.

Cattleya purpurata (f. striata 'Doraci' HCC/AOS x f. flamea 'Jean' AM/AOS)

This specimen stands out for the elegance of its flowers and the notable color contrast. The brushstrokes of intense pink tending to fuchsia and the striations present in the petals are delightful, and the lip so heavily saturated in crimson fading distally give the flower a strong character and brightness. The whole transmits balance and refinement. I would award it an AM of 80 points.

Lia Amato, Associate Judge, Società Felsinea di Orchidofilia (Felsinean Orchid Society), Bologna, Italy.

Exhibitor - David and Joan Rosenfeld, Central Jersey Orchid Society,  NJ

Virtual Award Description

Eleven nicely arranged flowers on two upright up to 40-cm inflorescence; sepals lanceolate, white, blushed light pink; dorsal sepal margins slightly recurved distally; petals broadly lanceolate, white, blushed pink, beautifully striated magenta distally, margins slightly undulate; lip tubular, finely ruffled at margins, closed over column, deep magenta, throat lemon yellow, striated magenta; substance firm; texture crystalline.

Grower's Advice

I grow all of our L. purpurata in clay pots with a standard type of bark mix. They are grown with light appropriate for all of our Cattleya species and hybrids. I have never tried to grow this particular orchid to specimen size. It has been divided a few times.

The orchid was purchased as a small seedling from Carter & Holmes 11 years ago.