New candidate for this month is a Laeliocattleya Good Days 'Ninety's' SBM/JOGA (Laeliocattleya Happy Essence x Cattleya walkeriana). 

Laeliocattleya Good Days was originated and registered by Suwada Orchids (Japan) in 2003. Laeliocattleya Happy Essence is the cross between Cattleya Happy Talk and Laelia rubescens. This cross has two major species in the background - Cattleya walkeriana (50%) and Laelia rubescens (25%). Remaining species are C. loddigesii, C. trianae, C. mossiae and few other.

Previous Awards:

There is no AOS awards for this cross, however you can find JOGA award on clone 'Ninety's' in 2008.

There is no AOS awards for Laeliocattleya Happy Talk. 

There are 123 AOS awards for Cattleya walkeriana and 21 AOS awards for Laelia rubescens.

Description:

The candidate has 12 flowers and 1 bud on 2 unstaked inflorescences (8 flowers on one inflorescence to 27 cm in height and 4 flowers and 1 bud on second inflorescence to 20 cm in height). Plant growing in 17 cm plastic pot.

Flower Measurements:

NS H - 10.3 cm;                   NS V - 10.3 cm;

Dorsal Sep. W - 2.0 cm;    Dorsal Sep. L - 6.5 cm;

Petal W - 4.3 cm;               Petals L - 5.7 cm;

Lat/Sepal W - 2.0 cm;       Lat/Sepal L - 5.8 cm;

Lip/Pouch W - 4.0 cm;     Lip/Pouch L - 6.1 cm.

Judges' Comments

Kristen Mason (Accredited Judge, Cincinnati Judging Center)

Thank you for this beautiful entry. Good form, well flowered, slightly crowded presentation, held above the foliage. Love the soft pink color of the flowers. The contrasting vibrant fuchsia at the base of the lip and anther cap with the soft yellow center gives nice contrast and interest to the flowers. The form of the sepals is really nice. Ruffling of petals is nice, but inconsistencies at the tips of the petals are not ideal. Lips have very nice form.  Size and width of segments is good. I scored this flowering at 80 points, so high HCC or low AM.

Al Messina (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

Twelve relatively large, flat flowers and one bud suboptimal arranged on two inflorescences; petals superior margins display varying degrees of unacceptable relatively deep notching; nice flowers on nicely grown plant but current high standards suggest no award, in my opinion.

Pam Noll (Student Judge, Alamo Judging Center)

Laeliocattleya Good Days

This is a lovely plant with twelve flowers and one bud on two inflorescences. The evenness of the soft pastel pink color from flower to flower, along with the contrasting coloration in the lip, makes a pleasing presentation. The slight cupping of the flowers would be expected from the L. rubescens and the notched midlobe of the lip from the C. walkeriana in its parentage.  The subject flower’s measurements are comparable to the C. walkeriana parent. The margins of some lateral sepals are slightly rolled or damaged.  Overall, the best points of the flowers outweigh the negatives, I would nominate the plant for scoring and think it could go into the AM range.

Pamela Noll

Deb Boersma (Student Judge, Great Lakes Judging Center)

Laeliocattleya Good Days

I really like the form of this flower it is very flat as seen by the side view photo and is quite symmetrical. Perhaps the petals could be a little broader however I think the flower is nicely balanced and the influence of the Lc. Happy Essence has widened the lip compared to the Cattleya walkeriana parent lip form. The lip has a nice, ruffled margin. The petals have undulated margins, but this does not distract from the flower form. The color is very soft and pleasing, the lip has a dark contrasting lavender in the throat with the subtle yellow coloration centrally, giving a nice contrast of color. It is more floriferous than the C. walkeriana parent and natural spread is comparable to C. walkeriana.

Overall, I like this plant and would nominate it for a flower quality award and scored it at a lower HCC 76.

Elena Skoropad (Associate Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

I am the lucky person who happened to see this plant in person. It looks even better!

Very impressive plant which immediately draw your attention: elegant flowers, nice form, lovely color contract between entire flower and lip, excellent presentation. This plant took the best from both parents: high flower color from Laelia rubescens and good flower form and size from Cattleya walkeriana. This is another fine example of Japanese breeding from Suwada Orchids. I would nominate this plant for a flower quality award and score in AM 81-82 range. Also, I would love to have this plant in my collection. Kudos to the grower!

Frédérique Tesse (Accredited Judge, Association Francophone pour le Jugement d’Orchidées; Student Judge, Società Felsinea di Orchidofilia, Bologna, Italy)

Laeliocattleya Good Days (Laeliocattleya Happy Essence × Cattleya walkeriana)

The long inflorescences, a characteristic of Laelia rubescens, give this orchid a very elegant bearing. This species also transmits its delicate colors and dark throat of the lip, and this point constitutes one of the highlights of the flowers of this hybrid. Their presentation on the stem is outstanding. The number of flowers is impressive, well-spaced without overcrowding. The flower shape is symmetrical and proportioned. The flower segments are broad and well-proportioned to each other. The lanceolate sepals have plain edges, and those of the petals are slightly wavy. The shape of the lip is very graceful, the lateral lobes fully cover the column. The central lobe is rounded, with wavy edges. The color of the flower is a very subtle, delicate mauve pink. The white lip is enhanced by its darker mauve picot and wine-purple throat, recalling Laelia rubescens, with a touch of light yellow at the base of the central lobule. My score would be 82 points.

Stefano Bioni (Associate Judge, Società Felsinea di Orchidofilia, Bologna, Italy)

Laeliocattleya Good Days, a hybrid between Laeliocattleya Happy Essence and Cattleya walkeriana, has a good number of flowers per stem, overall the flower is harmonious with slight asymmetries between the petals which could be even more rounded, the sepals are also slightly asymmetrical and, in some flowers, there are spots, the overall color is homogeneous and delightfully nuanced in the labellum but overall it could be more intense. My score would be 78 points.

Alejandro Capriles (Accredited Judge Società Felsinea di Orchidofilia, Bologna, Italy; Retired AOS Judge)

The one thing I find most remarkable about this cultivar of Laeliocattleya Good Days is how dominant Laelia rubescens appears to be, both in the dark throat on the lip and the length of the stem.

I remember Ernest Hetherington reprimanding me for having used Laelia rubescens in some of my crosses when I was Cattleya Hybridizer at Stewart Orchids; he argued that its substance was so weak, it would most likely produce nothing but very short-lived flowers - something a commercial nursery couldn’t afford. I went ahead anyway, arguing that the dark throat and long stem were such distinct and attractive traits that it would be worth the effort in spite of the probable short life-span of the flowers. Not many of them took but those that came through were very surprising, not only for the clear dominance of L. rubescens in terms of color, floriferousness and length of stem, but particularly for the unexpected longevity of the flowers - some hybrids like Laeliocattleya Sylvan Sprite (Lc. Puppy Love × L. rubescens) can bear up to 12 flowers per spike lasting anywhere between 4 to 6 weeks in perfect condition! I left Stewart’s before I could see any of the progeny of Lc. Happy Essence (C. Happy Talk x L. rubescens), one of my crosses and the pod parent of Lc. Good Days, so I don’t know how long the flowers last on this grex, but I’d like to ask the owner of this plant to say a few words about it.

The soft lavender-pink coloration of the petals and sepals is delightful and the white lip with its deep purple throat I find remarkable, but I would’ve expected a more tailored look with wider and flatter petals and lip from a C. walkeriana hybrid; floriferousness, stem and flower presentation are excellent. It would’ve been an AM for me if it weren’t for the shape, which could’ve been better. My score would be 78 points.

Deb Bodei (Associate Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

Laeliocattleya Good Days (Lc. Happy Essence x Cattleya walkeriana)

I grow this hybrid. It is reliable, floriferous, the bloom lasts a long time and smells great. This hybrid took the best features of rubescens and walkeriana with the beautiful 'eyed' center to the lip and the substance and form from walkeriana.

On our candidate, the overall form is full, and the lip form is very good.  I am seeing some rolling on the margins of the lateral sepals and some of the flowers have more of a papery and uneven lavender color. These could be an indication some of the blooms are past their prime.  Color is a bit on the pale side of this pleasing pastel combination, which could also be an indication of aging blooms.

Overall size and segment size is good. Floriferousness is good, but the arrangement of the inflorescences are crowded with some blooms not held in the right direction for an overall pleasing arrangement. Substance is a bit thin, but it could be the aging of the blooms. The plant is grown well with ascending size bulbs and has bloomed before.

The flowers on this hybrid normally have a 'wow' factor when seen in person, but I am not getting that from the photos.  I might be able to get to a low HCC if I was scoring the plant but without seeing it in person, I am not moved to nominate on this flowering.

Thank you,

Deb

Sergey Skoropad (Associate Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

Laeliocattleya Good Days (Laeliocattleya Happy Essence x Cattleya walkeriana).

I was very lucky to see this plant in person. Flower color was a little more intense in reality than on the photos and presentation was stunning.

Flowers of this cross looks exactly like combination of two species: Laelia rubescens and Cattleya walkeriana.

We have a very nice presented 8 flowers on 27 cm inflorescence which came from Laelia rubescens grandparent and flowers have better and improved shape from Cattleya walkeriana.

I like contrast between soft delicate color of the flower segments and deep purple throat. The shape of the flower is very nice, symmetrical and proportional. Overall flower form is full, lip form is good. Slightly ruffling of the petals is nice.

I will nominate this plant for flower quality award and score at 82 pts.

Thanks 

Sergey

Exhibitor - Ken Jacobsen, CA (Accredited Judge, Pacific Central Judging Center, Chair)

Virtual Award Description

Twelve delicate, flat flowers and one bud on two upright inflorescences up to 27 cm, eight flowers on one inflorescence; sepals and petals soft lavender-pink; sepals lanceolate, margins entire; petals  ovate, margins ruffled distal half; lip pleasingly ruffled, white, throat deep fuchsia, suffused light yellow centrally, margins softly suffused lavender-pink, fine central fuchsia stripe, side lobes curl over column; column white, anther cap dotted fuchsia; substance firm; texture lightly crystalline. 

Grower's Advice

Lc. Good Days 'Ninety's' is grown in a large, unheated greenhouse near the coast South of San Francisco.  During the Winter then nighttime low regularly goes to about 40 degrees fahrenheit, and on occasion goes into the low 30's, but since it always warms up nicely the following day, cattleyas and laelias don't seem to be negatively affected.  Summertime highs can reach well above 100 degrees, but the Summertime lows are typically in the high 50's.  Plants in this greenhouse are grown on the bright side, with light levels reaching above 2000 foot-candles in the Winter, and reaching above 4000 foot-candles during the Summer.

This plant is grown in #4 Kiwi bark with about 5% large perlite and about 5% agricultural charcoal added to the mix, in a plastic pot.  It's watered and fertilized every 4-5 days during the Summer, and as little as once every 12 days during the Winter.  Since the water is mostly from the Hetch-Hetchy reservoir in the Sierras (tds 17 ppm), the fertilizer is a Cal-Mag formulation applied at 400ppm and a PH of 6, supplemented by Calcium Nitrate once every 6 weeks all year round, and Epsom salts once every 6 weeks during the Spring and early Summer.