I would not suggest seedlings of Cattleyas as they can take years to bloom. Older plants are stronger and handle mistakes better than seedlings. I would look on line at nurseries who provide bloom size or 'near' bloom size plants.

Most importantly, join your local Orchid Society. You will get many low cost or free plants from members downsizing. They also have auctions where you can get beautiful plants of blooming size, cheap. You'll meet growers in your area and learn the conditions they grow in. I can't stress how important it is to join a local Society. Its invaluable for a beginner.

Jane

It sounds like you're looking for the "big, floofy" cattleyas, or old classics, as they are often described. Jane's suggestions about the gallery and an orchid society are excellent. You might also check the AOS site for a list of upcoming orchid shows to see if there's one in your area. If you can't find the list, e-mail the AOS.

You might try the on-line catalog of Carter and Holms, who specialize in cattleyas. Read the descriptions carefully, see if they specify the size of the blooms. The pictures will speak for themselves.

I won't be THAT old for another few weeks! I am amused that the word "geriatric" is applied at 60. Experienced and mature are better choices.

Other amusing synonyms:

aged, along in years, ancient, broken down, debilitated, decrepit, elderly, enfeebled, exhausted, experienced, fossil, geriatric, getting on, gray, gray-haired, grizzled, hoary, impaired, inactive, infirm, mature, matured, not young, olden, oldish, over the hill, past one's prime, seasoned, senile, senior, skilled, superannuated, tired, venerable, versed, veteran, wasted

--Stitz--

Jane

Nick

Nick

Having just had two strokes, with multiple heart stints, and Forestiers Disease fusing my spine and hips, my pursuit of my outdoor raised bed gardening and now orchids is at once a form of therapy and also to add some quality to life ..i.e., to KEEP MOVING, Get outside, and NOT take the daily massive doses of prescribed pain meds. It's great that so many are so active at sixty, but unrelenting, severe pain 24/7 kind of puts things into a whole new perspective, so one can choose beauty and new outlets of interest. I always loved looking at orchids, so now I have decided to grow a few. That's why I'm searching for starters. Raison d'être!

If I can find my car at the mall, it's a good day!

Nick

http://www.orchidsbyhausermann.com/

Enjoy!

Sheila :)

When I first began with heirloom tomatoes and vintage fruit trees I had folks around the world offering starter stock. Granted orchids take a bit more work, but I am not into profit or prestige. When I have my plants started and reproducing, helping another get started will consist of more than a recommendation to join AOS. I'm doing this because of the love of the species.

Tell us what kind of growing conditions you have at home.

Jane

If you can find a local society you will have the opportunity to buy or trade plants. You will get divisions of plants growers are giving away and will be closer to blooming size than a seedling. Generally bloom size depends on the number of bulbs the plant has. More pseudobulbs, quicker blooms. I've had Catts bloom on their third growth but some didn't bloom with six. You must realize that most Catts make one growth per season. If something went wrong during that year, that bulb won't flower. Now you have lost a year and hope the next growth will flower. Very slow, very frustrating. One difference between growing dirt plants and orchids - orchid growing requires great patience!

I don't have your conditions. With good sunlight and warm temps you can choose Cattleyas which tend to throw multiple leads, or growths. Those will bloom earlier. If you can join a society (or just visit) look at what people bring in and ask questions...how easy to flower, how often does the plant flower, etc. Most societies have auctions and you can get great plants at low prices. They invite growers from all over who display their orchids. I rarely buy plants anymore. I wait for the auctions because I can get unusual plants at great prices. Most are already blooming.

You are not looking for challenges. You want flowers. You want orchids which can manage mistakes without croaking. You have great conditions to be successful and I if you can meet with people in your area you will find Cattleyas which will do well in your home.

Jane

I also agree with Jane. If I had a choice of two plants at $15 each or one plant at $30, I would pick the one plant. Usually these plants are mature, have lots of p-bulbs, and grow much more quickly. Within a year or two they can be divided, and then I would have more mature plants. (A plant division should have the bare minimum of three bulbs in order to flower in a couple of years, but with five or more the division might bloom the following season). When you are looking to purchase, ask how many p-bulbs the plant has.

Incidentally, I'm 75. I don't have the dibilitating disease that you seem to have, but I do ache in every bone in my body, and I have five stents. I try to stay away from the pain killers too. But it would be so easy to just sit in a chair all the time so I wouldn't hurt so much. But the orchids--the orchids pull me out of my chair and make me move. For them I'll suffer the pain. In fact, when I tend them, I'm not even aware of the hurt.

And I grow my vegetables--tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers--in pots. I don't have to bend that far to tend them, and I don't have to pull any weeds or til any soil. A bit of grass mulch is all they need. The one drawback of growing in pots is that they need to be watered often. Not a problem.

You do get 2 plants but if you hope to get flowers sooner because of the large number of pbulbs, that won't happen. It's a trick growers use to make you think you are getting a huge plant. It also happens inadvertently as when you unpot a community pot, sometimes it is difficult to separate the little plantlets and 2 will happen in a pot.

I bought a dendrobium once which when it bloomed, had yellow on one side and pink on the other. Obviously a case of 2 plants in one pot done deliberately in order to make the plant look bigger for better sale appeal.

Just another little wrinkle to look out for.

Nick

Enjoy your new orchids and of course your fine art photography.

Brooke

Here's a link to the warscewiczii. The bloom can grow to 12" across:

http://www.chadwickorchids.com/warscewiczii