Easy to Grow Cattleya Orchids for Beginners | Richard Mueller Hybrids - Vigorous & Easy to Bloom!

Hi all, in today’s video I’m going to share one of my favorite type of Cattleya Orchid to Bloom and Grow, these are Richard Mueller hybrids!
The Bc. Richard Mueller is an excellent parent that adds vigor and lovely blooms to the orchids it’s crossed to. I have several and I’m going to show you how they are growing and why if you’re a beginner you should give these a shot!
The Bc. Richard Mueller is a cross between the B. Nodosa & C. Milleri. The C. Milleri was formerly known as the Laelia Milleri and it’s a small Rupicolous Cattleya from Brazil. This keeps the Richard Muller small in size.
Follow along and I’ll show you my collection of Richard Muller Hybrids.
All of the products I use are linked below. Disclaimer I may earn a small commission on any of the Amazon Links that you use. Thanks for your support!
~Pots I use~
Self Watering / Leca:
7.5” Self Watering Pots (New): amzn.to/3saQiPH
7” Self Watering Pots (New): amzn.to/36zr9G7
5” Square Self Watering Pots (New): amzn.to/334Y5kR
4” Square Self Watering Pots: amzn.to/337Uh2a
6” Round Self Watering Pots: amzn.to/3aXsjdH (Fits 6” Repotme Inner Pot)
4” Round Self Watering Pots: amzn.to/3eLKswm (Fits 4” Repotme Inner Pot)
4.5” Round Self Watering Pots: amzn.to/2RfN25I (Fits 5” Repotme Inner Pot or Small Deli Container)
7” Round Self Watering Pots: amzn.to/3nF7eKc (I add S/H holes for flushing - No Inner Pot)
6” Round Self Watering Pots: amzn.to/3aWLXqm (I add S/H holes for flushing - No Inner Pot)
Inner Pots:
4” Clear Inner Pot: amzn.to/3xIAMvh
3” - 6” Clear Inner Pot Assortment: amzn.to/3e7hkAp
Cheap Swap: 16oz Deli container is the same size as 5” Repotme pot, just shorter
Organic / Non Self Watering:
5” Pots With Saucer (New): amzn.to/3h7amMx
5.75” Pots with Saucer (New): amzn.to/35km8jR
4.25” Pots with Saucer (New): amzn.to/33FEj35
3.5” Round Ceramic Pots: amzn.to/3vx4aTh (Fits 2” & 3” Repotme Pots)
5.5” Round Ceramic Pots: amzn.to/3vy4zoo (Fits most 5” Inner Pots)
4.7” Round Ceramic Pots: amzn.to/2QRufO1 (Fits most 4” Inner Pots)
~Materials I use for Repotting~
Self Watering / Leca:
LECA: amzn.to/3aStSth
Pebble Top Layer: amzn.to/3nD4s8q
Wicks: amzn.to/337Bcgt
Organic:
All Purpose Monterrey Bark Mix: amzn.to/3tgAic1
NZ Sphagnum Moss: amzn.to/3aTVhv0
Coconut Husk: amzn.to/36HkHJQ
Horticultural Charcoal: amzn.to/3riqXRE
~Fertilizers, Supplements & Pest Control ~
Naturalyte Insect Control: amzn.to/3o0NLFh
Bloom City Clean Kelp: amzn.to/3vElju3
SuperThrive: amzn.to/3vBhAh3
Neem Oil: amzn.to/3xDQAPL
Calmag: amzn.to/3vAezxl
MSU Fertilizer: amzn.to/3uFsG7c
MSU Slow Release Fertilizer: amzn.to/3uDcEKP
PH Control Kit: amzn.to/3vBY2ce (I use the test vial to measure the PH)
~Lights & Equipment~
Wifi Smart Plugs: amzn.to/31smm72
Power Strip with Timer: amzn.to/3gW1hHC
Levoit Humidifier: amzn.to/3eMcBn1
Shelf Liners: amzn.to/2SaiH8T
Shelves (3 Foot): amzn.to/3gUV0vH
Shelves (4 Foot): amzn.to/3Fawv6p
Monios Lights: amzn.to/2Sk12vI (Have bloomed Cattleyas for me)
Kihung Lights: amzn.to/3eLyPW4 (Good for Medium & Low Light Orchids)
Electric Plant Spray: amzn.to/3LyHN7r
Orchid Hobbyist Lights: botanicalleds....

[@Joe-nj3bb]

5:11 I got my first two Yellow Birds from Lowe's today for $34. When I got home I potted them together in an orchid terracotta pot ($5 at Lowe's). Kind of late in the season for a repotting, but I know that they are vigorous. I also have the Rustic Spots, Bc. Carnival Kids, Brassocattleya Taiwan Mermaid , Cattleya Small World, and Bc. Morning Glory.

[@NicoleDeanna]

@@Joe-nj3bb lovely. It's not too late. I have many to go lol

[@patricialux6197]

Really good video. Lovely plants. Those are beautiful blooms ( I like spots too 😍).. and it's so fun & rewarding to have some vigorous fast growing orchids among all the slow- pokes 😃! 👍

[@NicoleDeanna]

Spots are lovely on cattleyas aren't they? Having good vigorous ones keeps it fun while we wait for some of our species to bloom once a year lol. Thanks for watching ❤️

[@cocoroca15]

Thank you for this video! After watching, I realized this is the type of Cattleya I need in my collection so I bought a rmueller cross. I got the BC rustic spots H&R ! We’ll see how she does 😃🙏

[@NicoleDeanna]

Yay!!! So exciting. I hope you love it :)

[@janicelindegard6615]

Now you made me want to go to Hausermann! It's about 25 minutes from my house.

[@NicoleDeanna]

If I lived so close, I might visit too much 😂 if you go, let me know what you end up picking up!

[@LuNacyGoose]

You should go! I live 10 minutes away and it's fun to explore. They have a cattleya seedling available right now called Blc Hawaiian Leopard 'Mei Ling' which has spots if you're looking for something similar to the videos. I just picked one up. Another amazing Orchid Nursery is Natt's Orchids in Naperville. Highly recommend both.

[@NicoleDeanna]

@@LuNacyGoose I actually have that seedling and completely forgot to show it! It's really nice!! :)

[@LuNacyGoose]

@@NicoleDeanna Has it bloomed for you yet? Mine is just a tiny seedling so it'll be another 3+ years, I think. Hopefully it's as hardy as the others you showed. And I just found out that my Copper Queen is a Richard Mueller hybrid! Cool!

[@prestonnorris9822]

I love these type of crosses 🤗🧡💕

[@NicoleDeanna]

Thank you Preston! Aren't they great? ☺️

[@jessicabey275]

wow those are beautiful 😍

[@NicoleDeanna]

Thank you 💗

[@genizi]

Thanks for the video. Your cats are beautiful.I was not so fortunate with my yellow bird. All mine died, I bought another one yesterday and repot it immediately in my regular catts medium. I hope i will be successful, I shall give it the wet to dry cycle. Keep you posted 1 month ahead.

[@NicoleDeanna]

I'm sorry to hear about your yellow bird. I hope you're successful with it this time! If it gets a wet dry cycle and it's in an airy mix, things should work out. 🤞 Thanks for watching ❤️

[@toddstropicals]

I find many brassavola hybrids are vigorous growers and rewarding. Yes let's not forget fragrant too, brassavola adds that as well. Edit: and many mount well too if a person likes to grow that way.

[@NicoleDeanna]

I agree! Brassavolas types are super vigorous, and I love that they generally make big orchids smaller as well. I hope you're well, thanks for watching Todd!

[@toddstropicals]

@@NicoleDeanna I'm okay except for a bit of arthritis...😁

[@vins_chidsm8195]

Great plants Nicole! Collecting RMueller hybrids really might be addictive, I may have been bit by that bug. Can't wait to see that Mark Jones cross. No doubt it's about ready to flower soon.

[@NicoleDeanna]

Thank you Vin!! I really love them and can't wait to see how it does. I think it's unlikely, but if that first sheath flowers, I'll be over the moon 🌝 I look forward to seeing the differences in our seedlings when they flower!

[@judycook4314]

I’m excited to try these. Thanks for the feature!

[@NicoleDeanna]

You bet! ❤️

[@jeannekennie5014]

Hi Nicole, I love these catts too! I just wanted to congratulate you on your blackbelt!🥳 Like you, I grow under Jeff’s lights. Would love to see a video about fertilizer & supplements and how to calculate the ppm’s. I still go by teaspoons per gallon. Also how to readjust ph after adding calcium & magnesium. Thanks!😊 Jeanne

[@NicoleDeanna]

Hi Jeanne! I actually just made a video on this, I'll likely get it up on Wednesday :)) I didn't address the ph after adding calcium and magnesium, but I can make note of this for a follow up!

[@NicoleDeanna]

And thank you for the congratulations 🤗

[@jeannekennie5014]

@@NicoleDeanna You deserve it. That’s quite a feat!

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

I sent one of the Triumphans x Richard Mueller to someone. The best looking one, IMO, is Richard Mueller x mossiae (BC Patricia Leach Almeida). I think Fred Clarke still has some divisions of his.

[@NicoleDeanna]

Very nice! I think I saw the video of the bloom, I googled it after I got it, and it's gorgeous. That mossiae cross is nice. Really like these. I know some will get repetitive, but I don't care, I'll spot small differences and be happy with all the blooms 😂 Hope you're having a great weekend 🤗

[@MSgrismelda]

Oh so beautiful!!! So lovely all your plants. Maybe your Yellow Bird can be like my "Xanadu" some of the blooms are fragant and other blooms not some smells Nodosa at night but others nothing at all

[@NicoleDeanna]

That's good to know. I'll keep smelling them! Thank you Gris 💗

[@stefpix]

I think it is the Brassavola that make these vigorous. I could never get that Yellow Bird to flower. I had it twice. Grows like crazy, but only one flower in years. While the few Brassavola nodosas I have flower no problem.

[@NicoleDeanna]

My yellow bird has slowed down as well! I haven't seen blooms in a while! I thought it was just me.

[@stefpix]

@@NicoleDeanna i ended up selling it. I think twice. Otherwise i should have kept it just for foliage. Too bad, as it looks cool. Maybe needs different conditions

[@chrisliving1610]

Does every new pseudobulb flowers with your cattleyas? I got Yellow Bird 4 months ago, and so far it produces only new growths, no sheaths.

[@NicoleDeanna]

They don't always flower. I actually found that my yellow bird didn't flower all that often too. Some of the vigorous hybrids too but some species only bloom once a year. Yellow bird seems stubborn of all these hybrids lol

[@orchidsbythelake]

Funny how Richard Mueller is used for so many hybrids but actual plant is hard to find.

[@NicoleDeanna]

I agree! It's not super common! Hope you're having a good weekend!