Cattleya

Cattleya

Among all the beautifully flowering orchid cattleya is, perhaps, the most famous and favorite genus. Courting for these plants is not particularly fruitful. The following species are introduced into the culture:

Cattleya aclandi

C. adandiae

Homeland - Brazil.

The pseudobulbs are 5-8 cm long. The petals and sepals are up to 5 cm in length, yellow-green with large purple-brown spots, the lip is purple-red. Flowering: June-July.

Cattleya Bowring

S. bowringiana

Homeland - Honduras.

Pseudobulbs up to 60 cm. The flower stem carries up to 15 flowers. Flowers about 8 cm in diameter, pink or purple-violet. Flowering time: September-November.

Cattleya lemon

S. citrina

Homeland - Mexico( occurs second at an altitude of 2-2.5 thousand meters).

Pseudobulbs are ovoid. Leaves are narrow, gray-green, up to 20 cm long. The flowers are lemon yellow, fragrant. Blooms in the spring months.

Cattleya Doviana

With dowiana

Homeland - Costa Rica.

Pseudobulbs.fusiform, up to 30 cm. Flower root with 2-5 flowers. The flowers are yellowish, on the underside they are reddish. The lip is purple-violet. In the golden variation, C. dowiana var.aurea - from Colombia, the flowers have a pronounced golden yellow color, with the underside of sepals and petals not red. Blossoms from July to September.

Cattleya spotted

With guttata

Motherland - Brazil.

Pseudobulbs up to 80 cm, narrow. Flower - multiflorous. Flowers up to 10 cm in diameter, greenish, with red dots on the petals. The lip is purple with white. Blossoms in October - November.

Cattleya Harrisona

S. harrisoniae

Motherland - Brazil.

Pseudobulbs up to 40 cm long, relatively thin. The flowers are about 10 cm in diameter, purple, the lip is darker with a yellowish throat. Blossoms in July - October.

Cattleya intermediate

C. intermedia

Homeland - Brazil.

Pseudobulbs about 30-40 cm long. Flowers about 12 cm in diameter, purple, lip purple. Blooms in May-June.

Cattleya gubottsvetnaya

With labiata

Motherland - Brazil.

Pseudobulbs 25-30 cm long, ve-retinous. Leaves up to 25 cm long, dense. The flowers are light or dark purple, the lip is purple with a yellow throat. Blossoms in September-November.

Cattleya Moss

S. mossiae

Motherland - Venezuela.

The common habit is the same as in the previous species. Flowers up to 18 cm in diameter, broader, purple, dark purple lip, yawn - golden yellow. The species is very volatile, sometimes it is brought as a Venezuelan subspecies - C. labiata ssp.mossiae.

Cattleya Skinner

With skinneri

Homeland - Guatemala.

Pseudobulbs up to 30 cm, peduncles multiflorous. Flowers smaller - up to 10 cm in diameter, light or dark purple, purple lip with yellow yawn. Blossoms in March - May.

Cattleya three-bladed

S. trianae

Homeland - Colombia.

General habit, as in C. labiata. Flowers up to 18 cm in diameter, purple, lip purple, lip margin - wavy. Zev is orange-yellow. Blooms in December and February.

Cattleya Vartsevich

S. warscewiczii

Motherland - Colombia.

General habit, as in C. labiata. Flowers up to 20 cm in diameter, light purple, lip purple, in the throat there are two large yellow spots. Blossoms in July-August.

In addition to the main species, there are a number of hybrids, grooming, which are generally the same as for the genus as a whole. This, for example:

• Brassocattleya( Cattleya x Brassavola);

• Brassolaeliocattleya( Cattleya x Brassavola x Laelia);

• Laeliocattleya( Cattleya x Laelia);

• Rolfeara

( Cattleya x Brassavola x Sophronitis);

• Potinara

( Cattleya x Brassavola x Laelia x Sophronitis).

Courtship. When Courting.for representatives of the Cattleya genus, it is necessary to take into account the seasonal nature of their growth. It is important to provide a period of rest. D. Sander in the well-known book "Orchids and their cultivation" for this genus recommends in the spring months to ensure a night temperature of 18 ° C, and in the daytime raise to 21-24 ° C.With the onset of autumn, the night temperature should be below 16 ° C.During the rest period the temperature values ​​of 12-15 ° C are quite sufficient. Yellow Cattleya( for example, S. dowiana) require a higher temperature - not lower than 18 ° C.An important task is to ensure seasonal changes in the light regime. From March to April, they need a light shade;from May to August - grow in the penumbra, in September - again only a slight shade. In October-January need a well-lit place. When watering, it is also necessary to take into account seasonality. For most species: from March to September, the watering is uniform, but it is necessary to avoid overmoistening of the substrate. From September to October watered sparingly. From November to February - limited watering, only need to monitor the state of pseudobulbs and leaves, do not allow wilting. Substrate composition: 1) pine bark, sphagnum and dry shredded beech leaves( in the ratio 2: 2: 1);2) the roots of the royal fern( osmunda), pine bark, sphagnum, dry beech leaves( 3: 2: 2: 1);3) the roots of the fern of the centipede( polypodium), sphagnum, and the leaves that have perished( 2: 2: 2).Other combinations are also recommended. You can use such a simple mixture: coconut fiber and sphagnum( 1: 1).Coconut is usually sold in dry pressed briquettes, so before preparing it you need to pour boiling water, cool it, and then squeeze well. Seed or vegetative reproduction.