The genus Cattleya contains orchid species frequently found in the horticultural trade, both as cut flowers, traditionally worn on corsages, and as potted plants, delighting collectors with the high diversity of shapes, colors, and fragrances.
Cattleya is a genus native to Central and South America. The plants are epiphytes; meaning that in their natural habitat they grow on trees, although sometimes they can also be found on rocks and scree. Cattleya species and hybrids are generally commercially available throughout the year, but the peak production is recorded in the spring and autumn months. Considered by enthusiasts as the queens of orchids, Cattleya species and hybrids are preferred by collectors and growers for their spectacular colors, large to very large flowers, or, conversely, medium-sized, in which case they form abundant flower clusters and for their intense fragrance, being probably one of the most intensively cultivated genera worldwide. Known for their long lifespan, Cattleya specimens can live up to 20 – 30 years, reaching impressive sizes if the necessary conditions are met.
This genus takes its name from the British botanist William Cattley, who in 1818 received a package from Brazil, for which Cattleya specimens had been used for packing. Impressed by the appearance of the plants, Cattley cultivated a few specimens in his greenhouse, and they bloomed in November of the same year, astonishing collectors with the beauty of the flowers. Three years later, taxonomist John Lindley, tasked with continuing Sir Joseph Banks' work in inventorying, describing, and classifying Cattley's botanical collection, dedicated the genus to his patron, describing the first species, Cattleya labiata, and immortalizing his name as the first European to cultivate a Cattleya species.
Species of the genus Cattleya are divided anatomically by leaf into two categories:
- Unifoliate species, where each pseudobulb has a single leaf inserted apically, usually having 1 – 6 flowers per inflorescence, large in size, very colorful and generally fragrant, such as Cattleya Eldorado, gaskelliana, labiate, lueddemanniana, mendelii, mossiae, percivaliana, schroederae, trianaei, warscewiczii. The unifoliate species group includes plants with stems of 8 – 30 cm, thick, dark green, flexible, about 30 cm long and 7 cm thick. Flowers can be large, up to 25 cm in diameter. Cattleya labiate and trianaei species are the most common in this group, having many subtypes. As in any field, there are exceptions, such as Cattleya luteola, which, although belonging to the unifoliate group, has small stems and flowers.
- Bifoliate species have 2 – 3 leaves arranged apically on pseudobulbs, distinguished by the small size of the flowers, which group in clusters. Representative species for this group are Cattleya aclandiae, amethystoglossa, aurantiaca, bowringiana, harrisoniana, intermedia, leopoldii, schilleriana, skinneri, walkeriana. The stems of plants in this group are smaller but of considerable height, with an average height of about 60 cm, but can exceptionally reach up to 150 cm. The leaves are also small, about 20 cm. Inflorescences appear from green pods, which appear between leaves, in an apical position, and can have up to 15 small flowers, approximately 10 – 15 cm in diameter, with relatively elongated petals. The most common species belonging to the bifoliate group are Cattleya skinneri and hardyana. Cattleya skinneri was classified by Bateman and named in honor of the explorer and botanist George Ure Skinner.
Growth temperature is an important factor for the species of the genus Cattleya, as it directly affects plant growth. Low temperatures will slow development, while high temperatures will accelerate it. The genus prefers night temperatures of 21 – 22 ℃ and daytime temperatures up to 29℃.
Humidity is ideally low for the genus Cattleya, compared to other orchid genera, needing to be between 35 – 60% during the day and 60 – 80% at night. In the case of high humidity levels, the leaves and roots absorb water from the air, allowing the plants to grow and produce more resilient flowers, also contributing to reducing the abortion rate of flower buds during the warm and dry season.
The ideal conditions of light radiation intensity are important due to their essential contribution to the intensity of photosynthesis, which facilitates the assimilation of nutrients and water, and implicitly, plant growth. The species of the genus prefer 30 – 50% natural light, with values of 20000 – 45000 lux. The species require abundant light, but not direct. The species can also be grown outdoors during the warm period. Excess light can be identified by yellowing leaves, and the lack of adequate intensity will produce dark green leaves.
From the point of view of watering frequency, Cattleya requires allowing the roots to dry out before performing new waterings. The ideal watering interval is about one week between two successive waterings, but this is strongly influenced by air humidity, light intensity, and temperature. Ideally, the appearance of the pseudobulbs will be observed: if they are wrinkled, watering can be done; however, if they are swollen and smooth, it means the plants have enough water, and watering can be postponed.
Fertilizations will be performed more frequently and abundantly than in species from the genera Paphiopedilum and Phalaenopsis, since the growth rate in the Cattleya genus is also more intense. It is recommended to use fertilizers with a 20-20-20 or 20-10-20 formula throughout the year, but a fertilizer with a 10-30-30 formula can be applied during the flowering season. The fertilizer concentration will be 25-50% of the value indicated by the manufacturer, and the frequency will be weekly, observing if burns appear at the leaf tips, which indicates excess fertilizer. In this case, abundant rinsing of the substrate will be done, and the next fertilization will be administered after 2 weeks. Cattleya species can bloom throughout the year, as long as continuous new growth is ensured. For each new growth, the appearance of new flowers can be estimated within 3 months, as long as growth and development conditions are constantly and efficiently maintained, and if a fertilizer with a 6-30-30 or 10-55-10 formula is administered.
Repotting can be done in summer, when new growths develop both in pseudobulbs and roots. The species are successfully grown either in large bark pieces or in sphagnum moss. The growing medium will generally contain 10% coconut, 10% perlite and/or pumice stone, ceramic balls or charcoal to ensure ventilation, the rest of the mixture being composed of large pine bark pieces and sphagnum moss.
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