The genus Cattleya contains species of orchids frequently found in the horticultural trade, both as cut flowers, traditionally worn in corsages, and as potted plants, which delight collectors with their high diversity of shapes, colors and aromas.

Cattleya is a genus native to Central and South America. Plants are epiphytes; meaning that in their natural range they grow on trees, although sometimes they can also be found on rocks and boulders. Cattleya species and hybrids are generally commercially available throughout the year, but the peak of 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, on the contrary, medium, in which case they form abundant flower clusters and for their intense fragrance, being probably one of the most intensively cultivated genres worldwide. Known for their long life, 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 parcel from Brazil, for which specimens of Cattleya had been used for packaging. Impressed by the appearance of the plants, Cattley cultivated several specimens in his greenhouse, and they bloomed in November of the same year, surprising collectors with the beauty of the flowers. Three years later, taxonomist John Lindley, tasked with continuing the work of Sir Joseph Banks 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 who cultivated a species of Cattleya.

Cattleya species are divided in terms of leaf anatomy into two categories:

• Unifoliate species , in which each pseudobulb has a single apically inserted leaf, usually having 1-6 flowers per inflorescence, large, very colorful and generally fragrant , such as Cattleya Eldorado, gaskeliana, labiate, lueddemanniana, mendelii , mossiae, percivaliana, schroederae, trianaei, warscewiczii . The unifoliate species group includes plants with stems of 8-30 cm, thick, dark green, flexible, with a length of approximately 30 cm and a thickness of 7 cm. The flowers can be large, up to 25 m 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 it belongs to the unifoliate group, has small stems and flowers.
• The bifoliate species have 2-3 leaves arranged apically on the pseudobulbs, differentiating themselves by the small size of the flowers, which are grouped in bunches. Representative for this group are the species Cattleya aclandiae, amethystoglossa, aurantiaca, bowringiana, harrisoniana, intermedia, leopoldii, schilleriana, skinneri, walkeriana . The stems of the plants in this group are smaller, but of considerable height, with an average height of approximately 60 cm, but in exceptional cases they can reach 150 cm. The leaves are also small, about 20 cm. The inflorescences appear from green pods, which appear between the leaves, in the apical position, and can count 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.

The growth temperature is an important factor for Cattleya species, as it directly affects plant growth. Low temperatures will slow down development, and high temperatures will accelerate it. The species prefers night temperatures of 21-22 ℃ and daytime temperatures of up to 29 ℃.

The typical humidity is ideally low in the case of the Cattleya genus, by comparison with other orchid genera, being necessary to fall between 35-60% during the day and 60-80% during the night. In the case of high humidity, the leaves and roots absorb water from the air, allowing the plants to grow and produce more resistant flowers, also contributing to the decrease in the abortion rate of flower buds during the hot and dry season.

The ideal conditions of intensity of light radiation are important for the essential contribution to the intensity of photosynthesis, which facilitates the assimilation of nutrients and water, and implicitly, the growth of plants. The species of the genus prefer 30-50% natural light, with values ​​of 20000-45000 lux. The species require abundant, but not direct, light . The species can also be grown outdoors during the warm season. Excess light can be identified by yellowing of the leaves, and lack of adequate intensity will produce dark green leaves.

From the point of view of the frequency of irrigation , Cattleya needs to be allowed to loosen the roots before making new irrigations. The ideal irrigation interval is approximately 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 shriveled, they can be irrigated, but if they are swollen and smooth, it means that the plants have had enough water, and watering can be postponed.

Fertilization will be carried out more frequently and more abundantly than in the case of species from the Paphiopedilum and Phalaenopsis genera, since the growth rate of the Cattleya genus is more intense. It is recommended to use fertilizers with the formula 20-20-20 or 20-10-20 for the whole year, but a fertilizer with the formula 10-30-30 can be administered during the flowering season. The concentration of the fertilizer will be 25-50% of the value indicated by the manufacturer, and their frequency will be weekly, but observing if burns appear at the tip of the leaves, an aspect that indicates excess fertilizer. In this case, it will be resorted to the abundant rinsing of the substrate, and the administration of the next fertilization in 2 weeks. Cattleya species can bloom throughout the year, as long as the continuous presence of new growth can be ensured. For each new growth, the appearance of new flowers can be estimated within 3 months, as long as the conditions for growth and development are ensured constantly and effectively, and if a fertilizer with the formula of 6 - 30 - 30 or 10 - 55 – 10.

Replanting can be done in the summer, when new growth develops both in the case of pseudobulbs and roots. The species grow successfully either in large-sized bark or in sphagnum moss. The culture medium will generally contain 10% coconut, 10% perlite and/or pumice stone, ceramic balls or coal, to ensure ventilation, the rest of the mixture being composed of large pine bark and sphagnum moss.

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