Cattleyas for the Beginner - 2

Since cattleyas are adaptable to greenhouse culture in almost all parts of the world, they are to be found in most orchid collections today. For the greater part, hybrids are the general rule, but some species are still quite popular among hobby growers.

The recent transfer of the former Brazilian laelias and Sophronitis into Cattleya and the transfer of most of the former Central American Cattleya species to the new genus Guarianthe has somewhat complicated what used to be a fairly simple distinction among Cattleya species between those with a single leaf per pseudobulb and those that generally produce two leaves per pseudobulb. These two groups remain, however, significant pieces of the genus; the labiate Cattleyas which have large, broad-petaled flowers borne severally on plants possessing one-leaved pseudobulbs; and the bifoliate Cattleyas which have smaller, usually narrow-petaled flowers borne (generally) in clusters on plants with spindly pseudobulbs bearing two or three leaves. Species of these two sections as well as those recently transferred hybridize quite readily.

Horticulturally, there are about a score of more-or-less distinct species in the labiate section and about twice that number in the bifoliate group. At various times in the past, many of these have been considered to be only varieties of one or another of the species, but those listed below appear to be pretty well-supported genetically. Many Cattleya species are extremely variable in color, form, size, growth habit and blooming characteristics and because of this, the following information on a few of the more commonly grown species is quite generalized and approximate, serving only as an introductory guide.

Species of Cattleyas

Cattleya aclandiae: A dwarf species not vigorous in growth, it is a distinctive and attractive Cattleya. The slender, furrowed, cylindrical stems are three to five inches long, each with two leaves from two to three inches in length. Flowers, one or two, are three to four inches across with yellowish green petals and sepals blotched with blackish purple, the three-lobed fiddle-shaped lip white tinged with rose and veined with deep purple. A warm-growing bifoliate species from Brazil, it needs a great deal of light. It blooms in May and June, occasionally flowering again in the fall. This species grows best mounted with its roots exposed to air and light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cattleya amethystoglossa: A variable species of vigorous growth, it has cylindrical stems two to three feet in height, bearing two leaves from four to eight inches long. The fleshy flowers, from three to four inches across, grow in an upright cluster of five to twenty or more. Petals and sepals bright rose, spotted with amethyst purple, the three-lobed lip deep amethyst purple. This intermediate to warm growing species from Brazil is of fairly simple culture although the large plants require plenty of space when mature. It blooms from early spring to midsummer. Like most of the bifoliate species, repotting must be done only when new root growth is visible. Repotting at the wrong time will serious set these plants back if not outright kill them.

 

 

 

 

 

Cattleya bicolor: A distinctive but variable species, distinguished by the lack of lateral lobes on the lip, it has slender stems up to thirty inches in height, bearing two six-inch leaves. The inflorescence is erect, with two to five or more flowers, each about three to four inches across. The sepals and petals are fleshy, greenish brown spotted with purple, the wedge-shaped lip a brilliant crimson-purple. An intermediate species from Brazil, it blooms during spring and early summer, occasionally blooming again toward fall. This is perhaps the most finicky of the bifoliate species with regard to repotting time; repotting only when new root growth is evident.

 

 

 

 

 

Cattleya dowiana: The typical species, from Costa Rica, is rather rare in its native habitat and in cultivation, but the variety aurea, from Colombia, is more widely grown. Similar to Cattleya dowiana, the variety aurea has deeper yellow flowers with the lip veined more richly in gold. The flowers are from five to seven inches across, the plants about a foot to a foot and a half tall, fairly typical of the labiate species in appearance. A warm species, one of the most attractive of the genus, it blooms in late summer and fall. This species is the only true Cattleya species currently known from Central America, the other former species having been transferred to Guarianthe.

 

Cattleya gaskelliana: One of the attractive labiate species, the six- to seven-inch flowers range in color from a medium purple to white. The lip is rather large and the color of the petals and sepals, except for the deep violet patch on the front lobe. The growth begins in early spring and the flowers follow without interruption, appearing from mid-June to early September.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cattleya granulosa: An unusual species with odd but attractive flowers, the flattened jointed pseudobulbs are about twelve to twenty inches tall, bearing two six-inch leaves. The erect flower stem bears from five to eight flowers, each about three or four inches across. The sepals and petals are yellowish olive-green with scattered spots of red, the three-lobed lip whitish with crimson-purple granulations. A bifoliate species from Brazil, it blooms in late summer and autumn.

 

 

 

 

 

Cattleya intermedia: One of the favorites of the bifoliate Cattleyas, it is also extremely variable. The slender stems, up to eighteen inches tall, bear two leaves about five or six inches long. The stout flower stem produces from three to five flowers, the flowers from four to five inches across. The sepals and petals are rather narrow, from pale rose to milky white, occasionally dotted with purple. The lip varies considerably in size of the middle lobe which is amethyst purple, except in the true alba form. From Brazil, it flowers in late spring and early summer.

 

Cattleya labiata: The true Cattleya labiata is a free-flowering species, with from two to five flowers, each from five to six inches across. It starts its growth in late March or April, grows rapidly in the bright warm summer months, flowering immediately in the fall from October through November. Because of its flowering habits, its blooming can be easily controlled through the use of light to maintain a long day until flowering is desired. It often produces a double sheath, as do many of its hybrid progeny. Excellent for the hobbyist since its growth and flowering cycle conforms nicely to the average climatic conditions for much of this country. It is native to Brazil.

 

 

 

Cattleya loddigesii: Another Brazilian bifoliate Cattleya similar to C. intermedia, but somewhat slighter in growth. The flowers resemble those of Cattleya intermedia, but each segment is considerably broader, and the lip is fuller, larger and ruffled at the margin. The color is rose-lilac, the lip a little darker. Cattleya harrisoniana is a very closely related species, often more deeply colored, with much yellow on the lip. An albino form of C. loddigesii, called Stanley's variety, has been used in hybridizing some white Cattleyas. As a rule, this species blooms in late summer, but varies considerably.

Cattleya lueddemanniana: Also known as Cattleya speciosissima, this attractive species produces several flowers, up to eight inches across, which may vary from purplish rose to pure white. The petals are very broad, the lip moderately large and similar in color to the petals and sepals except for the front lobe which is deep purple with two pale yellow or whitish patches at the throat. This is a highly variable species from Venezuela, but one of the most attractive of the labiate Cattleyas. While its blooming period ranges from spring to late summer, the early-blooming forms tend to be more free flowering and are the ones most often seen.

 

 

 

Cattleya luteola: A small but distinctive species which makes a fine plant for the hobbyist. The habit is dwarf, not over seven inches in height, with egg-shaped pseudobulbs and three-inch leaves. From two to five or more two-inch flowers, pale yellow for the most part, are produced on the short flower stem. The lip is tubular and ruffled at the edge. An intermediate species from Brazil and Peru, it typically blooms in late fall and early winter, but can flower at different seasons of the year. Cattleya luteola is not often seen in collections today but one of its hybrids, C. (Sc.) Beaufort (coccinea x luteola) was the seminal hybrid that opened the door to todays miniature Cattleya breeding.

Cattleya maxima: A large-flowered labiate species from Ecuador, Peru and Colombia, not much used in hybridization because of its rather narrowed petals, it is a good species for the hobbyist because of its striking appearance. The deep lavender flowers have ruffled lips of the same color, marked with a yellow band and a network of deep crimson veins. It is a vigorous grower, often producing two growths a year, and blooms freely, generally in the winter but the blooming season varies.

 

 

Cattleya mossiae: One of the most widely grown Cattleya species and for years the major orchid for the cut-flower trade because of its blooming in April and May in time for Easter and Mother's Day. This species is extremely varied in its form, color and size of flowers. Vigorous and free flowering, with several flowers of six to eight inches in size, it has been widely used in hybridizing and its many hybrid offspring have greatly replaced the species in general collections. Nevertheless, selected forms of Cattleya mossiae are still fine plants for the hobbyist. It is native to Venezuela.

 

Cattleya percivaliana: Another labiate Cattleya from Venezuela, this species grows vigorously and blooms quite readily, usually around the Christmas season and is sometimes called the Christmas orchid. The petals and sepals are rosy lilac to purple, the ruffled but smallish lip being a deep crimson-purple shaded with maroon and splashed with gold. Some varieties are very fine, but in some plants the lip is quite small, does not open fully and seems out of proportion. The species has been little used in hybridizing because many people find the odor of the flowers to be somewhat musky.

 

 

 

 

 

Cattleya trianae: This is the other major labiate species, a mainstay of cut-flower production because it blooms in December for the Christmas trade, and now largely replaced by its own hybrid progeny. Extremely variable, with many selected and named forms, the petals are broad and the lip a bit smaller than most of the labiate Cattleyas. It is a vigorous grower and flowers quite regularly, from December to February. It is highly recommended for the beginner. The native habitat is Colombia.

 

 

 

Cattleya violacea: Also known as Cattleya superba, this bifoliate species is among the most striking of all the orchid species. The stems are spindle-shaped, about a foot high, furrowed and bear two broad six-inch leaves. The flower stem carries from three to five fleshy flowers, each from four to five inches across. The flowers are rather flat, a brilliant rose-purple to red-violet, the three-lobed lip deep crimson-purple with yellow disk. A warm species, needing plenty of moisture, it is a strikingly beautiful flower, well worth the effort to grow. It blooms in July and August.

 

Cattleya warscewiczii: This very distinctive labiate Cattleya is also often found under its other name, Cattleya gigas, and is easily recognized by the two bright yellow "eyes" on each side of the throat, contrasting strongly with the rich crimson-purple of the front lobe of the lip. The rest of the flower is rose-mauve, but like Cattleya mossiae and C. trianae, this species too is quite variable, with many fine forms known by varietal names. It, too, has been widely used in hybridizing, imparting its striking lip to many of its progeny. This Cattleya comes from Colombia where it generally is found growing in habitats exposed to the sun. It thus needs a great deal of light in cultivation and although it grows well, it has a deserved reputation as being reluctant to flower. For this reason, beginners in areas where sunshine is limited are not advised to grow this species until they have had considerable experience. It blooms in late May to September, immediately after growth has been completed.

The Other Central American Species

Guarianthe aurantiaca: Long known as Cattleya aurantiaca, this is an easily grown species with smallish flowers, having club-shaped pseudobulbs a foot or more in height bearing two or more dark green leaves up to six inches long. The several to many flowers are bright cinnabar-red, with dark veins on the lip, each flower about an inch and a half across, with some forms larger. An intermediate species from Mexico, Guatemala. El Salvador and Honduras, it blooms in the spring and summer. Many yellow and orange color forms are also known. The species tends to be self-pollinating (cleistogamus) so when selecting plants always look for ones with fully open flowers.

Guarianthe bowringiana: Another species known until recently as Cattleya bowringiana. This is an easily grown, easily flowered species of vigorous growth and free-flowering habit, the club-shaped pseudobulbs are up to twenty inches tall with a swollen base, the two leaves being from six to eight inches long. From five to fifteen three-inch flowers are borne in a short cluster. The sepals and petals are bright rose-purple, the petals much broader than the sepals, the lip being narrowly tubular, rose-purple with whitish throat and a central crescent of maroon. An intermediate to cool species from British Honduras and Guatemala, it blooms in the fall. This species and the one that follows figure very significantly in the development of fall blooming so-called cluster hybrids. Well-grown plants in flower are really show-stoppers.

Guarianthe skinneri: Although the flowers of this bifoliate species from Central America are not as large as those of the labiate Cattleyas, this species is highly recommended to the hobbyist, particularly beginners, because of its very vigorous growth and free-flowering characteristics. The club-shaped stems are about a foot tall, bear two largish leaves and a cluster of five to ten fair-sized flowers, about four to five inches across. The petals and sepals range from pale to deep rose-purple, the lip a deeper purple with whitish disk and throat. Very similar to the fall-blooming Guarianthe bowringiana, Guarianthe skinneri flowers in the spring; typically March.

The Real Oddball

Prosthechea citrina: This species has certainly undergone its share of name changes over the years from Cattleya citrina to Encyclia citrina to Euchile citrina and now finally to Prosthechea citrina. By whatever name you choose to call it, it's predominantly a novelty for the hobbyist. The species grows upside down and comes from decidedly cool, dry forests in Mexico. Because of these requirements, it tends to be difficult for novice growers. The nearly spherical pseudobulbs bear two or three limp, strap-shaped leaves and from the hanging flower stem one or two, thick, fleshy, citron-yellow, very fragrant flowers are produced. The flowers remain cupped, like a tulip, but are attractive anyway. A cool species from the high plateau of Mexico, it blooms in April and May.

 

 

Cattleya Hybrids

Although the number of Cattleya species is relatively small when compared to some of the large genera like Oncidium or Dendrobium, the number of available hybrids is confusingly large. The beginner is usually bewildered at the vast array awaiting his choice and gropes vainly for guidance in the maze of cross names that dot the pages of orchid catalogues, a problem reinforced by recent nomenclatural changes. Regrettably, it is not possible to list recommended hybrids in the same way that species can be listed, for the progeny of complex crosses are even more variable than are the species, and the same cross name is applied to the progeny of poor parents as to the progeny of selected forms of the same name; i.e., (walkeriana x intermedia) is C. Walkerinter regardless of the quality of the parent clones used. However, if the beginner deals with a reliable commercial source, he can generally be assured of getting the value for which he pays. When choosing seedlings, nice flowers of an average level of quality can be had from moderately priced plants. Top quality award-winning flowers are not common and, hence, are expensive. The development of mericloning has forever changed the equation with regard to price of award quality flowers since it is now possible for everyone to have the same awarded clones for rather remarkably low prices. Just remember, when buying clones, you have the advantage of knowing the quality of the flower; however, there are thousands of other people who have the same clones. If you want unique plants, the way to accomplish this is to choose seed-grown plants. On the other hand, the beginner's real inerest should be in learning to grow his orchids well, at first, and on this account should look for hybrids possessing vigor, robustness and ease of culture and flowering, rather than highest quality blooms. He should keep his own cultural conditions in mind, and get crosses which have in their background those species most suitable to his conditions. He must remember, even the finest plants will not be satisfactory if they are not grown well.