CATTLEYA ORCHID: SPECIES CHART WITH PHOTO, HOME CARE

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Cattleya belongs to the Orchid family. This is an evergreen plant with an aerial root. In nature, grows in the rainforests of America, in the Caribbean. Many species are grown in apartments and greenhouses.

Description

In the natural environment, plants grow on their own or are attached to trees, stones. Flowers can be found at sea level or on the rocks. Cattleya has pseudobulbs with two, three internodes holding one or two sheets. New shoots are formed at the base of last year, because of this the flower grows in breadth.

Common signs of all types of Cattleya

The inflorescence is apical with one bud or racemose, emerging from the leaf sinus, covered with leaf plates growing at the base. The stem is sympodial, underdeveloped succulent. A young plant has several growth points. Over time, only the main escape remains, the rest die off.

One or two narrowed, oblong sheets are formed in a pseudobulb. Plates are dense, fleshy or leathery, not bending during growth. Cattleya happens:

univalent with fleshy, spindle-shaped bulbs with one leaf;
bifolia with elongated, cylindrical bulbs with two or more leaves.

All false bulbs are connected by the root system. She has a creeping airy flower, suitable for growth in the mountains or on trees. It can be located above the ground or deep into the soil.

Flowering lasts up to four weeks, the duration depends on the variety of orchids. There are varieties blooming flowers even in spring and winter.

A bud with three petals and the same number of sepals. There is a so-called “lip”. This is the middle petal in the form of a funnel or tube with a shade brighter than the rest, with a fringed edge.

Corolla circumference from a few mm to 30 cm (depending on the variety of Cattleya). Coloring is pinkish, lilac, raspberry, snow-white. As a rule, there are at least four pseudobulbs on the orchid, of which buds bloom in turn. Cattleya flowers have a pleasant aroma. Cut buds do not fade for a long time even without water.

Main types

Cattleya has about 180 varieties. The most common ones are:

Title	Description
Hybrid	The name implies a large number of hybrid forms obtained by crossing various species and their varieties: large-flowered purple; raspberry lilac; white; fast-growing raspberry and others.
Lip	Spindle-shaped false bulbs univalent, covered with gray-green scales. The leathery leaves are oblong, dull, with a notch at the end. Pinkish or lilac flowers 12-14 cm. Petals are narrow ovoid with wavy edges, three times wider than sepals. He is the founder of the clan.
Orange red	Spindle-shaped stems at the base are thin, gradually thicken towards the apex, wrapped in a film sheath. Two ovoid or elliptic leaves are hard and fleshy. The inflorescence is located on a shortened peduncle, has from two to ten fiery orange buds. Breeders use the species to produce yellow or red varieties.
Forbes	Thin cylindrical or spindle-shaped stalks are bifid, grow up to 30 cm. Leafy plates are oblong dull. A straight cropped peduncle holds two to six buds. The buds are pale olive yellow or light chestnut with veins a little darker.

Cattleya growing conditions

In order for Cattleya to develop rapidly and flourish, she needs to create the following conditions in the apartment:

Parameter	Recommendations
Location	Any window sills, except the north. In summer, the flower can be taken out to the balcony or the veranda.
Lighting	A bright daylight should last at least 12 hours. In the morning and evening, there is no need to protect from the sun. For illumination, special phytolamps are used, from ordinary leaves turn purple. You can not dramatically change the level of illumination. There are species that tolerate shade well (for example, hybrids, united in the name of Patinara).
Temperature	During the vegetative period - + 22 ... +30 ºС. A difference of about +7 ºС is required. To do this, you can open windows, windows, but avoid drafts. During winter dormancy, the temperature drops to + 12 ... +15 ºС. Marks on the thermometer below +5 ºС or above +40 ºС will lead to the death of the flower.
Air humidity	The recommended indicator is 60-80%. In the heat, a container of cold water is placed next to the plant. Spraying air around the orchid is done in the warm season. Water on false bulbs, flowers, and pedicels is undesirable.

Cattleya landing and transplant features

In the natural environment, the orchid grows on trees, so for planting, the bark (preferably coniferous) and moss-sphagnum are used as a substrate. The first component is soaked for several days for better moisture retention. All ingredients are crushed, foam and perlite are added to the mixture. You can also purchase ready-made soil for orchids at a specialty store.

Cattleya is difficult to tolerate landing and transshipment, so it can only be disturbed in extreme cases. When it becomes crowded in the pot, the root system will begin to rot or the plant needs to be reanimated.

If transplanting is nevertheless necessary, it is better to perform it in the spring, when processes are formed on the bulbs. During this period, the shoots are small, the risk of damage to them is minimal.

Landing in various containers

Mini varieties of hybrid Cattleya, no larger than 10 cm, develop well in glass gardens - florariums. Landing is as follows:

Florarium is being prepared: an aquarium, a jar, a vase (any glass container) are used.
A layer of stones is laid out on the bottom.
The crushed bark is poured (pieces of 2 cm).
A thin layer of wet sphagnum moss is applied.
An orchid is placed on top, fixed with thin sticks.
The composition is complemented by other exotic plants suitable for the florarium (Fittonia and others).
Decorated with decorative elements.

If planting is done in a pot, then when choosing it, you need to pay attention to ventilation. The plant loves the air, if it is lacking, it will die. For cattleya ceramic and plastic flower pots are suitable.

The advantage of the first material is that it is natural. Ceramics protect the root system from sudden changes in temperature. However, the service life of such a pot is short-lived: in three to four years it will begin to deteriorate under the influence of water, due to the proliferation of roots. Plastic flower pots are characterized by low cost, a wide range of shades, shapes. In addition, such a pot will last much longer than a ceramic one.

Landing is as follows:

On the bottom, drainage of gravel or expanded clay is laid out with a layer of 2 cm.
A layer of bark and moss-sphagnum of a large fraction is poured.
A flower is placed on top, a layer of substrate is laid out with smaller pieces of constituent components.
The pot is placed on a water tray.

Flowering conditions

Cattleya blooms when it reaches adulthood. The size of a false bulb in a mature specimen varies depending on the variety, from 8 to 20 cm. If there are live roots on pseudobulbs, at least one bulb with a cover, then the orchid will bloom.

The necessary conditions:

Flowering cannot be achieved on the windowsill of the north side. Cattleya needs sun. It is recommended to expose the plant to ultraviolet rays in the morning and evening. During the sun, this can not be done, you can burn the foliage.
The flower must be regularly watered. In summer, the soil is moistened twice or thrice a week, once a month it is placed under a warm shower. Without this, the plant will not grow well; as a result, there will be no flowering. However, Cattleya may die from excess moisture. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the substrate has dried out between waterings.
During active growth, the flower needs top dressing. Every month, fertilizer for orchids with a minimum concentration of phosphorus and potassium is added to the water for irrigation. After the formation of the buds, dressing stops.
The daily difference in day and night temperature is not less than +5 ºС.

Rest period

If flowering was in the fall, then the plant will be in hibernation until spring. At this time, the orchid must provide proper care.

During dormancy, the orchid is rearranged in a cool room. The lighting is complete, and the amount of watering is reduced to two times a month. Spraying is also not recommended; to humidify the air, it is enough to place a container with wet expanded clay or moss next to it.

Breeding methods

Cattleya propagated by dividing the bush and children. This is rarely done by seed, since seedlings are hard to grow, and it takes a long time to bloom.

An adult orchid bush is divided and planted in different pots. It happens as follows:

The plant is watered abundantly and left for three to four hours. When the soil is completely wet, the orchid is carefully removed.
The rhizome is well washed with warm water, the remnants of the earth are removed from the processes.
The bush is divided into parts by sterile instruments. Each split has from 3 bulbs and live roots. Places of cuts are processed by crushed charcoal.
New bushes are planted in separate pots.

Cattleya is characterized by the formation of children. When there are none, it is recommended to use cytokinin paste to stimulate growth. Reproduction occurs as follows:

The daughter process is carefully cut off from the mother bush. The baby is taken quite developed, has live roots and several leaves.
The sprout is soaked for several hours in Kornevin.
The shoots are planted in a pot with bark and moss.
The recommended temperature is maintained in the room (+ 22 ... +30 ºС), diffused light is created, the soil is moistened.

Cattleya Orchid Plant Propagation

Errors in Cattleya care and their elimination

With errors in the content, the plant begins to hurt and may even die. Therefore, you need to know what the pathological condition of the orchid is associated with in order to timely eliminate the shortcomings.

Symptoms	Error
The flower stalk dries without giving the buds.	Lack of light, moisture, or fertilizer.
Foliage and bulbs turn yellow.	Burned.
Foliage changes its color to dark green, the plates become softer, wilted.	Lack of lighting.
The tips and edges of the leaves dry, acquire a brown tint.	The room temperature is too high.
Peduncles suspended development, only new shoots are formed.	The flower is too young (it has three or less pseudobulbs) or the orchid is not watered correctly.
The bulbs at the base blacken, it seems that they are wet.	Excess moisture. The situation is aggravated at low temperature, drafts.

Diseases and Pests

Cattleya is subject to the following ailments:

Diseases / Pests	Symptoms	Causes	Elimination
Mosaic	Leaf plates and flowers lose their shape, there is variegation.	Fungus starting synthesis in too moist soil.	Eliminate with the pot.
Chlorosis	Yellowish stains on the leaves.	Lack of iron.	Transplanting into new soil, spraying leaves with fertilizers. Watering only with soft water, as Due to the stiffness in the substrate, salts are formed. This interferes with the absorption of iron.
Root rot	Leaves and shoots turn black. Mold appears at the base.	Excessive watering.	Destruction or resuscitation.
Spider mite	On the plates, white plaques, a thin web are observed. The greens fade, at first it becomes grayish, then brown.	Insufficient humidity.	Processing Fitoverm, Aktofitom or Vermitek.
Shield aphids	Brown plaques appear on the plates and pseudobulbs, the leaves fade.	Dry air.	Manual removal of plaques, treatment with soapy water.

Resuscitation

Mistakes when leaving at home, various ailments and insect damage lead to the death of the rhizome. The plant needs resuscitation. It is produced as follows:

The flower is soaked daily in water for two hours.
After the appearance of the roots, the manipulations cease.
When the first three shoots grow to 6 cm, the plant is planted in a narrow pot.

Resuscitation can last several weeks or even a year. Manipulation is recommended to be performed in the warm season or in greenhouse conditions at a temperature of + 20 ... +25 ºС.

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