Cattleya

Cattleya description

What could be more beautiful than delicate and fragile orchids. Many gardeners grow these amazing plants in their homes. They come in a wide variety of colors, so you can grow a real greenhouse on your window. The orchid is considered a herb, it is a perennial. And these flowers belong to the family, of course, orchids. There are dozens of varieties of Cattleya, and among them there are many of those that can grow, for example, on stones, as well as on other plants. Cattleya are considered spectacular and very beautiful orchids. In Europe, they began to grow this culture back in the 19th century, since then, flower growers around the world have been cultivating these unusual plants. And the name Cattleya was given in honor of one plant importer, the gardener William Cattley. These orchids have a very beautiful and unusual shape, and the flowers are always painted in bright colors. More than 10 flowers can bloom on one mature bush, so the decorative appearance of these plants is simply amazing. Moreover, it is important to note that flowers can be of a wide variety of shades. They are almost black and, of course, snowy white. The aroma of orchids is simply magical, they smell a little of lily of the valley and lily, therefore, in addition to an excellent appearance, your personal greenhouse will always smell of flowers.

Cattleya cultivation

About illumination, this orchid needs the sun's rays, and it is important to note that it is best to organize the illumination in such a way that the sun warms the leaves until 12:00 and after 16:00. It is best to put the orchid pots on the south side in the summer, but they should be darkened at 12:00. But in the fall, winter and spring, it is better to send plants to the eastern or southwestern windowsills. An orchid grows normally at room air temperature, however, when the bushes are preparing for flowering, the air temperature should not have large drops, so keep track of these indicators. Watering the orchid is recommended as the potted substrate dries up. Water droplets should not fall on the leaves and stems of the plant. When the Cattleya is at rest, the crop will need to be watered less intensively; some growers recommend at this time to simply spray the orchid from a spray bottle. However, during flowering, the potted substrates will need to be moistened more intensively. Keep track of the humidity in the room, so periodically give the orchid warm baths, spraying the leaves and flowers from a spray bottle, but the water temperature must be at room temperature. If we talk about fertilizers, then Cattleya is usually fed during the most intensive growth, as well as during the flowering period. For this, complex mineral fertilizers are usually used, most often special for flowering plants, for orchids. In autumn and winter, orchid bushes usually do not bloom, this period is called dormancy, at this time there is no need to feed the plants at all, and the soil should be moistened very rarely, it is best to simply spray the surface of the substrate. However, at this time, the plants really need good lighting, so it is advisable to build an artificial lighting, because the daylight hours should remain long for the plants. If you notice that the substrate has begun to cake and sour in the pot, then it is advisable to transplant the bush, but remember that these plants do not tolerate transplanting well, so you should not touch the flowers without needing. The orchid reproduces by dividing the bush, as well as with the help of processes.If we talk about diseases and pests, then the immunity of these plants is average, sometimes spider mites and whiteflies, aphids, as well as other insects, settle on the foliage and stems of this culture.

Cattleya planting and care

Before growing an orchid, you will need to carefully study the rules of care. It is believed that this culture is quite capricious, for many flower growers the plants do not bloom for years, however, orchids often delight their owners in the first year. Usually, flowers begin to appear only on mature, strong and mature bushes, only on those plants that have enough strength to form peduncles. So do not worry, as soon as your orchid becomes strong and healthy, it will definitely delight you with bright flowers. If you have already bought a whole bush, on which the roots have long been formed, then in the current season the orchid may well bloom. But if you notice that flowers have already formed on the plant, then even after dividing the bush, the orchid is able to throw out new flower stalks. However, cattleya does not always bloom after purchase, so please be patient. And in order for the flowers to develop and grow intensively, you will need to monitor the level of illumination in the room, as you remember, orchids love direct sunlight. Do not forget to feed and water the bushes in a timely manner, as well as monitor the difference between day and night temperatures, if your room has a favorable microclimate, optimal growing conditions, then the orchid will surely delight you with contrasting and bright flowers. And how to properly care for her, we will tell you.

Care

In order for the orchid to grow and develop normally, you will need to remember a few agrotechnical rules. If we talk about lighting, as you remember, these plants really need bright light, it is best to put pots of orchids on the eastern or southwestern windowsills. If you put the plants on the south window, then do not forget to darken the window in the summer from 12:00 to 16:00, strong heat adversely affects the growth of the flower. If the foliage of the plant has become yellowish, then this indicates too intense lighting. But if the leaves of the plant become dark green, this means that the orchid lacks the sun. Under normal conditions, the foliage should be normal, green, so watching the plant, it will tell you exactly what it is missing. If we talk about the temperature regime, then this plant is not demanding for this indicator, however, when the orchid prepares for flowering, there should not be temperature changes in the room, if there is a strong difference between night and day temperatures, more than 7 degrees, this will negatively affect the formation of peduncles ... The air humidity in the room should be at an average level, in spring and summer it is best to put the pots on special trays where you will pour water, so the air roots will get drunk with moisture, which means that the watering intensity can be reduced. If the substrate in the pot begins to dry out, then the flowers will need to be watered. However, be careful not to get moisture on foliage and stems. In the fall, the intensity of watering is reduced; during the rest period, it is best to simply moisten the substrate from a spray bottle. However, when a peduncle forms on the plant, the pots should be watered with words regularly. On especially hot days, it will be necessary to moisten the roots more intensively. Gardeners often use a sprayer for this. For watering, it is best to use settled water at room temperature. And once a month, many flower growers recommend cleaning the substrate, for this you will need to spill the plants with ordinary clean water, such a shower helps to refresh the plants, avoid the substrate caking. And in the autumn-winter time, watering the bushes will need to be very careful. If water gets on the foliage and stems of the plant, then dark spots may form on them. Often, the root system even begins to rot if too much moisture accumulates in the pot, so the plant dies, so be careful and careful. As you remember, there is no need to transplant Cattleya at all, because these plants do not tolerate this procedure very well. But sometimes it is simply necessary, so it must be done at least very carefully. In order to painlessly transplant an orchid, you will need to carefully transfer the earthen lump into a new pot, however, and after that the flower will recover for a long time. It is recommended to transplant the plant only when the substrate becomes unusable, or it becomes strongly compacted, oxidized. It is best to replant young shoots when they are no more than 3 cm in length. Before replanting Cattleya, consider whether you should split the plant. Most often, growers transplant Cattleya into transparent pots that do not absorb light. You can also plant an orchid in a clay pot, but it should not be covered with glaze. Use fine or medium bark to prepare the substrate. Sphagnum is suitable for this. Before replanting the orchid, fill the tree bark with water for several days, before the direct procedure, all the liquid will need to be removed, and the substrate should be rinsed again with clean water. Do not forget about the drainage layer, it must be placed at the bottom of the pot, it should be about 2 cm high. For this, use expanded clay, small pebbles. Next, the drainage is covered with pieces of bark and polystyrene, and only after that the plants are planted there, filling layer by layer with fine tree bark. If the air humidity is high enough in the room, then it will be possible to add a little perlite to the tree bark, this substrate absorbs water well, so the root system of the plant will not rot. Flowers are fed infrequently. It is best to enrich the substrate with useful substances by introducing a complex mineral fertilizer. Usually, flowers are fed when they grow especially intensively, as well as before flowering. When the first peduncle appears on the bush, top dressing is no longer applied. Fertilizers must contain phosphorus, potassium, but the dosage for this culture should be minimal, it is best to buy special fertilizers for orchids.

Reproduction

As you remember, this culture can be propagated in several ways. This is most often done by dividing the bush. Moreover, these activities are best combined with a transplant. This is done no more than once every 3 years. Separate the flowers before young roots appear on the plant. Removing the bushes from the pot is quite problematic. If your orchid grows in a plastic container, then it is advisable to first crush the sides of the pot, and then squeeze the plants, carefully removing them from the container. If your orchid grows in a clay pot, then it is best to pry the root system with a knife, carefully pushing this device into the walls of the container. It will be necessary to take out the flower very carefully. After this, it is advisable to place the plants in a basin of water. Usually in half an hour, the substrate soaks well, after which you can move the roots and untangle them. This will need to be done very carefully so as not to injure the plants. The root system is disassembled right in the water, when the liquid becomes too dirty, change it to clean water. And when you completely clear the root system of old planting material, carefully examine the roots. Sick, injured and deformed areas should be trimmed. If you notice rotten parts of the roots, then they will also need to be removed, and in the future, water the plant less intensively. Do not forget to sprinkle crushed coal and cinnamon on the wounds. But antiseptics containing alcohol should not be used. After this, it is advisable to dry the plants by placing the root system on a cotton cloth. After a while, you can start dividing the bush.Do not forget that each new plant must have an active bud, live roots and at least 3 pseudobulbs. The tool with which you will divide the bush will first need to be disinfected, possibly with alcohol. If you do not do this, then you can completely infect the plants with any kind of infection; after the cut, it will also be necessary to sprinkle it with crushed coal or cinnamon. In the future, new plants can be planted in new containers, follow the rules that we described earlier, always divide the bush very carefully and carefully, and always transplant it into a new good substrate with the addition of tree bark, sphagnum. And don't forget the drainage layer.

Cattleya varieties

As you understand, Cattleya has its own varieties, it is important to note that all subspecies and varieties are equally beautiful, therefore each of them has its own personality, stunning decorativeness and beautiful appearance of flowers. Currently, there are over 1000 varieties of these spectacular plants. Breeders annually work on new varieties and species, in our article we will tell you about the most popular species, perhaps you will like many varieties, and you will definitely plant these amazing plants on your windowsill.

Well, to begin with, the first variety we want to introduce you to is the two-color cattleya. From the name it is clear, the petals of its flowers have an unusual color, they are reddish brown, purple, along the edges of the leaves are painted in light shades. This variety blooms in autumn and winter. The plant reaches a height of 60 cm.

Bowringa is an orchid with amazing purple-pink flowers, each leaf has yellow spots, small bushes are small in height, but this cattleya also blooms in the autumn-winter period.

Triana has delicately pink flowers, the bush grows to a height of 50 cm, the lip of the petals of this flower is painted in a rich crimson color, and at the edges it is white. The culture usually blooms either in winter or in spring.

Forbeza is also considered an equally attractive plant, these bushes are truly miniature, the orchid grows no more than 20 cm in height.The flowers are olive-colored, small in diameter, a whitish pinkish bloom can be seen on the lip of the flowers. The plant blooms in summer and autumn.

In fact, there are a lot of varieties of orchids, and you will definitely find the one that suits you. Despite the fact that the plants are considered quite whimsical, these bushes will certainly delight you, it is not for nothing that flower growers around the world are so anxious about these beautiful flowers.