Cattleya Orchids

Cattleyas are one of the most flamboyant, beautiful orchids. Today, cattleya hybrids are usually intergeneric plants created from several different genuses, which is why one often sees plant abbreviations such as Lc, Slc, Blc, and Pot. Cattleyas are more challenging to grow than phalaenopsis. The trick is to give them ENOUGH light without sunburning them. That means you need to provide strong filtered sunlight or some direct sunlight during parts of the day. I have had success growing them in a west-facing windowsill, provided that ample ventilation is given so that the windowsill does not overheat. The blooms do not last long, 2.5 weeks at the most, but the spectacular blooms are totally worth it. Cattleyas prefer warm temperatures in the 70s-80s during the day, and 60s-70s during the night. In addition, cattleya likes to be watered heavily, but the medium MUST be completely dry between each watering.

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