Growing Cattleyas. Cattleya care at home, watering, transplanting, reproduction

The herbaceous plant Cattleya is a perennial, it belongs to the Orchidaceae family and is related to the genus Laelia. The Cattleya genus includes approximately 40 species, among which there are both lithophytes (plants that grow on rocks) and epiphytes (growing on other plants).

This plant is one of the most spectacular orchids. It appeared in Europe in the nineteenth century and almost immediately fell in love with a huge number of flower growers. Cattleya was named after William Catley, who was a plant importer and gardener who was able to grow this orchid in his own greenhouse. This plant differs from other orchids in that it has a lip of a very unusual shape, while it and the flower itself are painted in contrasting colors. A blooming orchid looks simply excellent; it happens that about 10 flowers bloom on an adult bush. They can be painted in a variety of shades: from dark purple (almost black) to snow-white. The flowers smell simply magical. They can smell like lily of the valley or lily, and some species and varieties have an excellent, incomparable aroma.

1. Bloom. The Cattleya plant is a beautiful flowering plant.
2. Illumination. The flower needs direct sun rays before noon and after 16 hours. From May to August, the orchid is placed on a south-facing window sill (shaded from midday), and from August to May - on a window facing south-west or east.
3. Temperature. Grows well at temperatures typical for a living room. When preparing a bush for flowering, you need a difference between night and day temperatures of 5–7 degrees.
4. . During the growing season, the orchid is watered as the substrate in the pot dries. Do not allow drops of water to fall on the bush. During the dormant period, watering should be less frequent, but switch to moistening the surface of the substrate with a spray bottle. As soon as the peduncle appears, watering should be resumed.
5. Air humidity. The flower is systematically moistened with a sprayer and given a warm shower from time to time.
6. Fertilizer. Cattleya needs to be fed while the pseudobulbs are growing, after which the plant is no longer fertilized. Fertilizers begin to be added to the substrate again after the appearance of the peduncle. Use complex mineral fertilizer for orchids.
7. Rest period. As a rule, in autumn or winter after the bush has faded. During this period, it is not fed, but instead of watering, the surface of the substrate is sprayed. The flower needs bright light, and the daylight hours should be long (it is recommended to install additional artificial lighting).
8. Transfer. Most often, the bush is replanted if the soil mixture in the pot turns sour and cakes. The flower tolerates transplantation extremely poorly.
9. Reproduction. By shoots and division of the bush.
10. Harmful insects. Aphids, spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs and whiteflies.
11. Diseases. Gray rot, bacterial spot, black rot and powdery mildew.

If you decide to decorate your home with cattleya, then you need to take into account that it requires good care and special growing conditions. Many flower growers complain that this orchid does not bloom, and among them there are both beginners and those who have been growing flowers for several years. This is due to the fact that flowers appear only on an adult, healthy and strong bush that has enough strength to bloom. If you wish, you can check whether it is worth expecting that your orchid will begin to bloom in the near future. The bush will bloom this season if:

• you purchased a whole bush with living roots, which already has flowers;
• the bush or division has at least four bulbs and living roots, and there must be some trace of the fact that the plant already had flowers.

In other cases, cattleya may or may not bloom in the current season. In order for a flower to develop and grow within normal limits, you need to pay attention to 4 conditions:

• direct sunlight is required;
• it is important to feed and water it correctly;
• when preparing a bush for flowering, be sure to provide it with a difference in night and day temperatures within 5–7 degrees;
• During the dormant period, the plant needs to be provided with optimal conditions.

When growing cattleya, you need to remember that it requires strict adherence to agrotechnical crop rules.

Illumination

The plant needs a lot of bright light, so it is recommended to place it on a window facing east or southwest. A south window is also suitable, but in the hottest days the flower must be shaded. You can understand that it has enough light by the color of the foliage: the yellowish color of the leaves indicates excessively intense lighting, and if they are dark green, this means they do not have enough light. In normal lighting, the foliage color should be simply green.

Temperature

This orchid grows and develops normally at normal room temperature. When preparing the plant for flowering, ensure a difference between moderate nighttime and warm daytime temperatures of 5–7 degrees (at this time of year, such differences are observed in natural conditions).

Air humidity

Cattleya is undemanding to air humidity levels. However, in the spring and summer, it is recommended to place its pot on a tray filled with water, into which it will lower its aerial roots.

Water the flower as the substrate in the pot dries, making sure that the liquid does not fall on the surface of the foliage. With the onset of the dormant period, watering is first gradually reduced, and then instead the surface of the substrate in the container is moistened with a spray bottle. After the peduncle begins to grow, the flower begins to be watered regularly again.

On hot days, the bush itself and the surface of the substrate can be moistened with a spray bottle; for this purpose, distilled, rain or well-settled water is used. This procedure will help not only increase the humidity level, but also reduce the temperature. It is also recommended to give the flower a warm shower once every 30 days, and to clean the substrate in the pot, it is spilled with ordinary clean water.

When watering the bush in the autumn-winter period, be extremely careful. If water suddenly gets on the above-ground part of the bush, then carefully wipe this place dry, otherwise dark spots may form on the flower. If the liquid gets into the center of growth, it will lead to the development of rot on the roots and the flower will die.

Such an orchid reacts extremely negatively to transplantation, but sometimes it is still necessary to carry out this procedure. Even if it is very carefully transferred to a new container, it will still take a very long time to recover.

As a rule, a flower has to be replanted when the substrate becomes unusable, or rather, oxidizes and becomes very compacted. In this case, after the young shoots reach a length of 20–30 mm, the bush is transplanted. But before you start replanting your Cattleya, consider whether you will be dividing it. You can use any container for planting, but most often gardeners choose translucent plastic pots that do not absorb light. However, the orchid grows best in a clay pot that is not covered with glaze. The composition of a suitable substrate should include fine and medium fractions of tree bark and sphagnum. Before transplanting, the bark is filled with water for 2 days. After which the liquid is drained and the bark is washed with running water.

At the bottom of the planting container, make a drainage layer 20 mm thick, which should consist of expanded clay or pebbles. It is covered with pieces of polystyrene foam and medium-fraction bark, then place the flower in the container and sprinkle its roots with finer bark. If the room where the flower will stand does not have very high air humidity, then you need to pour a small amount of perlite into the substrate, which absorbs moisture and retains it.

Top dressing

It is necessary to feed the flower during the active growth of pseudobulbs. After they stop growing, fertilizing the substrate is stopped. They begin to feed the bush again when it has a peduncle, and after the start of flowering, feeding is stopped again. A suitable fertilizer must contain potassium and phosphorus, and the dosage used is the minimum indicated on the package.

Cattleya is propagated by dividing the bush, which is carried out together with transplanting the plant into a fresh substrate (once every 3 or 4 years). It is best to divide the flower shortly before the young roots appear.

First of all, remove the bush from the container, but keep in mind that this is quite difficult to do. If the cattleya grows in a plastic pot, then first remember and squeeze it from the sides, and then try to remove the plant. And if the pot is made of clay, then very carefully insert a knife between the substrate and the pot and move the bush with it to pull the roots out of the container.

Place the orchid roots in a basin and fill it with water. After about 30 min. the substrate should get wet, after which try to carefully stir and disassemble the roots, keep in mind that as a result of your actions they should not be injured. It is recommended to disassemble the roots directly in water, and when it becomes dirty, it must be replaced with clean water. After the roots are almost completely cleared of the substrate, they need to be inspected and all injured, dead, dry and rotten areas should be cut out. If young sprouts already have rotten roots, this indicates that watering is too abundant. Sprinkle the cut areas with cinnamon or charcoal powder; you cannot use antiseptics containing alcohol for this. After such treatment, the root system must be dried very well in a warm place.

Only when the root system dries out can you begin to divide the bush. Please note that each division must have a living bud and at least three pseudobulbs, as well as living roots. To separate the plant, a very sharp instrument, previously disinfected with alcohol or fire, is used. If it is dirty, this may cause the bush to become infected with a bacterial or viral disease. Sprinkle all cut areas with cinnamon or charcoal powder. Plant the divisions in separate pots in the same way as the bush itself when transplanting (see above).

Cattleya varieties with photos and names

Cattleya is a very spectacular plant that can decorate any room. At the same time, both those varieties and species that were born thanks to breeders, as well as natural ones, are very beautiful. Today, there are more than 1 thousand different varieties of Cattleya; those that are most popular among gardeners will be described below:

Cattleya bicolor

The height of the plant varies from 0.3 to 0.6 m, while the flowers reach about 10 centimeters in diameter. The flowers are painted in a reddish-brown color, the lip is purple with an edge of a lighter shade. Flowering is observed in autumn and winter.

Cattleya bowringiana

The bush has a height of about 0.7 m, and the flower reaches up to 70 mm in diameter. It is colored purple-pink, with a yellow spot on the purple lip. Blooms in autumn and winter.

Cattleya trianaei

The height of the bush is approximately 0.5 m, and the diameter of the flower is about 20 centimeters. The flowers are painted in a pinkish-white shade, while the rich crimson lip has a white border. Flowering begins in winter or spring.

Cattleya forbesii

This miniature plant reaches a height of only 10 to 20 centimeters. Olive flowers have a diameter of about 10 centimeters, the lip is white with a pinkish coating. Blooms in summer-autumn.

Cattleya is a perennial flowering plant of the Orchid family; its size can reach from several centimeters to one meter.

Habitat: countries of Central and South America, Asia, that is, places with a tropical or subtropical climate, as well as plains, forests, savannah, open and rocky terrain.

Many people talk about her as a queen: she has a wide palette of colors, a delicate aroma, an unusual flower shape in the form of a lip in the middle and several petals.

There are 2 types of leaves: unifoliate and bifoliate, that is, with the appearance of a new pseudobulb, 1 or 2 leaves will grow. Usually no more than 5 flowers bloom on a plant, but sometimes more; Flowering lasts about 4 weeks.

There are about 40 species of cattleya orchids in the world., but geneticists and breeders are still developing new varieties. They have a wonderful smell and large flowers, and are much easier to adapt to apartment conditions. Examples of breeding crops: astilbe cattleya and others.

How to determine the type of cattleya?

To determine the species, you need to be a fairly knowledgeable gardener in colors, trunk height and flower diameters (they range from 7 to 25 cm).

When purchasing, you need to be careful and follow the rules:

1. Determining the age of an orchid. Young or weakened by disease plants may not bloom due to lack/excess of sunlight, low/high temperature, lack of nutrients, minerals and other criteria. Therefore, if the gardener is not very patient, it is best to buy an adult cattleya during the flowering period or immediately after it. The leaves should be a rich green color without yellow spots.
2. Checking the stem for the absence of any ulcers, diseases, rotten spots, or pests. You should not take a plant whose leaves are rotting from the stem.
3. Inspection of the peduncle. The peduncle should not be in the place of growth: such a plant no longer grows and only produces children.
4. Inspection of roots. If some part of the roots has died, then there is nothing to worry about. Cattleya roots will develop as the plant grows.
5. General view in which the structure of the Cattleya looks harmonious.

Please note that the period of plant activity is conventionally divided into two types:

1. Spring-blooming Cattleyas. Lianas of this type have a longer dormant period before and after flowering.
2. Autumn-blooming Cattleyas. Plants have a fairly short dormant time and can easily bloom twice a year.

Care and maintenance

Location and lighting

Cattleya orchid is photophilous, prefers windows facing south or west. But in the summer months it is important to shade the plant, otherwise the crop may overheat or get burned.

In winter, phytolamps should be used 12–14 hours a day to provide sufficient light.

Room temperature

It all depends on the type of cattleya orchid: for some, 12 °C in winter (dormant period) and no more than 25 °C in summer will be enough, while others need higher temperatures from 15–17 °C in winter and up to about 22–26 °C ( up to a maximum of 30 °C) in the summer months. For healthy growth and the active flowering phase, the differences between day and night temperatures should be no more than 8 °C.

Required humidity at home

Cattleya is a moisture-loving plant, therefore, the humidity should be 60–80% regardless of the time of year, but in winter the humidity coefficient is automatically reduced to 50–55% in heated rooms. This can negatively affect the condition of the orchid.

Advice! It is better to find a cool and shady place for the plant than to increase the humidity in the room!

Maintaining high humidity in a room is almost impossible, so if there are no suitable places, there are several effective humidification options:

Carefully! High humidity and lack of ventilation can have a bad effect on the health of the orchid!

Watering Cattleya

Growing the crop should be the most comfortable, the conditions are as close as possible to natural ones: the orchid should be watered with distilled or rain water in the afternoon 2-3 times a week until the soil completely dries out (in the regions where it lives, rain falls precisely at this part of the day). It is important to understand that if you overwater, the orchid may die!

Moisturize by spraying in the morning and evening, based on the hours of dew falling in nature. In winter, the soil is kept almost dry, since this is a dormant period.

When watering, water should not fall on the upper part of the plant, because this can lead to rotting of the trunk, roots, dark spots on the leaves, and subsequently provokes the death of the crop.

Feeding with fertilizers

Fertilize the vine once a month along with watering; use a standard composition for orchids with low concentrations of phosphorus and potassium.

It is worth enriching the plant when the pseudobulbs begin to grow, gradually stop, and after the appearance of the peduncle, repeat feeding.

Advice! Apply fertilizer before the flower stalk appears, as this stimulates the appearance of more flowers and affects their size and splendor.

Soil for Cattleya

You can use either regular soil for orchids, which is sold in a flower shop, or you can make it yourself. For it you will need:

• peat (10%);
• expanded clay (15–20%);
• polystyrene foam (15–20%);
• conifer bark (50%);
• charcoal per fraction (5%).

Other variations of homemade substrate are possible: using sphagnum moss, fern roots, coconut fibers. It is advisable to soak tree bark in water for several days. and then rinse. This will reduce acidity and help the plant absorb iron and other beneficial substances more easily. Otherwise, the leaves will begin to turn yellow and fall off.

Cattleya flowering

Cattleya blooms only under favorable conditions, so differences in night and day temperatures of no more than 8 ° C, high humidity, soil suitable for epiphytes, bright light and proper watering are mandatory conditions.

Why doesn't cattleya bloom?

It is obvious that the conditions of detention do not meet the mandatory criteria. In this case, you need to carefully study and check everything.

Time after flowering

Now comes the plant's rest period. Watering is reduced, fertilizing is stopped, that is, all conditions for growth are eliminated. Cattleya's hibernation begins.

Transfer

The culture tolerates transplantation extremely negatively. Even if you do everything very carefully, it will take a long time to recover.

But every 2 years at the beginning of the growing season you will have to do this, since the soil oxidizes. For replanting, choose a cramped clay pot without gloss, or a transparent (glass or plastic) vessel with holes that can allow sunlight and air to pass through. Ceramics are preferable.

Advice! It is advisable to use a support, as the plant should stand level and not bending. There is a risk that the barrel will not withstand the load and will break.

Orchid propagation methods

Reproduction by dividing the bush

This "event" is held once every 4 years along with transplantation. If you used a clay or glass pot, carefully run a knife between the walls and the soil, pull the plant out of the vessel and place it in water for about half an hour to soak the substrate. If you used a transparent plastic pot, you can dent the walls, making the soil more elastic. The roots are cleared of the substrate, unraveled, and dried in a warm place.

Dried dead roots are cut off, the rest are divided into parts with at least 3 pseudobulbs and at least one living bud.

Important! Sterilize the instrument you use with fire or alcohol to prevent bacterial or viral contamination.

The cut site should be sprinkled with coal dust or ground cinnamon for faster healing.

Reproduction by children

The baby is formed on the plant due to the accumulation of hormones in the peduncle. After 6 months it will become stronger and ready for independent growth, and after 2 years it will be able to bloom. Cut about 2–3 cm from the peduncle on both sides.

Watch the video to see how simply and easily you can propagate an orchid by children..

Errors in care, diseases and pests

Errors

Lack or excess of light(we are looking for a suitable place on the south or west window).

1. Inconsistency with temperature conditions(in summer – 22…30 °C, in winter – 12…17 °C, temperature difference between day and night – 5…8 °C).
2. Incorrectly formulated substrate. Cattleya orchid is an epiphytic plant; the substrate should contain coniferous bark.
3. Too much or insufficient watering of the plant. An excess of water causes rotting of the roots, and a lack of water causes drying out.

Possible plant diseases

• powdery mildew;
• gray rot;
• spotting due to bacterial infection;
• black rot.

Watch the video on how to identify orchid disease and treat it.

Insect pests affecting cattleya

• mealyworms;
• whiteflies;
• spider mites;
• Scale insects.

It's quite easy to treat ( purchasing necessary medications at a flower shop), but it is better, if possible, to protect the plant from diseases and pests.

Popular types

List of species of cattleyas that are most often found at flower markets and their photos

Cattleya Dinard

It has light blue petals and sepals and a bright purple corrugated lip, the throat of the flower is yellow, and has a pronounced pleasant smell. Blooms in both autumn and spring.

Cattleya Aclanda

It has snow-white petals with dark purple spots and green sepals, the throat is yellowish-wheat in color, the diameter of the flower is 10 cm. It blooms in the summer and autumn months. It is important to create a moderate, constant temperature.

Cattleya Mix

It has a bright pink color, a height of approximately 10 to 50 cm, a flower diameter of 12 cm. Flowering occurs in the autumn months; Liana loves warmth and moisture.

Cattleya Maxima

It has several subspecies, but all are characterized by warm colors. The flower is bright purple or white, with a yellow center. The pseudobulbs are unifoliate, the leaves are long (15–25 cm). The peduncle, surprisingly, can produce up to 10 flowers at a time. The smell is weak, pleasant.

A bifoliate plant with pink-lavender flowers and a dark purple lip. The flowers themselves are quite small, only 5 cm in diameter, but the peduncles are 25 cm in length and bear from 5 to 25 flowers.

Forbes Cattleya, C. forbesii

It has small flowers (5-7 cm) of purple or pink color with a velvety dark purple lip and trunks 35 cm high. The orchid blooms in the fall.

Giant Cattleya or Warszewicz, C. warscewiczi

A large-flowered liana with a wavy, monochromatic, dark purple lip, flower diameter is about 25 cm, in the middle there are two yellow spots. Large single-leaved pseudobulbs, light green leaves. The plant has many clones, which are much easier to care for, which cannot be said about the original. Flowering continues for 2 weeks around the end of spring.

Cattleya lipped, C. labiata

It has light pink or dark purple flowers, the diameter of which ranges from 12 to 18 cm. The lip is quite large (7–8 cm), of an intense pink-purple color. Pseudobulbs are wrinkled, club-shaped, from 7 to 25 cm in length. Flowering begins in late summer and lasts 3–4 weeks.

Cattleya hybrid, C. hybrida

It has a pleasant smell; the flower petals are usually larger than the sepals. Bifoliate pseudobulbs have 2 to 3 internodes, the leaves are wide, leathery or fleshy.

There are other examples of hybrid orchids: Cattleya crystelle smith, Cattleya spanish eyes, Cattleya sea breeze and many others.

In nature, there are about 100 species of this plant. Their homeland is South and Central America, where they are found at altitudes from 0 to 3,000 meters above sea level. Cattleya- sympodial, consisting of pseudobulbs with one, two or three leaves in the upper part.

Cattleya development cycle

The annual development cycle of cattleyas depends on the alternation of wet and dry periods. Cattleya develops according to this pattern:

New growth (beginning of growing season)

In species Cattleyas it begins in the spring. Many hybrids may produce growth several times throughout the year. At the base of the pseudobulbs, new young shoots appear that emerge from certain buds. There can be up to three such buds. They are hidden by scales and are not visible until they swell. The scales protect the kidneys from damage and drying out. In spring, the most active and healthy kidney wakes up. If something happens to her, others become active and grow.

Maturation of shoots and formation of pseudobulbs

At this time the growth should have developed well and become a pseudobulb. Therefore, this development time is very important. At this time, flower buds awaken.

Rest period

With a reduction in lighting, the established growth stops growing roots and green mass. This also coincides with a period of reduced precipitation. Metabolism decreases, and the orchid “falls asleep.”

Flowering period

Flowering in species cattleyas occurs after the ripening of the pseudobulbs, before or after the dormant period.

Cattleya care

Lighting. Cattleyas require bright lighting. Cattleya species have their own lighting nuances, depending on the species. For hybrid cattleyas, a south window (southwest or southeast) is preferred. But in early spring and summer you need to protect the orchid from burns (shade it from very bright sun). And do not leave the orchid in a very dry substrate in bright sun. The higher the air temperature, the higher the humidity should be. That is, increase watering in summer. If we want to see Cattleya bloom, we need to provide good lighting in the autumn-winter period. For this you need phytolamps. If there is not enough lighting, the plants will not develop properly. As a result, there will be problems with flowering.

If an orchid begins to acquire a yellowish tint in spring or summer, or burns appear on its leaves, then the plant must be shaded. And you need to understand that the behavior of a seedling and an adult plant in bright direct sun may be different. In addition, do not expose a newly transplanted or disease-weakened plant to direct sun.
And most importantly, in winter the cattleya needs bright lighting! But daylight hours are shorter in winter. In summer 16-18 hours, in winter 8-10 hours.

Substrate. Cattleyas are grown in plastic or clay pots. Miniatures can be grown on blocks in high humidity conditions. The block can be a piece of bark (pine or balsa wood), triphern or artificial material (epiweb).

Pine bark is used as a substrate for growing cattleyas in pots. With various additions (expanded clay, polystyrene foam, moss, charcoal, coconut chips). Each collector uses the substrate to which he is accustomed. And in which his cattleyas successfully grow. It also depends on the conditions in which his orchids grow. Many people grow cattleyas in clay pots surrounded by moss.

Watering. The frequency of watering depends on the lighting and temperature. The higher they are, the more often you water. During the dormant period, watering is significantly reduced. At this time, the temperature should be significantly lower. For irrigation, it is better to use soft, settled, filtered, lukewarm water. The substrate should dry completely between waterings.

Top dressing. The orchid should be fed only during active growth, every third or fourth watering, with a special fertilizer for orchids. If you feed your orchid more often, the roots may turn black and dry out. There is a basic rule for all orchids - it is better to underfeed than to overfeed.

Temperature. Optimal temperatures for the growth of cattleyas in apartments on window sills: day 24-35 °C, night 16-24 °C.

Cattleyas blooming

It is impossible to accurately determine the flowering time of Cattleyas. For some plants it is winter, for others it is summer, and some are able to bloom 2-3 times a year. Flowers last from 2 to 4 weeks. The larger the flowers, the shorter the flowering period. After flowering, the peduncle is cut off, if necessary, the orchid is replanted and not watered for some time. This is necessary for the adaptation of the plant and to prevent rotting of wounds on the roots resulting from transplantation.

Sometimes the peduncles cannot break the sheath on their own and begin to bend inside it, so it is recommended in advance (as soon as the dark seal is visible in the light) to cut the tops of the sheaths by a quarter, thereby clearing the way for the peduncle. But only trim the cover when you see that there is some movement in it.
The group of cattleyas is very large. And there are a large number of interspecific hybrids that develop a flower bud in parallel with the development of new growth. These are mainly cattleyas that do not form sheaths.

The orchid is exposed to a certain “amount” of sunlight, and new, young shoots appear at the base of its pseudobulbs. In order for them to develop normally, the plant needs good light, regular watering and a sufficient decrease in night temperatures. The night temperature should always be less than +24 °C, ideally 16 -18 °C. Cattleyas of this group do not bloom in the autumn-winter period most often because they do not have enough lighting. As new growth develops further, the leaves will open and flower stalks will appear. If they did not appear, then either there was not enough lighting, or it was too hot at night. A small percentage of cattleyas of this group can form sheaths, or sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. Their behavior algorithm is very similar: as a rule, as the leaves open, the flower stalks in the sheaths are already visible or will appear within a couple of weeks after the leaves have fully opened.

And the largest group is the cattleyas, the development of the flower buds of which occurs after the formation of new pseudobulbs. They manage to bloom before the dormant period, but there are also those that bloom after or during dormancy.

Cattleya appeared at home in the middle of the 18th century. The first plant brought to Europe bloomed in a greenhouse in the English town of Barnet in 1818 thanks to the efforts of W. Cattleya, a great connoisseur of tropical flora. Subsequently, D. Lindley, who first described the genus, which today consists of more than 180 species, named it in honor of a gardener and florist from a London suburb.

Graceful representatives of the Orchid family grow naturally in various climatic conditions of Central and South America - in the humid Amazonian jungle on tree trunks in the shade of their crowns, on dry mountain slopes under the influence of direct sunlight.

Cattleya is a universally recognized standard of beauty among orchids. In nature, it reaches sizes from 30 cm to one and a half meters. In indoor culture, it does not exceed 30–45 cm. It forms many aerial roots. The flowering of cattleya, like a spectacular show, amazes with the sophistication of its forms, richness of shades and stunning aroma, superior to the smell of lilies and lilies of the valley combined.

Like a plant, cattleya develops thick stems - pseudobulbs with 2–3 internodes. Every year, a young shoot appears at the base of an adult shoot from previous years. Each pseudobulb, depending on the type, forms 1 or 2 leathery or fleshy leaves of a rich green color.

Depending on the time of flowering, there are autumn-blooming cattleyas and those with spring bud formation. Orchid blooming is a real holiday! The peduncle appears from the leaf axil, rolled up like a little bag into a cover of integumentary leaves; at the top it bears one or several large fragrant flowers in a racemose inflorescence. Their colors are different - from snow-white, light purple and pale pink to sunny yellow, crimson, greenish, deep purple, maybe just blue and black.

The corolla consists of three sepals and three petals, brightly and equally colored. The middle petal is modified into a lip, funnel-shaped or tubular, the edges of which are curled outward and, in most cattleyas, ruffled. The shade of the lip is usually darker than the petals, or a contrasting color, sometimes decorated with various patterns of spots and strokes, the throat is usually yellow. The Cattleya fruit is a capsule with microscopic seeds.

Cattleya orchid

Planting Cattleya: suitable container and substrate composition

The orchid reacts painfully to even transferring it along with the substrate into a larger pot, and does not show signs of active growth for a long time. As with many epiphytic plants, cattleyas choose a translucent flower container with holes in the side walls and bottom. The signal for transplanting cattleya is the state of the substrate: its oxidation or compaction. The right time for replanting is the beginning of vegetative growth, which can be easily determined by new shoots that have reached 2–3 cm.

Main components for composing the substrate:

• pine bark of small and medium fraction;
• sphagnum moss.

On the eve of planting, the bark is soaked in boiled water for two days, then the water is completely drained. A drainage layer of gravel or expanded clay 2 cm thick is laid at the bottom, followed by larger pieces of bark. In case of dry air in the room, add a little foam to the substrate to retain moisture. Cattleya roots are placed in a flower container and sprinkled with small pieces of bark. Sometimes a little charcoal is added. The top is mulched with moss.

Cattleya orchid requiring replanting

Grooming a beauty queen

The cattleya orchid, caring for which at home requires experience in growing capricious plants, awaits the constant care of an orchid grower. Of no small importance for the successful cultivation of queen orchids is the main location of the flower. It is advisable to install a container with cattleya on windowsills facing southwest, east and south. Windows facing south are shaded with a tulle curtain or blinds in the hottest sunshine.

In the warm season, when night air temperatures no longer fall below 10 degrees above zero, cattleyas are taken out to a glassed-in balcony with the possibility of good air exchange. The plant does not tolerate drafts and reacts negatively to the proximity of an air conditioner.

Lighting is a necessary factor for flowering

Direct sunlight is extremely important for cattleyas. Of course, in scorching heat, the orchid should be protected from sunburn. Its leaves themselves will tell you whether the plant has enough lighting: light green with yellowness indicates an excess of light, a dark green tint indicates that there is not enough lighting, and finally, a rich, juicy emerald color indicates that the queen of orchids is happy with everything.

Comfortable temperature conditions

Growing cattleya is quite feasible in the microclimate of an ordinary apartment. In summer, the plant develops well when the thermometer in the room where the cattleya is located is within 22–30 degrees above zero.

Attention! When preparing an orchid for flowering, a difference in night and day temperatures of 5–7 degrees is necessary, otherwise the formation of buds will not occur.

Midwinter is a dormant time for most orchids, both autumn and spring bloomers. During this period, it is advisable to maintain the ambient air temperature below summer temperature, but not below 13 degrees.

Watering and air humidity

Cattleya is a moisture-loving plant, but compliance with the measure is important when organizing the irrigation regime. In summer, in hot weather, the plant is watered more often - up to a couple of times during the week. Soldering is effective at this time, that is, immersing the flower container in a vessel with water for 5–15 minutes.

However, if a cold snap occurs in the middle of summer with a drop in daytime air temperature to 15–18 degrees, and at night to 12–13 degrees, the frequency of moistening and the volume of irrigation water are reduced so as not to provoke putrefactive processes in the root system. A Cattleya without roots is subject to resuscitation, and this undertaking is extremely lengthy and troublesome.

Carefully ensure that the stream during watering does not get inside the growing point or cover - these are the organs of the plant that are most vulnerable to various types of rot.

Advice! Does Cattleya need drying? Flower growers with experience in growing orchids are sure that it is necessary: ​​between successive moistenings, the substrate should be allowed to dry in order to reduce the risk of rotting of the root system.

Dry air has a bad effect on the development of Cattleya. The optimal environmental humidity for a flower is 60%, achieved by spraying during the active growing season up to 2 times a day at high air temperatures. It is undesirable for wet drops to fall on the peduncle, pseudobulb and sheath; for Cattleya, it is preferable not even to spray, but to pollinate - creating a wet cloud.

During rest, cattleya is watered once every 2 weeks. Active watering is resumed with the appearance of a peduncle or new growth in the sheath.

During the cold period, air humidity is regulated by placing sources of moisture next to the orchid, however, at low temperatures, the high moisture content in the air initiates rot damage to the plant.

Fertilizer application

Cattleya is fertilized once a week during the active growing season; during rest, the plant is not fertilized. They use specialized fertilizers for orchids, using them in a concentration halved from that indicated by the manufacturer on the label.

When preparing an orchid for flowering, preference is given to fertilizers containing higher amounts of phosphorus and potassium. added to irrigation water in small quantities for cattleyas starting to grow after rest.

Cattleya care during the dormant period

For different types of cattleyas, the time when the plant stops actively developing occurs in different months of the year. Plants that bloom in fall or December rest immediately after flowering until the first spring growth appears. Cattleya, which blooms in the last month of winter or at the beginning of spring, goes to rest after the end of the formation of the pseudobulb of the current season, approximately in mid-autumn before flowering begins.

The main task of an orchid grower during dormancy is to prevent direct sunlight from falling on the sleeping plant, which can cause the onset of growth. A Cattleya that wakes up at the wrong time will refuse to bloom and will confuse its entire life cycle. During the rest period, the orchid is moved to a cool, bright corner of the apartment, any feeding is stopped and it is moistened a couple of times a month, or even less often, but the condition of the pseudobulbs is monitored to prevent them from shrinking.

Cattleya and caring for it at home, no matter how labor-intensive it may be, rewards the gardener with more than the effort expended - spectacular flowering and incredible aesthetic pleasure.

Reproduction of Cattleya

At home, cattleya is propagated in only one way - by dividing the rhizome. carried out only in greenhouses or conservatories by experienced specialists in compliance with the necessary sterility.

As a rule, breeding Cattleya is combined with. The most appropriate time for such activities is before the formation of new roots in the spring.

The plant is removed from the flower container and placed in a vessel with warm water so that the roots soften and are saturated with moisture - this makes them easier to untangle. It is important at this moment to take a good look at the rhizome in order to detect rotten and dead roots - they should be removed with disinfected scissors or pruners, then dry the roots.

Next, you should decide on the location of the cutting of the rhizome, which must be divided in such a way that on each resulting new independent plant there remain at least 2-3 pseudobulbs with a sufficient number of living roots. The cut areas must be treated with charcoal powder, but not with an alcohol-containing antiseptic. The cuttings are planted following the basic rules for replanting a Cattleya orchid.

Reproduction of cattleya orchid by division of rhizomes

Errors in care, diseases and pests of cattleyas

The main problems in growing cattleya are related to the lack of flowering. It’s a shame and a shame to invest all your soul in caring for the queen of orchids and not receive beautiful flowers.

Necessary conditions for the appearance of flower stalks in Cattleya:

• direct sunlight, at least several hours a day;
• correct mode and timely;
• temperature difference during the day is at least 7 degrees during the growth period, i.e. in the summer months;
• proper care for Cattleya during rest, usually in winter.

Cattleya case with peduncle

Possible Cattleya diseases

• Black rot is a fungus that attacks the roots and base of the pseudobulb. In the case of rotting of some roots, it is advisable to remove the damaged areas - in this case, resuscitation of the cattleya is possible.
• Brown rot caused by bacteria.
• Gray rot, its causative agent is a mold fungus, especially affects the white-flowered Cattleya hybrid.
• Anthracnose is a fungal disease that appears on leaf blades and pseudobulbs.
• Rust is the first sign of chlorosis of the leaves. The causative agents are fungi that came with planting material from Cuba. Diseased orchids are destroyed.
• Cattleya mosaic - characteristic small spots and deformation are observed on the petals and leaves.

More information about orchid diseases can be found in the following

Cattleya orchid is one of the most popular plants of the Orchid family. Even gardeners who do not have sufficient experience can grow it without much difficulty.. The main thing when caring for this species is a sufficient amount of light and heat.

Cattleya is one of the most beautiful types of orchids. The flowers have different sizes, from very small to large, and their colors vary from white to dark purple. They also have a so-called “lip”, which differs in color from the petals of a flower. Very often this species is distinguished by its incredible aroma.

Externally, orchids are long pseudobulbs thickened in the central part of the plant over 15 cm. The leaves of this flower are large, reaching a length of 30 cm.

Due to the different number of leaves, this orchid is divided into two types: unifoliate and bifoliate.

You can buy in flower shops hybrid Cattleyas, which are conventionally divided into spring and autumn. This division depends on the flowering time of the plant. Also, hybrid orchid species are more suitable for home cultivation.

Cattleya is native to South and Central America. It was first discovered by Europeans in the early 19th century and quickly gained popularity. There are about 65 species of this species in the habitat.. It is classified as epiphytic, since it mainly grows on the surfaces of trees, and is sometimes found in mountainous areas.

Caring for a Cattleya orchid at home

Cattleya differs from other types of orchids in its capriciousness. For proper care you need to know the Cattleya variety, since the conditions of maintenance and flowering of different species are different. But despite this, there are general rules that must be followed when growing Cattleya orchids.

Substrate selection

The standard substrate for Cattleya is pure bark without any additives. But in order to make the soil more fertile and durable, you can add additional components. They can be: sphagnum moss, charcoal or peat.

Drainage is added to the bottom of the pot; it can be crushed stone, clay shards or broken brick.

Which pot should you choose?

Transparent pots are ideal for this type of orchid. that do not absorb light. In addition, they have an attractive and stylish appearance; due to the variety of such containers, you can choose the one that suits your taste and size.

Watering

Watering the orchid is carried out when the top layer of the substrate dries. You need to ensure that the soil does not dry out completely., because this may delay flowering. Water should be used not hard, at room temperature.

The best way to water Cattleya is to immerse the pot in a container of water for 5-10 minutes.. In addition to this method, and especially in a stuffy room, you can use air humidifiers or place flowerpots on a container with wet expanded clay.

When watering, it is important to take into account the growth period of the orchid, if it's flowering period– then watering should be plentiful, during the rest period– moderate.

When watering, water should not get on the buds and peduncles; the leaves need to be washed and moistened; this is best done with special napkins for orchids.

Illumination

Like all tropical plants, orchids love bright light. Mature plants can spend several hours a day in direct sunlight, without getting burned, except at lunchtime, when the sun is especially active.

You can determine an orchid's need for light by the condition of its leaves. In normal light they are a shiny, rich green color., when overheated, they become yellow-green, and when there is not enough sun, its leaves turn dark green. In winter When natural light is insufficient, it is recommended to use artificial lighting, such as fluorescent lamps.

Temperature

Cattleya is a heat-loving plant, especially during the flowering period. Most of the year, namely from spring to autumn, the required temperature for the flower is +22...+25 degrees during the day and +17...+18 degrees at night. In winter, the room temperature should be +16-18 degrees. Some of the Cattleya varieties can tolerate lower temperatures, but not during the flowering period.

Humidity

Air humidity should be above average. Spraying with soft water at room temperature is beneficial for Cattleya.. It is better to carry out this procedure in the morning or evening, especially in the summer.

Top dressing

Feeding for Cattleya is necessary:

• During pseudobulb growth;
• When the peduncle grows.

When the orchid blooms, fertilizers are no longer used.

Fertilizers should be special for orchids, and you especially need to pay attention to their composition.

Transfer

Cattleya does not really like and does not tolerate transplantation well, but it must be done once a year. One of the main reasons for replanting is soil oxidation.

The most difficult thing you can encounter when replanting a plant is removing the flower from the pot. This can be especially problematic if the flower is already mature and the root system has grown too large. If the orchid grows in a flexible flowerpot, then you should press it down a little from different sides, and then carefully remove it. If the container is hard, you need to insert a non-sharp device, such as a knife, into the substrate and try to rotate it in the container until it separates from the walls without effort.

Cattleya orchid transplant

After removing the orchid, its roots should be cleaned of the used substrate. To make this easier, you need to place the flower in warm water for 15-20 minutes.. Then we clean the roots: holding them in the water by the pseudobulbs with one hand, with the other at the same time pushing the woven roots to opposite edges. It is advisable to change the water when washing, and can also be used to wash the roots.

If there are rotten or dry areas in the root system, they must be carefully cut off using sterile instruments and then the sections must be disinfected.

Before planting in new soil, the plant must be dried. In the summer, it is good to use a balcony or gazebo for this.

Reproduction methods

The plant reproduces by dividing the bush of an adult orchid, which has at least 8-10 bulbs. Before the propagation procedure, you need to prepare a new pot and support for the plant. The pot should not be very large, as Cattleya prefers cramped pots.

Having taken the flowerpot out of the pot along with the substrate, you need to place it for some time in a container with warm water. After this, you need to clean the roots from damaged roots and bulbs. Carefully divide the bush into parts, taking into account that at least one bud, several roots and at least three bulbs are required on one and the other part.

Orchid propagation by division

Tools used when dividing a bush must be sterilized or soaked in alcohol to prevent infections. Places of cuts should be sprinkled with coal. The last step is to plant the resulting parts in different pots.

Trimming

Cattleya does not require pruning or pruning.

Diseases and pests of the Cattleya orchid, how to fight

The Cattleya orchid can be affected by certain types of pests. Among them:

• Aphids and spider mites appear in case of high dryness of the surrounding space. In order to prevent infection by these pests, it is necessary to maintain a suitable humidity for the flower, and it can be cured with the help of insecticides.
• Shchitovka can spread from already infected flowerpots and is expressed in the form of dark marks on the leaves. Affected areas are cleaned with insecticides.

• Mealybug, like aphids, can appear from dry air. This disease manifests itself as a whitish coating on the leaves. Destroyed with insecticides or soap-alkaline solution.
• Whitefly manifests itself in the form of yellow and white spots on the leaves and leads to their death. Get rid of it by wiping with a solution of laundry soap.
• Bacterial infection occurs due to excessive watering, in which case the roots may rot.