Orchid family. Homeland South and Central America, Antilles. Probably the most famous genus of orchids. Cattlei are epiphytic plants with a pronounced aerial rhizome. There are about 70 species in nature, and various hybrids obtained by biologists from interspecies crossing, as well as crosses with orchids of a different genus, are in the thousands. There are two types of cattles. Representatives of the first group have elongated fleshy spindle-shaped, sometimes flattened bulbs with one apical leathery leaf. The peduncle emerges from the cover at the top of the new growth and bears several large fragrant flowers. Their predominant color is from pink-purple to white. There are often yellow spots on the lip.
The second group is represented by plants with long (in some species up to 1 m) cylindrical bulbs bearing two or more leathery elliptical leaves. Peduncle apical, with several medium-sized flowers. Flowers are more diverse in color than plants of the first group, and often denser in texture. Many cattleys are quite plastic plants, so when caring for them, you do not need to strive to accurately recreate the natural environment. It is important that not individual parameters are optimal, but their combinations. For example, having created a certain temperature regime, you cannot arbitrarily choose the illumination, humidity. So, if the plants are too warm in winter in low light conditions, they will be depleted - breathing will prevail over photosynthesis. Excessive watering combined with low temperature can lead to root death.
What Cattleys Dream About
Characteristics of some natural species of cattleya and their habitat:
Cattleya aclandiae |
Quite far from the coast at low altitudes, on single trees near rivers. The rainy season is from November to March. |
Bulba up to 10 cm long, leaves up to 10 cm, peduncle with 1-2 flowers. Flowers. 10 cm diameter, yellow-green with red-brown spots, white-pink lip |
Cattleya amethy stogeossa |
Quite far from the coast at low altitudes, on single trees near rivers. Rainy season - November to March |
Bulba 30-40 cm long, leaves 10-20 cm, peduncle with 10-15 flowers. Flowers 5-8 cm in diameter, light pink with dark dots |
Cattleya aurantiaca |
Mountain forests, at an altitude of 500-1600 m on trees and stones covered with a thin layer of moss |
Bulba up to 45 cm long, leaves up to 15 cm, peduncle with 10-20 flowers. Flowers with a diameter of 3 cm, orange |
Cattleya bowringiana |
Mostly on rocks in ravines along streams, in a constantly humid atmosphere |
Bulba 40-60 cm long, leaves 15-20 cm, peduncle with 10-20 flowers. Flowers with a diameter of 5-7 cm, red-purple |
Cattleya bicolor |
Mountain forest, at an altitude of about 1000 m, in cool humid conditions. No dry season |
Bulba 30-60 cm long, leaves 15-20 cm, peduncle with 1-4 flowers. Flowers about 10 cm in diameter, brown-green, purple lip |
Cattleya dormaniana |
On the hills at the foot of the Organ Mountains. In a mountain forest at an altitude of 500-1000 m, almost always on stones or decayed trees |
Bulba about 25 cm long, leaves 10-15 cm, peduncle with 1-5 flowers. Flowers 6-9 cm in diameter, olive brown, purple lip |
Cattleya dowiana |
Rainforest, high on big trees |
Bulba up to 30 cm long, leaves up to 25 cm, peduncle with 2-5 flowers. Flowers 15-20 cm in diameter, light yellow, red-purple lip |
Cattleya forbesii |
In various conditions (coastal rain forests, shrubs, dunes, coastal swamps), on trees and stones |
Bulba 10-20 cm long, leaves up to 15 cm, peduncle with 1-6 flowers. Flowers with a diameter of 10 cm, yellow-green |
Cattleya guttata |
In various conditions (coastal rain forests, shrubs, dunes, coastal swamps), on trees and stones |
Bulba 30-50 cm long, leaves 10-25 cm, peduncle with 5-30 flowers. Flowers 8-10 cm in diameter, yellow-green with red speckles, white-pink lip |
Cattleya harrisoniana |
In various conditions (coastal rain forests, shrubs, dunes, coastal swamps), on trees and stones |
Bulb 20-30 cm long, leaves -12-15 cm, peduncle with 3-5 flowers. Flowers with a diameter of 10 cm, pink-purple |
Cattleya intermedia |
In various conditions (coastal rain forests, shrubs, dunes, coastal swamps), on trees and stones |
Bulba 20-30 cm long, leaves 15 cm, peduncle with 3-7 flowers. Flowers up to 12 cm in diameter, pink-purple |
Cattleya leopoldii |
Forests of the coast, on trees |
Bulba 30-50 cm long, leaves 15-20 cm, peduncle with 10-20 flowers Flowers 6-10 cm in diameter, yellow-olive with purple specks, white-pink lip |
Cattleya labiata |
Mountain forests, at an altitude of 700-1700 m |
Bulba 15-25 cm long, leaves up to 25 cm, peduncle with 2-5 flowers. Flowers 15-18 cm in diameter, pink |
Cattleya luteola |
Rain tropical and mountain forests, at an altitude of 100-1200 m, high on trees |
Bulba 10 cm long, leaves 10-12 cm, peduncle with 3-15 flowers. Flowers 10-12 cm in diameter, yellow |
Cattleya loddigesii |
Swampy forests at low altitudes, along river banks, at a distance of 100-150 km from the coast |
Pseudobulb 20-40 cm long, leaves 15-20 cm, peduncles with 2-6 flowers. Flowers with a diameter of about 10 cm, pink |
Cattleya maxima |
In forests with dry winters, over streams on stones and trees. Constant night fogs |
Pseudobulb 10-30 cm long, leaves 25 cm, peduncles with 3-15 flowers. Flowers up to 12 cm in diameter, pink |
Cattleya nobilior |
In forests along the upper ridges of gorges at low altitudes. Pronounced dry season (5 months without precipitation), abundant dew from June to November. Plants are severely dehydrated by the time of flowering |
Pseudobulb 10-15 cm long, leaves 10-15 cm, peduncles with 1-2 flowers. Flowers up to 10 cm in diameter, pink-purple |
Cattleya prinzii |
Coastal swamps, on trees. Warm and humid all year round |
Pseudobulb 20-30 cm long, leaves 15-20 cm, peduncles with 2-5 flowers. Flowers with a diameter of 10 cm, yellow-pink-purple |
Cattleya percivaliana |
Mountain forest, at an altitude of 1000-1300 m |
Pseudobulb 15-25 cm long, leaves up to 25 cm, peduncles with 2-5 flowers. Flowers with a diameter of about 10 cm, pink-purple |
Cattleya rex |
Rain rainforest in the upper Amazon, high in the trees |
Pseudobulb 15-25 cm long, leaves up to 25 cm, peduncles with 2-4 flowers. Flowers 15-18 cm in diameter, creamy white, red-brown |
Cattleya skinneri |
Deciduous forests (dry season in November - April) at an altitude of up to 1,500 m on trees and stones, granite scree. As well as in mountain forests and cool conditions without a dry season in tall trees |
Pseudobulb 20-45 cm long, leaves 15-20 cm, peduncles with 4-12 flowers. Flowers with a diameter of about 7 cm, pink |
Cattleya schilleriana |
Forest on rocky hills, at an altitude of less than 400 m, exclusively on trees. Hot and dry - January to March |
Pseudobulb 10-12 cm long, leaves 10 cm, peduncles with 1-2 flowers. Flowers about 10 cm in diameter, brown-red-olive |
Cattleya trianaei |
Mountain forest, at an altitude of about 1000 m |
Pseudobulb 15-25 cm long, leaves 20-25 cm, peduncles with 2-5 flowers. Flowers with a diameter of 15-20 cm, pink-purple |
Cattleya velutina |
Mountain forest, at an altitude of about 1000 m, in cool humid conditions. No dry season |
Pseudobulb 30-60 cm long, leaves 15-20 cm, peduncles with 4-7 flowers. Flowers up to 12 cm in diameter, brown-orange-white |
Cattleya violacea |
Found in rain forest, more often in trees growing along streams |
Pseudobulb up to 25 cm long, leaves 10-12 cm, peduncles with 3-7 flowers. Flowers 10-12 cm in diameter, pink purple |
Cattleya walkeriana |
In mountain forests at low altitude on trees and stones along streams |
Pseudobulb 10-12 cm long, leaves 10-12 cm, peduncles with 1-2 flowers. Flowers up to 10 cm in diameter, pink-purple |
Characteristics of Cattley Habitats
Rainy rainforests - distributed mainly in the equatorial zone - are in Central and South America (Amazon, Orinoco, etc.), Africa (Congo, Niger, Zambezi river basins). They are also found on the island of Madagascar, in India, on the Malay archipelago, in Indonesia, on New Guinea and other islands of Oceania.
Dry periods in rainforests are very weak. Daily temperature fluctuations reach their maximum values and are usually 2-3 ° C more than during the rainy period. The highest temperature is observed during the rainy period. Humidity during the day is 100%, at night at least 55-65%. For epiphytic plants originating from the tropical rain forest, the following are necessary: high air humidity at a uniform temperature throughout the year and relatively low illumination; daily fluctuations in temperature and humidity.
Seasonal rainforests are characterized by the presence of one or two dry seasons throughout the year. These are partially or completely deciduous forests distributed on the Pacific coast of Central America, in Venezuela, in the east of Brazil and in Paraguay, on the West coast of India, Bengal and in many areas of Southeast Asia. Of the variety of seasonal tropical forests, two main fundamentally different types are distinguished: Dense evergreen forest - slightly drier compared to rain rainforest. With daily temperature fluctuations of 5-10 ° C. Humidity during the day is 90%, at night at least 70%.
Deciduous (savannah) forest - with rarely located groups of large trees dropping leaves during the dry season. With daily temperature fluctuations of 5-15 ° C. Humidity during the day is 90%, at night at least 65%.
For epiphytic plants originating from seasonal tropical forests, a long dormancy period is necessary, which in some plants can last 4-6 months.
Mountain rain forests are about 800 m above sea level and above. Mountain rain forests are characterized by a noticeable change in climatic conditions depending on altitude. With increasing height, there is a decrease in the size of trees and a decrease in their species diversity. The amount of precipitation with height initially rises and then decreases, while the maximum amount of precipitation falls on the middle part of the hill - this is about 1,500 m.
The temperature drops with increasing height (vertical temperature gradient from 0.4 to 0.7 ° C per 100 m). Daily temperature fluctuations are usually large, and seasonal ones are quite weak. As altitude increases, humidity increases due to cloudiness, but at the same time there is a decrease in illumination. A feature of the mountain rain forest is the constant intense movement of moist air, a noticeable decrease in night temperatures with a simultaneous increase in relative humidity; at night, abundant dew and frequent fogs.
When writing the article, materials from the book "Rare Indoor Plants," S.O. Gerasimov, I.M. Zhuravlev, A.A. Seryapin, Rosagropromizdat, 1990