Hybrid Cattleya Orchids

Appearance

• Cattleya-Orchids.com calls this species the "prom orchid" for its large, frilled blooms. Cattleya orchids grow from pseudobulbs, with one to three leaves per bulb. Flower stalks grow to 1 to 2 feet and feature a single large bulb. Hybrid Cattleya orchids grow patterned blooms up to 7 inches wide.

Pot and Foundation

• As with all orchids, Cattleyas require loose, airy foundations for drainage and circulation. Use orchid potting soil, fern matter, peat moss, wood chips, vermiculite or gravel for these large orchids, and pot them in heavy pots with drainage holes for balance. Use pots just large enough to encompass the root systems.

Light and Temperatures

• Cattleya orchids do best in bright, indirect light, and may burn in direct or hot sunshine. Give them morning light and afternoon shade, indirect light exposure or artificial light. Orchids do well in north-facing windows for consistent indirect lighting, or in well-lit interior rooms. Cattleyas are intermediate orchids, and thrive in nighttime temperatures of 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. During the summer, they grow in daytime temperatures up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Water and Nutrition

• Cattleya orchids flower in the winter, spring and summer, and maintain dormancy in the fall. Water them with 1 inch of water every three to four days during the growing seasons and every seven to 10 days during dormancy. Never over-water, as these orchids do best in slightly dry foundations. Give them water-soluble 20-20-20 or 30-10-10 fertilizer every other week during their dormancy, at one-quarter the manufacturer-recommended rates. Switch to weekly feedings of 10-50-10 water-soluble fertilizer during growth phases, still at a diluted rate.