Growing Hints > Cattleyas

Cattleyas

Cultural Tips (Courtesy Robertson Orchids)

The Cattleya family can be broadly summarized as plants from the Genera Brassavola, Laelia, Cattleya, Sophronitis and combinations of these. They are mostly epiphytic in nature (with the exception of some rock growing Laelia).

• Light Requirements: All plants broadly referred to, as Cattleyas need relatively high levels of light to grow and flower well. In frost-free areas, 70% shade through the hot summer months and 50% through the winter seems to produce good results. Cooler climates may find that 50% all year is adequate. Conversely, in extreme heat extra shading will minimize heat stress and sunburn.

• Potting Media: Being generally Epiphytic ("Tree Growing") in nature, Cattleyas. For most plants, a medium grade of treated orchid bark is sufficient. Some growers find the addition of 8-10mm size charcoal is beneficial, along with polystyrene balls or coarse perlite. Some growers also use sphagnum moss, however this is not best for the average home grower, with watering and feeding accuracy more critical. Always use treated bark.

• Watering: All Cattleyas have pseudobulbs capable of storing moisture during dry periods, so allow plants to just dry slightly between watering. As a very broad guide, once a week in winter and twice a week in summer would be adequate. During very hot dry summer periods 3-4 times a week may be needed and conversely a wet cold winter may mean no watering for 1-2 weeks. A solid roof cover during the winter to give rain and Frost protection will generally give best results. Give the plants a good soaking right through the potting media and over the foliage as well. In very hot summer weather we tend to water late in the afternoons while in winter mid morning is best.

• Fertilising: The use of a liquid fertilizer designed for orchids once a week is beneficial during the growing months. Keen growers use a "growth" style fertilizer (Higher Nitrogen, lower Potassium) at the beginning of the growing period (Sept/Oct) and then change to a blossom booster style (Lower Nitrogen, higher Potassium) Jan/Feb to optimize growth and flowering throughout the year. We avoid slow release style Fertilizers

• Miniature Cattleya: In general, mini cats have the genus Sophronitis evident somewhere in their breeding background, which explains their improved tolerance to lower temperatures than the larger exhibition or Blc types, and their more compact growth habit. Culturally the above cultural tips still apply but we find they enjoy more moisture and dislike very high temperatures.

Culture (Courtesy Tinonee Orchids)

Pronounced KAT-lee-uh, this group of orchids originates from a large area of tropical and sub-tropical America. They occur in many sizes, shapes and colours but are best known for their large flamboyant bloom. Most grow as epiphytes, or air plants. They have large pseudo bulbs used to store water and have thick, fleshy roots that have the ability to collect moisture from the air.

• Light: This is important for good flowering. About 50% is optimal, however if leaves overheat in summer this may need to be increased to 70%. Leaves should be medium green colour and pseudo bulbs rigid and erect without staking. Excessive shading will reduce flowering dramatically.

• Temperature: This should range between a minimum of 5-7 degrees in winter to a maximum of about 30-35 degrees in summer. I suggest you avoid watering if the temperature falls below 10 degrees. Small plants need to be protected from temperature extremes. High day temperatures, up to 35 degrees can be tolerated if humidity, air circulation and shading are increased.

• Water: This can be provided in two ways, in the pot by watering and in the air by humidity. For a plant growing in good open media, watering twice each week in summer and once every two weeks in winter is sufficient. In summer avoid watering during the heat of the day, in winter only water on a bright sunny morning. The root system on these plants can easily be damage by excess water. If in doubt, defer watering.

• Humidity: This is important to Cattleyas, as roots prefer to grow in humid air rather than to be wet. Humidity needs to range from 50% to 80%, about 60% is ideal. In winter watering can be delayed by wetting the greenhouse floor and circulating air around the plants. This technique can also help to cool the plants in summer. If you live in a cool area, it may be necessary to grow your cattleyas under a solid cover so watering can be controlled during winter.

• Fertiliser: Fertilize with a balanced NPK (blossom booster) is ideal, apply in the water every second watering.

• Pots: These should be shallow, i.e. no deeper than they are wide and should have plenty of holes to allow perfect drainage.

• Media: This needs to be coarse and long lasting. Quality treated pine bark is most popular. As a guide use 10mm grade in 100mm pots, 15mm in 150mm pots and 20mm in 200mm pots or larger.

• Pests and Diseases: Cattleyas, apart from root rot caused by over watering, can be attacked by pests such as scaly and mealy bug. This is easily controlled by Diazinon or Pest Oil. Slugs and snails love fresh root tips. Hanging plants or growing on mesh benches can help, but snail bait may be necessary.

General Information (Courtesy Mel Wheeler - Bribie Island Orchid Society)

Miniature and Novelty Cattleyas

Miniature and Novelty Cattleyas are not really new. Some of the current small Cattleyas have recently been remade, but were registered almost 100 years ago. Sc. Batemanniana was registered in 1886, Sl Orpetil in 1901 and SI. Psyche in, 1902.

Growing small Cattleyas can become a challenge as they come in such a wide range of vibrant appealing colours of red, orange, mauve, pink, white, splashed and flared. They are space saving, small pots are easily managed. Plants can be flowered in (5Omm) pots and some as early as 18 - 24 months from the flask giving you an early indication of the potential of a cross. Flowering season is throughout the year; some plants can be flowered twice a year.

• Getting started: Our advice to anyone deciding to try growing these (or any other) orchid is to check the conditions of your own local growers, seek help at specialist orchid nurseries, or your own orchid society. From these sources you can obtain personal help, or borrow orchid culture notes. Buy a few reasonably priced divisions of plants which are in sheath and you have seen flowering. Then you know that the plant can flower, and if it does not do so within the next two years, your culture or conditions may be incorrect. Once you feel you have mastered the growing techniques, then purchase small seedlings or mericlones. When beginning, please do not buy expensive plants, as it is disheartening to loose a plant, but it is worse if it was expensive. You have a better chance buying in your own area as the plant would be acclimatised and is not set back as happens at times. Finally, always remember a good orchid requires the same space and fertilizer as a poor flowering orchid. Be ruthless; cull out plants, which may not have your expectations.
• Basic Requirements: Basically all orchids require a growing medium, light water and fertilizer, and air movement. It is helpful and a general guide to know how genera grow in nature, then try to simulate these conditions and environment. Most are epiphytic, growing on trees, can be high or low altitude, or in rain forests, but basically dry out easily, and have plenty of air movement.

• Growing Medium: Personally, I believe the mixture only provides a means of holding the plant in the pot and acts as a moisture and fertilizer reservoir. Providing you water accordingly, a variety of mixes can be used. Bark requires more water than a sphagnum moss mix. In fact there are growers using rubber tyre pieces and medium stone mix; they all drain, yet retain some moisture.

• Light: Ideally, Your orchid should have fairly even light throughout. Place it in a position in the yard that has very little restriction due to trees. If trees are a problem, you already have a percentage of shade. In this case careful consideration should be given to the shadecloth you intend to use. If building a hot house more than likely you will be considering fiberglass. If this is the case you will most likely get leaf burn during the hot summer period, this will decrease as the fibreglass weathers with age.

• Water: Watering is a most difficult subject; there are so many variables such as mix, pot size, air movement, and light and air temperature. When we commenced, growers told us "When a plant needs it", "Feel the pots, if light water, if heavy don't" and "if you think it needs watering, wait until tomorrow". All true, but it takes practice to know one's own conditions, as all houses seem different. As a general guide, in summer we water every second day and in winter once a week or even longer. In summer if the expected temperature is to be high, we mist the house if watering has not occurred that morning. Remember, in cool temperatures, less light and less water are needed. Flush pots occasionally to leach out any salts. Use rain water if you have it try not to water late at night, allow time for plants to dry out. This prevents rots and fungus forming by water trapped in leaf axils

• Fertilizer: Fertilizers are usually applied after leaching or watering. Do not fertilize a dry plant. We use only half strength - weekly in summer and every two weeks in winter. Because of the variety of plants in any orchid house it is hard to place plants in a position so that this one does not get a high nitrogen mix or a blossom booster. In our collection where plants are growing and maturing at different times, one would have to selectively fertilize plants at both stages. We now feed high nitrogen for two or three applications, then high potassium on the 4th application. To provide a "variety" to plants, we use a combination of brands, as one may have minor trace elements that other brands do not. One half a teaspoon of Epson salts to ten litres of water is used in all fertilizer applications; this acts as a conditioner. Also seems to stop plants from yellowing.

• Air Movement: Air movement is very important. In summer, with moist floors it will cool plants and even in winter air movement is necessary. Air movement in a wet environment tends to reduce Botrytis infection and does not allow any dead air pockets to breed fungus.

• Temperatures: Miniature Cattleyas, possibly because of the Sophronitis coccinea influence, seem to tolerate lower temperatures below the optimum (9 degrees C) of their larger brothers.

• Humidity: Humidity in our hot, dry summers is very important. We believe plants survive extreme summer conditions by increased humidity. Keeping one or two benches low, and having moisture retaining floor material can do this. Containers of water placed throughout the house is successful, (remember to tip out to control mosquito larva) or below bench fogging nozzles to increase humidity. This tends to keep the plant leaf temperature below 37 degrees C. Above this temperature; moisture in the leaves commences to boil, resulting in tissue breakdown and bad leaf sunburn. Plant growth may slow or stop under these conditions.

• Pots: Pots should be squat, with plenty of base drainage. You add extra holes around the sides as this helps the air movement.

• Repotting and Dividing: Repotting and dividing are done when plants are commencing to grow. This is when the new roots on the forward growth are about 1-2cm long. Reasons for repotting are: - the plant has one or two growths over the edge of the pot, the mixture is two to three years old and possibly breaking down, perhaps the plant is not growing well and tending to shrivel. Repot it, chances are the mix has broken down, is retaining water and the roots have rotted. When repotting, use a pot large enough to accommodate two year's growth. Keep the back of the plant on the pot edge, as plants usually grow in a forward direction. Take care not to damage the new roots, because if they are broken they will not re-shoot. Old dead roots can be cut off, whilst long roots can be trimmed. They will branch out in re-growth. Keep the mix up to within 2cm of the top of the pot, but try not to cover the rhizome. A stake tied to the old canes will prevent a plant from moving and breaking the new roots until the roots establish and anchor the plant in the mix When dividing a plant, try to keep each piece to a minimum of 3 to 4 canes. Do not over-pot. Some people use the back-cut method on their plants. After flowering, the rhizome is cut through (remember 3 to 4 canes each, so the original plant would need to be of 6 or 8 canes) This cut is separated with a plastic tag or similar. The rear section of the plant, which had dormant eyes, may shoot and produce new roots and growths. The plant (now in 2 sections) is repotted as above. The rear section is already growing and does not seem to be set back as much as if it was just cut off and repotted without back cutting.

• Plant Language: Understanding or observing plant signs or "plant language" may help to correct culture or conditions before the plant is lost. A healthy plant is a happy plant and grows well. Leaves are one of the best indicators; ideally they should be thick, and strong (not floppy) and green - yellow in colour. Floppy leaves indicate possibly insufficient light, but yellowish-green colour indicates that fertilizer and light are correct. As a guide, if the amount of light is approximately right, pink - mauve Cattleyas will develop a mauvish tinge to the leaf extremities, much more light will cause sunburn. If leaf growth is lush green it can indicate a lack of light, or over fertilizing. When the leaves on the forward growth become shriveled, it usually indicates root loss so repot and check. Old canes and leaves naturally shrivel after several years. Pseudobulbs also indicate plant condition. Under good culture there should be good bulb progression with each growth bigger and taller than the previous one. Of course, if repotting has occurred the next growth could be set back. Shriveled forward bulbs indicate a lack of water. Maybe because of not watering enough or because of root loss making the plant unable to absorb water. Plant roots should be strong, white and with a 1cm green tip. Growth should be even; uneven growth indicates setbacks in growth. Tips to aid Flowering - If a sheath starts to yellow cut the top off and then slit down the sides. You will see flower buds in the leaf axis; take care not to damage these. If you do not split the sheath, these buds will probably rot off anyway. Also split the outer material on the cane near the leaf axis, as this tends to form a water-retaining cup and rots flower sheaths or leaves at their base.

Hybrids available for growing

Listed are a few species and hybrids that have consistently produced a fair percentage of good seedlings, with the properties passed on:

• Laelia pumila: produces round shape, mauve colour dominant, and usually only two flowers.
• Cattleya aurntiaca: clusters of small, yellow- orange flowers.
• Cattleya luteola: yellow medium size with slightly open flowers.
• Sophronitis coccinea: cool growing, red, and usually two flowers. Parent of Slc. Bright Angel - an outstanding flower.
• Sophronitis cernua: being used to produce reds in lieu of Sophronitis coccinea, seems more heat tolerant, produces small plants that bloom as young plants. Parent of Slc. Kevin Hipkins.
• Laelia briegen: an exciting yellow, small size, dominant but is producing flares. Parent of Slc. Dorothy Worden, Slc. Mine Gold, Slc. Barefoot mailman and Lctna. Flying colours (all flared).
• Slc. Hazel Boyd: many different clones some seem to have been over produced and suffer deformities. Colour of clone is variable, but it has produced numerous hybrids.
• Slc. Tangerine Jewel: produces small flowers, red colour not usually dominant Produced Slc. Roger Cole, reds-yellows, Slc. Roblar and Slc. Seagulls Mini-Cat Heaven.
• Slc. Precious Stones: a Stewart hybrid has been producing glistening reds. It is the other parent of Slc. Bright Angel - top plant and parent.
• Slc. Kauai Starbright: used extensively, shape and lip dominant
• Blc. Waikiki Gold: producing round shape, medium plant size.
• C. Penny Kuroda: has been used to try to produce spots similar to parent.

Please attempt a few "small" Cattleyas, you will be rewarded with flowers throughout the year, with a wide range of colours. They grow easily. In one set of judging rules, miniatures may be defined as plants no taller than 12cm, including the inflorescence; in another it may be 15cm excluding the inflorescence.