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It is that time when Cattleyas are in bloom............All week my purple Cattleya has been it it's glorious perch. Not that I knew it was coming. I was about to leave for work last Monday when I noticed the three lovely blooms in full glory.
I had bought three different Cattleya pseudobulbs at an International Orchid Show in Shah Alam some years back. These days they organise them in Putra Jaya. The three I bought were of yellow, purple and white Cattleya and each pseudobulb cost a mere RM10 back then. In buying a whole pot the number of pseodobublbs would be counted and costed accordingly!
The yellow and purple ones have given me many happy moments. Unfortunately, the white Cattleya never made it............
Cattleya gets it's name from William Cattley. It is known for it's large showy blooms which are sometimes fragrant. As I have a perpetual sinus, I have never ever been able to detact the fragrance though. When in bloom, water needs to be reduced to avoid rotting the flowers. Because of their ease of growth and sheer beauty, cattleyas are the most hybridized of all orchids. There are thousands upon thousands of registered hybrids. So, if they are not tagged when you get them be extremely careful in giving them an ID.
