236 Species of Genus Cattleya

Cattleya: My Orchid Obsession

I’m Ferb Vu, and I’ve got a confession to make: I’m utterly captivated by Cattleyas. These orchids, with their vibrant colors and intoxicating scents, have completely stolen my heart. There’s just something about their elegance and resilience that speaks to me. Maybe it’s their tropical origins, whispering tales of lush rainforests and vibrant life. Or perhaps it’s the sheer diversity within the genus, each species boasting its own unique charm. Whatever the reason, I find myself drawn to them again and again.

A Diverse Genus

Cattleyas belong to a fascinating genus of orchids, boasting over 100 recognized species. They’re primarily epiphytes, meaning they grow on other plants for support, though some are lithophytes, clinging to rocks. Imagine them thriving in the humid air of the rainforest, their roots clinging to the bark of ancient trees, their blooms bursting forth in a riot of color.

  1. Cattleya labiata: Often called the “Corsage Orchid,” this species is renowned for its large, showy flowers, typically in shades of lavender and purple.
  2. Cattleya dowiana: This beauty hails from Costa Rica and boasts stunning golden-yellow petals with a crimson lip, a truly regal combination.
  3. Cattleya mossiae: Venezuela’s national flower, this orchid is celebrated for its fragrant, lavender-pink blooms.
  4. Cattleya walkeriana: This Brazilian native is admired for its compact size and vibrant flowers, often in shades of pink and purple.
  5. Cattleya aclandiae: This unique species stands out with its spotted petals, a captivating departure from the typical solid colors.
  6. Cattleya acuensis (Fowlie) Van den Berg
  7. Cattleya adelinae (V.P.Castro) Van den Berg
  8. Cattleya × adrienne (Rolfe) Van den Berg
  9. Cattleya alagoensis (V.P.Castro & Chiron) Van den Berg
  10. Cattleya alaorii (Brieger & Bicalho) Van den Berg
  11. Cattleya × albanensis (Rolfe) Van den Berg
  12. Cattleya alvarenguensis (Campacci) Van den Berg
  13. Cattleya alvaroana (F.E.L.Miranda) Van den Berg
  14. Cattleya × amanda (Rchb.f.) Van den Berg
  15. Cattleya amethystoglossa Linden & Rchb.f. ex R.Warner
  16. Cattleya × amoena God.-Leb.
  17. Cattleya angereri (Pabst) Van den Berg
  18. Cattleya aracuaiensis (Campacci & E.L.F.Menezes) Van den Berg
  19. Cattleya araguaiensis Pabst
  20. Cattleya aromatica (Rosim & E.L.F.Menezes) Van den Berg
  21. Cattleya bicalhoi Van den Berg
  22. Cattleya bicolor Lindl.
  23. Cattleya × binotii (Cogn.) Van den Berg
  24. Cattleya blumenscheinii (Pabst) Van den Berg
  25. Cattleya boissieri R.Hogg
  26. Cattleya bradei (Pabst) Van den Berg
  27. Cattleya × brasiliensis Klinge
  28. Cattleya briegeri (Blumensch. ex Pabst) Van den Berg
  29. Cattleya × britoi (K.G.Lacerda & V.P.Castro) Van den Berg
  30. Cattleya × brymeriana Rchb.f.
  31. Cattleya × calimaniorum Chiron & V.P.Castro
  32. Cattleya campaccii (P.A.Harding & Bohnke) J.M.H.Shaw
  33. Cattleya × carassana (Pabst) Van den Berg
  34. Cattleya × cattleyioides (A.Rich.) Van den Berg
  35. Cattleya caulescens (Lindl.) Van den Berg
  36. Cattleya cernua (Lindl.) Van den Berg
  37. Cattleya cinnabarina (Bateman ex Lindl.) Van den Berg
  38. Cattleya × cipoensis (Pabst) Van den Berg
  39. Cattleya coccinea Lindl.
  40. Cattleya × colnagiana L.C.Menezes
  41. Cattleya colnagoi (Chiron & V.P.Castro) Van den Berg
  42. Cattleya conceicionensis (V.P.Castro & Campacci) Van den Berg
  43. Cattleya crispa Lindl.
  44. Cattleya crispata (Thunb.) Van den Berg
  45. Cattleya × cristinae (F.E.L.Miranda & K.G.Lacerda) Van den Berg
  46. Cattleya cruziana (V.P.Castro & E.L.F.Menezes) Van den Berg
  47. Cattleya × cullenii U.B.Deshmukh & J.M.H.Shaw
  48. Cattleya × cypheri (Rolfe) Van den Berg
  49. Cattleya dacruzii (Rosim & Campacci) Van den Berg
  50. Cattleya × dasilvae Campacci & Rosim
  51. Cattleya × dayana Rolfe
  52. Cattleya × delicata (Rolfe) J.M.H.Shaw
  53. Cattleya × deniseana (Rosim) J.M.H.Shaw
  54. Cattleya diamantinensis (V.P.Castro & Marçal) J.M.H.Shaw
  55. Cattleya dichroma Van den Berg
  56. Cattleya × dolosa (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f. ex É.Morren
  57. Cattleya × dolteana (Rosim) Van den Berg
  58. Cattleya dormaniana (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f.
  59. Cattleya × dukeana Rchb.f.
  60. Cattleya × duveenii Pabst & A.F.Mello
  61. Cattleya × edmarxii Campacci & Deusvando
  62. Cattleya × elegans C.Morren
  63. Cattleya elongata Barb.Rodr.
  64. Cattleya endsfeldzii (Pabst) Van den Berg
  65. Cattleya × ericoi (V.P.Castro) Van den Berg
  66. Cattleya esalqueana (Blumensch. ex Pabst) Van den Berg
  67. Cattleya × espirito-santensis (Pabst) J.M.H.Shaw
  68. Cattleya × feldmanniana (F.E.L.Miranda & K.G.Lacerda) Van den Berg
  69. Cattleya × fidalgoorum (Rosim & Campacci) J.M.H.Shaw
  70. Cattleya × fidelensis (Pabst) Van den Berg
  71. Cattleya flavasulina (F.E.L.Miranda & K.G.Lacerda) Van den Berg
  72. Cattleya forbesii Lindl.
  73. Cattleya fournieri (Cogn.) Van den Berg
  74. Cattleya × frankeana Rolfe
  75. Cattleya × gaezeriana Campacci
  76. Cattleya gaskelliana (N.E.Br.) B.S.Williams
  77. Cattleya × gerhard-santosii (Pabst) Van den Berg
  78. Cattleya ghillanyi (Pabst) Van den Berg
  79. Cattleya gloedeniana (Hoehne) Van den Berg
  80. Cattleya × gottoana (G.Gordon) J.M.H.Shaw
  81. Cattleya grandis (Lindl.) A.A.Chadwick
  82. Cattleya × gransabanensis Senghas
  83. Cattleya granulosa Lindl.
  84. Cattleya × gravesiana Pitcher & Manda
  85. Cattleya guaicuhyensis (Rosim) Van den Berg
  86. Cattleya guanhanensis (Campacci) Van den Berg
  87. Cattleya guttata Lindl.
  88. Cattleya × hardyana Swan
  89. Cattleya haroldoi (V.P.Castro & E.L.F.Menezes) Van den Berg
  90. Cattleya harpophylla (Rchb.f.) Van den Berg
  91. Cattleya harrisoniana Bateman ex Lindl.
  92. Cattleya × hatakeyamae (Rosim) J.M.H.Shaw
  93. Cattleya havenithii (Campacci & E.L.F.Menezes) Van den Berg
  94. Cattleya hegeriana (Campacci) Van den Berg
  95. Cattleya × heitoriana (Campacci) Van den Berg
  96. Cattleya hispidula (Pabst & A.F.Mello) Van den Berg
  97. Cattleya hoehnei Van den Berg
  98. Cattleya × hummeliana L.C.Menezes & V.P.Castro
  99. Cattleya × hybrida J.Veitch f.
  100. Cattleya × imperator Rolfe
  101. Cattleya intermedia Graham ex Hook.
  102. Cattleya × intricata Rchb.f.
  103. Cattleya iricolor Rchb.f.
  104. Cattleya × irrorata (Rchb.f.) H.Low
  105. Cattleya × isaacii (Rolfe) J.M.H.Shaw
  106. Cattleya × isabellae Rchb.f.
  107. Cattleya × itabapoanaensis V.P.Castro & D.Motte
  108. Cattleya itambana (Pabst) Van den Berg
  109. Cattleya × jacintoana (E.L.F.Menezes & Rosim) J.M.H.Shaw
  110. Cattleya jenmanii Rolfe
  111. Cattleya × jetibaensis (V.P.Castro & G.F.Carr) Van den Berg
  112. Cattleya × joaquiniana F.E.L.Miranda
  113. Cattleya jongheana (Rchb.f.) Van den Berg
  114. Cattleya kautskyana (V.P.Castro & Chiron) Van den Berg
  115. Cattleya × kautskyi Pabst
  116. Cattleya × kerchoveana Cogn.
  117. Cattleya kerrii Brieger & Bicalho
  118. Cattleya kettieana (Pabst) Van den Berg
  119. Cattleya kleberi (F.E.L.Miranda) Van den Berg
  120. Cattleya × labendziana L.C.Menezes & Braem
  121. Cattleya × laurae (Rosim) J.M.H.Shaw
  122. Cattleya lawrenceana Rchb.f.
  123. Cattleya × leeana (Rchb.f.) J.M.H.Shaw
  124. Cattleya × lilacina (F.A.Philbrick ex A.H.Kent) Van den Berg
  125. Cattleya liliputana (Pabst) Van den Berg
  126. Cattleya lobata Lindl.
  127. Cattleya locatellii (F.E.L.Miranda) Van den Berg
  128. Cattleya loddigesii Lindl.
  129. Cattleya longipes (Rchb.f.) Van den Berg
  130. Cattleya lourdesiana (V.P.Castro) Van den Berg
  131. Cattleya × lucieniana Rchb.f.
  132. Cattleya lueddemanniana Rchb.f.
  133. Cattleya luetzelburgii Van den Berg
  134. Cattleya lundii (Rchb.f. & Warm.) Van den Berg
  135. Cattleya luteola Lindl.
  136. Cattleya × macguiganii J.M.H.Shaw
  137. Cattleya mantiqueirae (Fowlie) Van den Berg
  138. Cattleya marcaliana (Campacci & Chiron) Van den Berg
  139. Cattleya × marciae (Campacci) J.M.H.Shaw
  140. Cattleya maxima Lindl.
  141. Cattleya × measuresii Rchb.f.
  142. Cattleya mendelii Dombrain
  143. Cattleya × mendonciana (Campacci) Van den Berg
  144. Cattleya × mesquitae L.C.Menezes
  145. Cattleya × meyeriana (P.Blaha & V.P.Castro) J.M.H.Shaw
  146. Cattleya milleri (Blumensch. ex Pabst) Van den Berg
  147. Cattleya × mingaensis (V.P.Castro & K.G.Lacerda) J.M.H.Shaw
  148. Cattleya mirandae (K.G.Lacerda & V.P.Castro) Van den Berg
  149. Cattleya mireileana E.L.F.Menezes, Giordani & J.C.R.Mendes
  150. Cattleya × mixta L.C.Menezes
  151. Cattleya × moduloi L.C.Menezes
  152. Cattleya × montisaliancae (Campacci) Van den Berg
  153. Cattleya mooreana Withner, Allison & Guenard
  154. Cattleya × mucugensis (F.E.L.Miranda) Van den Berg
  155. Cattleya munchowiana (F.E.L.Miranda) Van den Berg
  156. Cattleya × neocalimaniana Van den Berg
  157. Cattleya × neocalimaniorum Van den Berg
  158. Cattleya neocardimii (Rosim) Van den Berg
  159. Cattleya neokautskyi Van den Berg
  160. Cattleya × neoreginae Van den Berg
  161. Cattleya neozaslawskii Van den Berg
  162. Cattleya × nesyana (Campacci & Deusvando) J.M.H.Shaw
  163. Cattleya nevesiana (V.P.Castro & K.G.Lacerda) J.M.H.Shaw
  164. Cattleya nevesii (Campacci) J.M.H.Shaw
  165. Cattleya nobilior Rchb.f.
  166. Cattleya novyi (E.L.F.Menezes) Van den Berg
  167. Cattleya × occhioniana (Brade) Van den Berg
  168. Cattleya × odiloniana (V.P.Castro & L.C.Menezes) J.M.H.Shaw
  169. Cattleya pabstii (F.E.L.Miranda & K.G.Lacerda) Van den Berg
  170. Cattleya × patrocinii St.-Lég.
  171. Cattleya pendula (R.C.Mota, P.L.Viana & K.G.Lacerda) Van den Berg
  172. Cattleya percivaliana (Rchb.f.) O’Brien
  173. Cattleya perrinii Lindl.
  174. Cattleya pfisteri (Pabst & Senghas) Van den Berg
  175. Cattleya × picturata Rchb.f.
  176. Cattleya pirapamaensis (Rosim) J.M.H.Shaw
  177. Cattleya × pittiana O’Brien
  178. Cattleya porphyrascens E.L.F.Menezes
  179. Cattleya × porphyritis (Rchb.f.) Van den Berg
  180. Cattleya porphyroglossa Linden & Rchb.f.
  181. Cattleya praestans (Rchb.f.) Van den Berg
  182. Cattleya presidentensis (Campacci) Van den Berg
  183. Cattleya pumila Hook.
  184. Cattleya purpurata (Lindl. & Paxton) Rollisson ex Lindl.
  185. Cattleya pygmaea (Pabst) Van den Berg
  186. Cattleya quadricolor B.S.Williams
  187. Cattleya × raganii (F.E.L.Miranda & K.G.Lacerda) Van den Berg
  188. Cattleya reginae (Pabst) Van den Berg
  189. Cattleya × resplendens Rchb.f.
  190. Cattleya rex O’Brien
  191. Cattleya × rigbyana (Pabst) Van den Berg
  192. Cattleya rodriguesii (Rosim) Van den Berg
  193. Cattleya rupestris (Lindl.) Van den Berg
  194. Cattleya × ruschii (V.P.Castro) J.M.H.Shaw
  195. Cattleya × sancheziana Hoehne
  196. Cattleya sanguiloba (Withner) Van den Berg
  197. Cattleya schilleriana Rchb.f.
  198. Cattleya schofieldiana Rchb.f.
  199. Cattleya schroederae (Rchb.f.) Sander
  200. Cattleya × schroederiana Rchb.f.
  201. Cattleya × schunkiana Campacci
  202. Cattleya × schunkii V.P.Castro
  203. Cattleya × sgarbii (Ruschi) Van den Berg
  204. Cattleya sincorana (Schltr.) Van den Berg
  205. Cattleya × sororia Rchb.f.
  206. Cattleya storeyi H.G.Jones
  207. Cattleya tenebrosa (Rolfe) A.A.Chadwick
  208. Cattleya × tenuata V.P.Castro & Campacci ex Braem
  209. Cattleya tenuis Campacci & Vedovello
  210. Cattleya tereticaulis (Hoehne) Van den Berg
  211. Cattleya tigrina A.Rich.
  212. Cattleya × tresederiana (Rchb.f.) Loncke
  213. Cattleya trianae Linden & Rchb.f.
  214. Cattleya vandenbergii Fraga & Borges
  215. Cattleya × varelae V.P.Castro & Cath.
  216. Cattleya vasconcelosiana (Campacci) Van den Berg
  217. Cattleya velutina Rchb.f.
  218. Cattleya × venosa Rolfe
  219. Cattleya verboonenii (F.E.L.Miranda) Van den Berg
  220. Cattleya × verelii (Rolfe) Van den Berg
  221. Cattleya × victoria-regina Mast.
  222. Cattleya × victoriacarolinae (Campacci & C.R.Espejo) J.M.H.Shaw
  223. Cattleya violacea (Kunth) Lindl.
  224. Cattleya virens (Lindl.) Van den Berg
  225. Cattleya viridiflora (Verola & Semir) Van den Berg
  226. Cattleya wallisii (Linden) Rollisson
  227. Cattleya warneri T.Moore ex R.Warner
  228. Cattleya warscewiczii Rchb.f.
  229. Cattleya × wetmorei (Ruschi) Fraga & A.P.Fontana
  230. Cattleya × whitei Rchb.f.
  231. Cattleya × wilsoniana Rchb.f.
  232. Cattleya wittigiana (Barb.Rodr.) Van den Berg
  233. Cattleya × wyattiana (Rchb.f.) Van den Berg
  234. Cattleya xanthina (Lindl.) Van den Berg
  235. Cattleya × zaslawskii (L.C.Menezes) Van den Berg
  236. Cattleya × zayrae V.P.Castro & Cath.

More Than Just a Pretty Face

But Cattleyas are more than just pretty faces. They possess an inner strength and resilience that I find truly inspiring. These orchids have adapted to thrive in challenging environments, clinging to life amidst the humidity and competition of the rainforest. They remind me that beauty can flourish even in the most unexpected places.

And their cultural significance is just as rich. In many cultures, orchids symbolize love, luxury, and beauty. Cattleyas, in particular, are often associated with strength and refinement. They’ve graced corsages at elegant events and inspired countless works of art.

My Cattleya Journey

My own fascination with Cattleyas began a few years ago when I stumbled upon a vibrant Cattleya labiata at a local flower show. I was immediately captivated by its beauty and intrigued by its unique structure. That single encounter sparked a passion that has only grown stronger with time.

Since then, I’ve been on a journey of discovery, learning everything I can about these incredible orchids. I’ve poured over botanical books, attended orchid exhibitions, and even tried my hand at cultivating a few Cattleyas of my own. It’s been a challenging but rewarding experience.

Cultivating Cattleyas: A Labor of Love

Growing Cattleyas can be tricky, but the rewards are well worth the effort. These orchids require specific conditions to thrive, including bright, indirect light, high humidity, and good air circulation. They also need a well-draining potting mix, as their roots are prone to rot in soggy conditions.

One of the most satisfying aspects of cultivating Cattleyas is witnessing the emergence of a new bloom. It’s a moment of pure magic, a testament to the resilience and beauty of nature. The delicate petals unfurl, revealing their vibrant colors and intricate patterns. And then there’s the fragrance, a sweet and intoxicating aroma that fills the air.

A Lifelong Passion

My journey with Cattleyas is far from over. I’m constantly learning new things about these fascinating orchids, and I’m always eager to expand my collection. I believe that there’s an endless amount of beauty and wonder to be discovered in the world of Cattleyas.

If you’re looking for a plant that is both beautiful and challenging, I highly recommend giving Cattleyas a try. They’re sure to captivate you with their elegance and resilience, just as they’ve captivated me.

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