catasetum sp

It is quite an event whenever an amateur admirer of orchids comes across a Catasetum orchid in bloom in the wild. This is true inspite of the fact that the exact name of the plant is usually impossible to determine; only expertss are able todo that but not unless they have specimens of living plants or their herbarium items at hand . And as picking orchids in the wild is prohibited by law, the plants usually remained unnamed. This is the case with the plants in the photograph that were found in mexico. If you have lucky enough to have a Catasetum orchid in your possession, it is not too difficult to grow . Cultivation should include sufficient nutritian and watering at the time when new pseudobulbs are forming , and a subsequent cooler and drier period of rest. It can be grown both epiphytically and in baskets or flowerpots. The plants in the photograph bloom earlyin the year and come from Bolivia and Mexico .