cattleya loddigesii

This plant is quite smll and easy to cultivate; in addition , it is an eager and beautiful bloomer- in short, it has all the important assets and is definitly suitable for small amateur collections. The bifoliate pseudobulbs are up to 14 in /35 cm tall ,and 2-5 flowers grow from flower sheaths on a short spike. They are up to 4 in/10 cm wide and have a three-lobe, thickly ruffled purple lip that is yellowish on the inside. The other tepals are shiny pink-and-purple. C.stanleyi ,an albinic variety of C. loddigessi discovered in the wild , ranks very high on the hybrid popularity chart . The flowers of both varities are tough and exceptionally durable , and are therefore cultivated for cut flowers. Cultivation is similar to that of the other intermediate Cattleyas. A drawback of the species is the fact that some specimens bloom in the summer- the flowers apper between June and November. C. loddigesii is native to Brazil.