cattleya violacea varsuperba

This attractive Amazonian species is very rare in cultivation ,in spite of its singular beauty and small proportions;the reason is its slow growth and unwillingness to bloom. Thebifoliate pseudobulbs can reach 8 in /20 cm in size ,and the short inflorecence bears 3-7 flowers. The flat ,tough leaves are up to 5.6 in/14 cm in diameater. The shiny purple tepals are complemented with red-and-purple three-lobe lip. Grow it epiphytically,or in a potted medium of coarse bark. The flowers appear on mature pseudobulbs between July and August. The species resides all over the Amazon basin ,including Colombia and Venezuela,Brazil and Bolivia.