We have another variety of Cattleya intermedia for you today. Our ‘Orlata’ variety – named for the purple on the lip extending around the tips of the side lobes of the lip to give a ring of purple – is also our tallest growing clone of the species with pseudobulbs reaching 50cm tall. The dramatic flowers are held well clear of the leaves, giving a wonderful display.

The plant is very different that the coerulea variety from last week (below) and the two plants are a real talking point in the greenhouse when as always they flower together and highlight the variety within Cattleya intermedia.

I will be using the two plants as part of a Cattleya quiz this week to help students spot similarities present in variable species.

As you will know by now, Cattleya intermedia is bifoliate (two leaves on each pseudobulb) and comes from the Mata Atlantica (coastal Eastern Brazil) where we have seen it growing in forest at 1000m although it is present right down to scrub forest by the sea. The species grows warm to intermediate and loves our Warm Americas Section (Minimum 15C) where we keep it right up in the roof of the greenhouse for maximum light and warmth.