Cattleya praestans - Orchid Board

Salixx · #1 02-02-2019, 03:49 PM

This is suck a reliable and frequent blooming plant that I can't overstate what a perfect little species this is. Mine now blooms 3-4 times a year, with every new growth (even despite some major neglect last fall!). It's a miniature and the blooms last for quite a well. Definitely one of my top 10 favorites species.

SouthPark · #2 02-02-2019, 04:49 PM

Three to four times a year is very nice. Nice shades of purple/violet.

SaraJean · #3 02-03-2019, 03:07 PM

Gorgeous!

Wow, I had no idea that these could bloom more than once a year. Now I’m really looking forward to mine growing up. Any culture tips you could share would be massively appreciated. I’ve had mine for a year and are doing good (seedling/NBS size) but the winter care is still confusing me. I’ve been keeping it fairly warm, nights about 55-60F, days at 80F, and only watering it slightly less than in the summer. I had read that these like to stay somewhat moist year round. Is yours in a pot or grown mounted?

Mountaineer370 · #4 02-03-2019, 08:08 PM

It's beautiful. What a nice bonus that it blooms so often.

Salixx · #5 02-04-2019, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaraJean

Gorgeous!

Wow, I had no idea that these could bloom more than once a year. Now I’m really looking forward to mine growing up. Any culture tips you could share would be massively appreciated. I’ve had mine for a year and are doing good (seedling/NBS size) but the winter care is still confusing me. I’ve been keeping it fairly warm, nights about 55-60F, days at 80F, and only watering it slightly less than in the summer. I had read that these like to stay somewhat moist year round. Is yours in a pot or grown mounted?

I find this plant to be the easiest in my collection. I naturally get season temp variation due to where I live. During the winter I turn the thermostat down to 60f at night and 70f during the day. Summer temps can be in the 50s at night to 90s during the day.

I grow mine in semi-hydro and it seems to really like it (hence the many blooms!). If it weren’t in S/H I think I would still try to keep it fairly moist in terms of Catts but I would still let it mostly dry out.

SaraJean · #6 02-07-2019, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salixx

I find this plant to be the easiest in my collection. I naturally get season temp variation due to where I live. During the winter I turn the thermostat down to 60f at night and 70f during the day. Summer temps can be in the 50s at night to 90s during the day.

I grow mine in semi-hydro and it seems to really like it (hence the many blooms!). If it weren’t in S/H I think I would still try to keep it fairly moist in terms of Catts but I would still let it mostly dry out.

Thank you

I have been keeping one of my praestans and one of my pumilas in clay pots with a collar of sphag. I have one of each that are also mounted. The potted ones seem to be doing a lot better and growing continuously, I’m assuming, because of the extra moisture. Semi-hydro sounds perfect, I hadn’t even thought of that. Mainly it’s just my oncidiums in that set up but I might just toss one in and see what happens