Cattleya rex
 

A species from central Peru, where local people call it golondrina (swallow). I knew this species can be tricky in cultivation, so I bought 2 strong well established seedlings from different sources. I killed one. After some years the other one made its debut with 5 flowers (which were immediately plagued by thrips).

Good job! It's a hard species to grow well! I murdered mine a few years back by mistake and look forward to getting new ones soon!


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Just curious what makes this species hard? I got one this past May from Redlands so I don't have much experience with the species.

Beautiful!

Looks great - what challenges do you have to overcome to be successful with this species? Definitely want to grow it.

It was hard to established from bareroot for me. And when it did it never grew strong and I overwatered it, rotting the roots, thus killing the plant. I'm still sad about it 😥


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I've heard this one grows like dowiana, but needs cooler temps.

Frankly I don't fully understand all the needs. Sometimes a plant grows well for some years and suddenly brakes down for some reason. It is always a bit of trial, challenge and green thumb.
As for C. rex, in nature there are two ecotypes. All available plants here originate from Moyobamba, where they grow high up in old trees along a river. It is said that there in the canopy the temperature drops at night, leaving higher humidity.
The second ecotype is found more in the south, in more open and dry forests, with smaller more reddish flowers and more compact plants (personal information given by Manolo Arias).

Congratulations sir, your plant's flowers are beautiful. Are they fragrant?

I bought a flask of these last year and currently have about 20 seedlings. I have some growing in sphagnum (plastic pots), some in lava rock (plastic pots), and some mounted on hickory bark slabs.

The mounted plants have the best looking roots, followed by the ones in lava rock, then the ones in sphagnum.

My observation is that they do not like wet roots. Dry roots are happy roots; lingering moisture seems to stunt them. The mounted seedlings grew meandering roots all winter long, while the potted plants did not.

Mine are all outside right now in 80% humidity, 50% shade, 32°C avg high temp, 22°C avg low.

I fertilize sporadically with 30-10-10 orchid fertilizer mixed with well water high in cal & mag.

In winter, the roots get a daily spraying which dries in minutes. Winter light is direct sun from a southeast window, weather permitting.

There is still a high level of experimentation for me but I can say they are all growing and producing bigger pbulbs, so at least it seems like we are going in the right direction.

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I received my first Cattleya rex for free from a grower who shut down their business. I am growing using the Chadwick orchid method. I'm hoping it doesn't kick the bucket. I live in a colder climate. It's a seedling that grew a new growth with roots but got random sunken black spots in the middle of the new leaf which I've just cut off. I dowsed the seedling in a systemic fungicide and its looking like I may have overdone it. It's showing signs of some Phytotoxicity in the plant. It's one of my favorite orchids. If anyone knows where I can buy more Cattleya rex or has any themselves to part with I would be very interested. I may need more plants to study and adjust growing conditions so I can make them thrive and bloom. My dream is to see these orchids everywhere.