Cattleya trianae orchid, also called as Dr. Triana's Cattleya, Christmas orchid was selected as a National symbol by botanist Emilio Robledo.
Cattleya trianae orchid, also called as Dr. Triana's Cattleya, Christmas orchid, is a species of Cattleya genus. Several synonyms are know for this species such as Cattleya bogotensis, Cattleya kimballiana, Cattleya labiata var. trianaei, Cattleya lindigii, Epidendrum labiatum var. trianaei.
IDENTIFY CATTLEYA TRIANAE
Cattleya trianae was first described by H. G. Reichenbach in the German botanical publication Botanische Zeitung in January 1860. This Colombia’s national flower was named after the Colombian naturalist José Jerónimo Triana and it was selected as a National symbol by botanist Emilio Robledo. It was selected for this prestigious position because the lip of this orchid is yellow, blue and red, in the same way as the Colombian flag.
This beautiful orchid is not only beautiful, but is endangered in the wild because of habitat destruction and environmental degradation. Cattleya trianae is widespread all 3 cordilleras of Colombia. The orchids traditionally have been found in areas ranging from the seashore to the mountains, but the best zone to find them is from 1,800 to 2,500 meters above sea level. It is commonly occurring on the trunks of trees but can also be found high up on larger branches towards the top of the canopy.
Plants
This orchid is a large sized, hot to cool growing epiphyte with narrowly clavate, grooved, shiny yellow orange pseudobulbs carrying a single, apical, oblong to elliptic-oblong, rounded and notched apically leaf that blooms in the winter on a terminal, to 12" (30 cm) long, few to several (3 to 14) flowered inflorescence subtended by a basal sheath carrying large, fragrant, color variable flowers.
Flowers
The flowers are produced during the winter and early spring. New growth begins shortly after flowering finishes in the early spring and continues to August. The sheaths are formed when the growth matures but the flower buds do not start to grow until November. Give typical cattleya growing conditions – very bright light is a must.
Petals and sepals of Cattleya trianae are pinkish-lavender. There are some additional varieties available such as C. trianae v mooreana which has a dark splash on each petal. The front lobe of the lip is dark lavender or crimson. Petals are wider than sepals and somewhat ruffled. The throat is yellow. Flower color is highly variable and its flowers range across 15 colors, from white to red and can be up to 20 cm across.
GROW AND CARE CATTLEYA TRIANE
Cattleya trianae is as easy to cultivate as most cattleya hybrids and it will grow well in any medium you use for them. If you start C. trianae growing early in the spring, right after it finishes blooming, it will complete its first growth by early summer, and rush into a second growth that will be completed in late summer.
Plants should be grown in medium fir bark with partial to full sun. The plant is a intermediate to warm growing orchid species. Water approximately once a week and reduce watering during the winter. Plant can also be mounted.
Be certain not to dry the plant off after the first growth is completed, however, or it may not start the second growth. Both growths should produce flowers in late December through February, after its autumn rest.
If you want to produce the best flowers, avoid repotting the plant as long as possible, and only repot when new roots emerge from the lead pseudobulb. Like other Cattleya species, C. trianae should have lots of sun and air and the leaves should be a light green color. Do not let the leaves get warm to the touch, however, because this is too much sun and may burn the leaves. Always keep C. trianae slightly dry during its rest period to avoid rotting the roots, and start the plant growing right after flowering with frequent light sprays of water on sunny days.
COMMENTS