Cattleya forbesii is native to Brazil. It was once a popular epiphyte in the forests of the coastal swamps and on the river banks in the areas east of Rio de Janeiro and southwest of Sao Paulo. Preparing land for agriculture has seriously diminished its population...
Cattleya forbesii also called as Forbes' Cattleya, Cattleya forbesii f. alba, Cattleya forbesii f. aquinii, Cattleya forbesii f. aurea, Cattleya forbesii f. beatriciana, Cattleya forbesii f. coerulea, Cattleya forbesii f. delicate, Cattleya forbesii f. flammea, Cattleya forbesii f. maculate, Cattleya forbesii f. marginata, Cattleya forbesii f. oculata, Cattleya forbesii f. parda, Cattleya forbesii f. rosea, Cattleya forbesii f. rubra, Cattleya forbesii f. trilabellata, Cattleya forbesii f. venosa, Cattleya forbesii f. viridipetala, Cattleya forbesii var. viridiflora, Cattleya fulva, Cattleya isopetala, Cattleya pauper, Cattleya vestalis, Epidendrum forbesii, Epidendrum pauper, Maelenia paradoxa, is a species of the genus Cattleya. This species was described by John Lindley in 1821.
IDENTIFY CATTLEYA FORBESII
Cattleya forbesii is native to Brazil. It was once a popular epiphyte in the forests of the coastal swamps and on the river banks in the areas east of Rio de Janeiro and southwest of Sao Paulo. Preparing land for agriculture has seriously diminished its population. They are currently being found in small quantities in very scattered locations that have not yet been destroyed. Natural habitat lies in a narrow band almost parallel to the coast, and plants are rarely found further inland. They usually grow at heights below 50 m in deep shade, on the lower branches of spreading trees.
It is a cool to warm growing, medium sized epiphytic or lithophytic species, which reaching 10-20 cm in height, with slightly swollen, 10-20 cm long pseudobulbs subtended by several membraneous sheaths and carrying 2 apical, oblong, coriaceous, spreading, rounded, notched apically, 10-14 cm long and 5-7 cm wide leaves.
Forbes' Cattleya blooms from autumn until spring on an erect, terminal, 9 to 15 cm long, 1 to 6 flowered inflorescence subtended basally by a sheath from which long-lived, fragrant, waxy, color variable flowers arise. The flowers are 6-11 cm in diameter. The relatively narrow flakes of both whorls may be apple-green, greenish-yellow or light-brown. The lip is long and tubular and has a small, narrow center plot. Large side plots wrap and completely hide the rod. On the outside, the lip is pinkish-white, but inside it has brown, reddish-brown or carmine veins running diagonally on a yellow-green background. Starting from the base, the lip is decorated with a bright gold-yellow stripe running almost to the end of the middle plot. The spine is light yellow-green, with pale red-brown longitudinal stripes on it.
CATTLEYA FORBESII CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Cattleya forbesii needs a light level of 18000-25000 lux because they grows in dark forests with low levels of light.
Temperature:
It is a plant with moderate thermal requirements. In summer the average day temperature is 28-29 ° C, night 21-22 ° C, which gives a daily difference of 7 ° C. In winter, the average day temperature is 23-24 ° C, the average night 16 ° C, which gives a daily difference of 7-8 ° C.
Humidity:
Forbes' Cattleya needs the humidity of 75-80% throughout the year.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Cattleya forbesii are usually grown in pots or baskets filled with a very thick, loose, quickly drying substrate that allows the roots to dry quickly after waterings. It is recommended to use smaller pots sufficient for 1-2 years growth, because the substrate in larger pots stays wet for too long after watering. The result of insufficient quick-drying roots can be their rotting. You can use thick bark, or cork pieces mixed with large lumps of charcoal.
These plants also grow well attached to pieces of tree fern or cork, but requires high humidity, and in the summer of daily watering. In the period of extremely hot and dry weather, attached plants may require even several waterings during the day. Repotting or dividing the plant should be done only when the growth of new roots begins.
Watering:
Rainfall is moderate to heavy throughout the year. Cattleya forbesii should be watered frequently, but should dry a little between waterings. Strong air movement should be ensured all the time, which can stop the diseases occurring in warm and humid growing conditions.
Fertilizer:
The plants should be fertilized every week 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of fertilizer for orchids. A fertilizer with a high nitrogen content is beneficial from spring to mid-summer, and a fertilizer richer in phosphorus should be used in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
In winter, the amount of water should be slightly reduced if Cattleya forbesii grown in a short, dark day, at moderate latitudes. However, do not let the plants stay dry for a long time, unless the growing conditions are cool. Fertilization should be limited until spring, when stronger watering resumes.
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