Orchid Encyclopedia

A tall Brazilian Cattleya that bears clusters of 10-30 pale, purple-spotted flowers atop its long pseudobulbs, with a vivid magenta lip and a pleasant scent.

Known as the Queen of Orchids, prized for large fragrant blooms and stunning colors.

A Brazilian Cattleya species with many color forms including coerulea and aquinii.

A large Cattleya from Ecuador-Peru with lavender blooms and beautifully frilled lips.

A primary hybrid of the small Cattleya pumila and C. walkeriana: a compact mini-Cattleya with surprisingly large purple flowers, sold mainly as named clones such as 'Little Princess'.

Venezuela's national flower, spring-blooming with large frilled lips, known as Mother's Day orchid.

Colombia's national flower, winter-blooming with large flowers and beautiful lip coloration.

A compact, fragrant Cattleya species from Brazil with sweet scent and charming blooms.

A large-flowered species Cattleya from rocky highlands of Venezuela and Colombia. It bears one leaf per pseudobulb and a richly coloured purple-red lip, is also called the Christmas Cattleya, and varies widely in colour.

A sturdy species from Mexico and Central America bearing clusters of orange flowers about 2.5 cm across. Formerly a Cattleya, it is still often sold as Cattleya aurantiaca.

A large-flowered Cattleya from southern Brazil whose deep purple-red lip stands out against white or pale pink petals. Long known as Laelia purpurata, it is sold as many named forms such as alba and carnea.

A miniature Cattleya under 10 cm tall from the mountain forests of Brazil's Atlantic coast. It bears brilliant scarlet flowers 4-6 cm across, remarkably large for the plant. It was formerly known as Sophronitis coccinea.