Cattleya warscewiczii: Another beautiful colombian cattleya species

Cattleya warscewiczii is also called Cattleya gigas

This species of Cattleya is endemic to Colombia. There it grows in the region of the Central and Western mountain ranges, also in the valley of the Magdalena River between the Central and Eastern mountain ranges. It can be found from the confluence of the Cauca River with the Nechi River, extending its presence to Frontino. In the middle part of the Magdalena River and in the Serranía de San Lucas. Specimens have been found in the region of Caldas and Risaralda. It grows between 500 and 1,500 meters above sea level. in dense forests, but generally located in the treetops, near rivers, where it receives high light.

Cattleya warscewiczii was discovered in 1849 by Joseph Warscewicz, a biologist, botanist and collector born in Lithuania, who traveled to different Latin American countries in search of new plants. Visiting the region of Dabeiba, in the municipality of Frontino, he found this orchid in flower which, six years later (1855), was published as a new species by the German Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach.

It is a medium-sized plant (30cm), epiphytic and with sympodial growth. Its pseudobulbs are elongated, cigar-shaped, shiny and ribbed. It carries a single apical leaf of about 20cm. long. The inflorescence arises from the apex of the pseudobulb and can be about 45cm long and carry up to 7 flowers of about 17/27cm. It has wider petals than the sepals, both are normally lavender with a darker lip and two distinctive yellow spots on the throat that the lip forms as it folds over the column. There are albescens, semi-alba and coerulea varieties. It blooms in summer.

For its cultivation, C. warscewiczii requires high luminosity, all the light it can receive without burning, for this it must have good aeration that will help the orchid not to overheat. In its habitat, temperatures are fairly constant throughout the year with days averaging highs of 29-32ºC, and nights averaging 17-19ºC. Although it can withstand temperatures a few degrees lower.

The average humidity throughout the twelve months is between 70-75%. In the region in which it grows, the rains are moderate to abundant from spring to mid-autumn. In the winter the rains decrease, as in a period at the end of summer. In these periods the water should be decreased, but not completely eliminated. In general, watering should be increased when the new shoot is already somewhat grown and decreased when the flowers appear. The substrate should be allowed to dry between irrigations and in dry seasons give smaller and more spaced irrigations.

The cultivation of C. warscewiczii can be done well in pots or baskets with a medium-sized substrate and with good drainage that prevents waterlogging and allows rapid drying after watering. If it is placed mounted on the trunk, it should be watered more often, especially in summer, to give it the required humidity.

Cattleya warscewiczii alba 'Alquimia'