I acquired my C. labiata from a wonderfully reliable Ebay seller a few months ago. C. labiata, according to Chadwick and Son, was the first orchid to be “discovered” and exported to England in 1821 and was thus responsible for launching the orchid craze.

Not really aware of intricate culture requirements of each species, I made some mistakes with this plant, mentioned below, but the plant seems to have survived my early blunders and is doing well in my greenhouse.

Culture Mistakes Made:

• Did not know the difference between a grown plant and a seedling.
• Repotted the seedling, in a pot too large for it when the plant did not need repotting.
• Overwatered it to cause mild root rot.

Corrective Measures

Seeing that the plant was loose in the pot and not doing well, I took the risk and repotted it in a two-inch clay pot in cypress mulch to encourage root growth. It has since stabilized and started showing some root growth.

Culture Notes (Cited from Chadwick and Son Orchids)

• It usually begins growing in February in the United States and will complete its new growth by June.
• If this growth is completed early enough, it will often make a second growth that will mature in late July or early August and both growths will flower at the same time.
• Depending on the clone, C. labiata will flower from September into November.
• After flowering, it should be allowed to rest, and water should be given sparingly. Too much water during its rest period will rot the roots and retard growth in the spring.
• C. labiata benefits from lots of sun and air. The leaves should be a light green in color if you want its five-flowered bloom spike.
• Repotting should be done in the spring as soon as the front pseudobulb begins to send out a flush of new roots.

Will provide further updates as this plant grows.

For more historical and culture information about C. labiata visit the following sites:

• Chadwick and Son
• Cattleya Source

Happy growing!

Cattleya Labiata

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