My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Cattleya

Smaller flowering cultivars (5cm) have more flowers (up to eight flowers on a stalk) where the large cultivars (15cm) typically bear two to four flowers originating on pseudo-bulbs. In the 1980's the flowers were hybridized for the cut flower industry and there are now thousands of hybrids created

Cattleya orchid detail from my Practice floral art design.

Common name

Cattleya orchids

Origin

Tropical Central to South America

Varieties

Large variety

Colors

All colours except true black and blue. Lilac, yellow, orange, and white. Also bi-coloured.

Vase life

From a week to almost two weeks.

Scent

Floral. Some are very strongly fragranced

Uses

The flowers are expensive and generally used to add a luxurious touch to designs

Conditioning

Do not refrigerate as the flowers can not tolerate cold. They are also sensitive to ethylene gas so keep away from fruits and vegatables

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