Do you know the orchid called Cattleya trianae or May lily?

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The Cattleya trianae es a beautiful orchid of the genus Cattleya with epiphytic habitthat is, it develops on other plants without feeding on them. Also known as Christmas Orchid or May Flower. This is a flower of the mountain ranges of Colombia declared as the national flower of that country since 1936. Hence, it is not by chance that it bears the name of the New Granada botanist José Triana. It is a resistant species and relatively easy to cultivate.

The geography of the Republic of Colombia is marked by the extensive Andes mountain range, which is divided into three branches that form three mountain ranges that cross a large part of the Colombian territory, and it is precisely along these that this spectacular plant extends.

Features

two orchids appearing from a large trunk

The Cattleya trianae it is one of the most beautiful and attractive orchids out there. It is a large flower that develops on the trunks of other plantswithout this being considered parasitism because the orchid uses the trunks only as support, not to receive nutrients from them, therefore, it does not cause any damage to the other species. In addition to growing on trunks, they can be seen high in the canopy of trees.

This orchid has yellow pseudobulbs, clavate in appearance, with a solitary, apical, elongated, narrow, rounded leaf and a notch at the apex. As in Colombia there are no seasons as they are known in Europe, but rather the dry season and the rainy season, as a reference it is you can tell that the flowers are produced during winter and early spring. The pods appear when the plant matures, but their buds begin their growth from November.

It has three large sepals of equal size, similar in appearance to the petals, in addition, two other smaller sepals and another larger and attractive one called the lip.. Its flowers are of various colors and the size ranges from 15 to 20 cm. The extension of its stem can reach 30 cm.

A very interesting feature of this flower is the fact that it does not release pollen. The orchid forms a kind of mass of pollen grains known as pollinia that stick to insects, causing them to spread it.

Cattleya trianae care

It is important water in the morning with water at room temperaturewhich will allow the Cattleya trianae Dry off properly before the temperature drops in the evening. However, it should not be watered every day or excessively, as this could cause the plant to rot. The frequency of irrigation will depend on the prevailing humidity level. It is important that the roots dry out completely, hence the recommendation to use pots that have the ability to completely drain the excess water. In the case of species in seedbeds, these must be kept humid, otherwise their development could be interrupted.

Orchids generally thrive in medium light environments. In relation to the position at home of the flower, the best location is to orient the flower to the east or south. When the orchid receives an adequate level of light, its leaves turn medium green and its pseudobulbs remain upright. Now when it gets excess light, then the leaves get a purple color.

Regarding the temperature, a room temperature that can range from 21º to 26º during the day and between 12º and 16º at night is recommended. The higher the daytime temperature, the greater the development.

The orchid thrives best in humid conditions, but excess moisture can cause the plant to rot. The more humidity, the orchid will need more ventilation. With regard to fertilizers, when they are in full development it is important to fertilize approximately every fifteen days. Fertilization should be avoided when the orchid is dry because it can damage its roots, being very easy to reproduce.

Excess moisture can cause serious damage to the species at its roots. Unfortunately, the Cattleya trianae It is an endangered species as a result of the destruction that its natural habitat has suffered and the abuse by unscrupulous people who overcollect it for commercial purposes.

Do you know the orchid called Cattleya trianae or May lily?

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