Cattleya mossiae
Easter orchid
Family OrchidaceaeAlso called Moss' cattleya
About
A labiate Cattleya known as the Easter orchid and noted as one of the very fragrant orchids. White-flowered plants are sometimes called Cattleya wagneri.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Listed as non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses. General guidance for the genus
- People
- Not recorded.
- Light
- Bright light such as an east- or west-facing window; direct sun burns the leaves. Mid-green leaves indicate good light, dark green too little. General guidance for the genus
- Water
- Let the potting medium dry completely between waterings, then run lukewarm water through the pot until it drains. Avoid salt-softened water and water colder than 10 °C (50 °F). General guidance for the genus
- Humidity
- Above 50%; a pebble tray under the pot helps. Good air circulation is essential. General guidance for the genus
- Temperature
- About 21–29 °C (70–85 °F) by day and 13–16 °C (55–60 °F) at night. General guidance for the genus
- Soil
- Coarse orchid bark (chopped fir or redwood) or an inorganic kiln-fired medium; never ordinary potting soil. General guidance for the genus
- Pot
- Repot about every two years, in spring or just before new roots appear, when the rhizome grows over the pot edge or the medium breaks down. General guidance for the genus
- Propagation
- Divide when repotting, keeping at least three healthy pseudobulbs per division; also raised from seed or tissue culture. General guidance for the genus
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 10a–12b; grown indoors or under glass elsewhere. General guidance for the genus
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
Flowers are strongly fragrant; a white-flowered form exists.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
- Temperature
- About 21–29 °C (70–85 °F) by day and 13–16 °C (55–60 °F) at night.
- Humidity
- Above 50%; a pebble tray under the pot helps. Good air circulation is essential.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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