I got a Cattleya! Now what?

[NYCorchidman]

Wow~ an orchid with a tag from a big box store! congrats!

One thing I can say about cattleyas is that they need a lot of light to bloom well.
Yours is epicatt, so it can take even more light.

Direct sun can burn, I haven't burn any cattleyas and mine are all sitting right by sunny south window with no protection at all.

Summer was really hot last year and I was worried about my cattleyas. Well, no burning and everything was fine and one even flowered again for me. lol

I love cattleya flowers but have hard time reblooming them. other than two mini cats, only one large LC reblooms for me.

So I usually buy cattleyas in bud or bloom and then toss. I do keep a few that I really like. will see if they will bloom for me ever! lol

Other culture requirement is pretty much the same as other commonly available orchids.
Water and fertilize them enough while growing, less so when not actively growing.
Well draining mix is a must.

Did I say a lot of light already?

Yours got wrinkly pbs, so I would give it a good soak, like leaving the whole pot in water for half an hour.

Repeat when pot is nearly dry again but not bone dry. maybe in four days or so depending on the weather.

I don't think I see any new growth on your plant, but there will be one soon. That's when you want to water the plant good.

It should be very pretty in bloom.
I wanted to get one off eBay last year but I got outbid.

[derv88]

Is this golden sunburst still among the living? I have had one just like yours for about as long as you have, and it's got the exact same tag!! I believe they are from the same grower. Mine has been growing profusely in the last couple of years, and this year has 3 new pbulbs starting. It has yet to bloom though, wondering if yours did.

I haven't even changed the media, it was in very good shape when I got it, and it's been thriving in its tight pot and still growing downward into the mix. I'll see how it does this spring and maybe consider repotting it sometime soon.

Anyway, just thought I'd connect to see if you ever had any success with this guy!

-Jack

[Jungeoma]

NYOrchidman, Lowes gets their orchids from Gublers in Florida and I find they have tags on most, but not all, of their orchids. I find them to be very healthy and they are often in a 5 or 6" pot.

[Optimist]

remember the calcium!