How big do catts get?

[Brownthumb10]

I have had one for about a year. It is in a 4 in pot and still has room. But if all continues to go well, how big will it get?

[NYCorchidman]

What is the name of it?

Many "standard" size grow easily over 20". Laelia purpurata types go way over that height.

Then many "compact" ones stay under 20".

Mini catts stay evern shorter at under 10".

Horizontal size, there is no end.

[Brownthumb10]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

What is the name of it?

Many "standard" size grow easily over 20". Laelia purpurata types go way over that height.

Then many "compact" ones stay under 20".

Mini catts stay evern shorter at under 10".

Horizontal size, there is no end.

It is noid I got from lowes last summer. The flowers are yellow and red.
I should have specified horizontal size...but 'no end', huh. I know I am getting ahead of myself here, but do they ever get so large they are unmanageable? What do you do?
I really like this plant, so much easier than the phals. And I want to have it for many years to come.

[Leafmite]

Unmanageable = specimen size.
When a Cattleya gets too big, most people divide them and take the divisions they don't want to their orchid society meetings to trade, sell, give away or to use as a raffle.

[NYCorchidman]

Well, yellow and red combo is very common in cattleya, so that does not help.

Ok, it flowered.
It is a mature plant and the height will basically stay where it is now.

Cattleyas are sympodial, which means (and I'm sure you know by now after seeing it grow for one year) they continuously add new growths at the base of older growths.

In the wild, (look up images of cattleyas in the wild), they grow on tree like many orchids. and unless they get too heavy and tree branches break off or some heavy storm knock them off, they will grow with no end!

With pot culture, you can gradually repot into larger and larger pot. With this, unless you have a greenhouse, watering and general care can be very difficult.

So you might want to keep it at certain size by continuously dividing the plant into sections.

Although larger cattleyas look much better in bloom, I also keep mine in a pot no larger than 8 in for maintenance reasons as I am an indoor grower.

As far as longevity, your orchids will outlive you unless it comes down with some nasty diseases or something. so take good care of it and you will most likely see it grow and flower every year to the end of your life all the while having more and more pots of the same plant or giving them away to others!

Enjoy!

[GardenTheater]

I visited a greenhouse that had a Catt attached to and covering a 6ft by 3ft wooden table. The owner said there was pot in there somewhere. He got the Catt from a grower who had passed away.

[plumania]

Originally Posted by GardenTheater

I visited a greenhouse that had a Catt attached to and covering a 6ft by 3ft wooden table. The owner said there was pot in there somewhere. He got the Catt from a grower who had passed away.

Oooh, you should have taken a picture! I imagine it looked gorgeous when in bloom. That is a great use of old wooden table.

[Fairorchids]

Here is a photo of one the largest Cattleyas I have seen (actually a Guarianthe now). This plant was shown at the WOC in Miami in 2008, certificate in the foreground is on an 8.1/2"x11" sheet of paper.

It is Gua. Hail Storm 'Coconut Orchids' CCM/AOS. This is a cross between Gua bowringiana & Gua skinneri.

Proportionately, I have seen even bigger specimens in other genera. See next post.

[Fairorchids]

For comparison, here is a Dendrobium kingianum hybrid shown at the Philadelphia Flower Show in 2009. It is mounted on a custom metal tri-pod.

[Leafmite]

Wow, those are just incredible. Wow.