here is a small guide with maximas :
might be useful .
low land:
- they grow in ecuador
- (-)pbulbs are thinner and longer than those from highland
- (+)bigger flower count .
- (-)smaller flowers.
- lightly colored flowers.
- (-)leaf is also thinner and longer. than those from high land.
the coerulea flower of the maxima i posted is from ecuador. (lowland)
high land
-grows in peru.
- (+)compact grower
- (-)less flowers per spike
- (+)darker colored flowers
- (+)larger flowers
- (+)fat pbulbs usually compact , similar in size to regular cattleya labiata.
- (+)leaf is broader and more compact .
the one i posted here is a highland maxima from peru. with a very very good lip. just wait until the blooms get their final color!
i have found that the high lands are easier to grow for me. but this species are adaptable. both of the one that bloomed for me (opened their buds at the same time, with a few hours difference) are being grown one next to the other. and both seems happy.
i do have almost all color forms for the high land , with the exception of coerulea and concolor. (i travel more frequently to peru than i do to ecuador)
lowlands i do have a alba and coerulea, missing the regular one, semi alba and concolor.
all of them gets the same treatment. i expect the others to bloom in November or next year, as they are still small.