Cattleya dowiana
 

One of the most beautiful and popular Cattleya species. C. dowiana (aka. C. aurea and C. dowiana aurea) is in the background of most yellow hybrids, many purple hybrids, and most red hybrids.
Can be difficult to grow unless it is given very high humidity. Highly fragrant.
These are a group of first-bloom seedlings photographed at Ecuagenera's nursery in Guayaquil, Ecuador (the Guayaquil nursery is where they grow their warm-growing plants).
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Are you in Ecuador now? I seem to remember that we were going to be travelling around the same time...

Bummer. If you get a chance, sign up for one of Ecuagenera's tours. These guys really know their stuff, and they are wonderful hosts.

Wow, I agree with Tindo such a great lip.

I'm still not sure I captured just how wonderful that lip is, but the shots give at least some idea. Thanks for looking!

Awesome.

Kim

I have seedlings of Cattleya dowiana var. rosita 'Cammie' × warscewiczii 'CAS' from a Meyers flask. Oh...how I hope they will be as pretty! :)

This species is easily the reason I started growing Cattleyas . I've bought many dowianas over the years and have only three that have survived. And one of those is just barely here.
Beautiful photos.

They really like humidity. The guys here at Ecuagenera say that low humidity is the single reason that C. dowiana dies for so many growers. In Guayaquil, it's downright swampy most of the time, and the dowianas do great.