Growing Cattleya warscezwcii (gigas)
 

I purchased a plant of this in bloom at a orchid society meeting:biggrin: , but I have read that it is a challenge to grow.:hmm Does anyone have it and what has their experience been? Thanks in advance.

I have 2 both of which I received bare-root. One took considerable time to push out new growth, but is growing very well now in S/H. The second one is in Sphag-n-bag right now with two new growths and I am waiting for roots so I can pot it up (not sure if I will go S/H again or not).

There is some good cultural info in these 2 other posts about C. warscezwcii.
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...n-c-gigas.html
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...zii-gigas.html

Thanks. Now for the real trick: keeping them on the dry side with the rainy season well (and I do mean well) underway.:scratchhead:

Do you use wood charcoal as potting material ?

I use a mix of aliflor, wood, perlite, and charcoal since wood rots fast and is eater by termites even faster in our climate.

I will soon put up pictures of my C. warscezwcii, var Sharon II, which is blooming for the first time. I purchased this orchid on ebay several years ago. Since it seems to be happy, I can not say it's too difficult to grow. I have it in medium & large bark, with perhaps 25% charcoal. Mine has a very nice fragrance in the a.m. This link may be helpful to you Greenman: Cattleya warscewiczii

Thanks for the info, this will help a lot, although I agree, it may be too much to ask to keep it from producing a new growth.

Hey Greenman -
This is a subject close to my heart! I've had one of these (sanderiana type) for about 4-5 years, and it has grown like a weed, but no flowers. Yet. I was directed to this page:
Cattleya warscewiczii
I've always just treated it like all the other orchids, which apparently is why I have a lovely foliage plant now. Photos attached of the plant last fall and early this spring, after starving that poor thing of water all winter and spring. Full sun is never a problem here. I put it outside about 2 months ago, and we are in an intense monsoon season here in south Louisiana. It has been watered thoroughly almost daily; the p'bulbs have plumped out nicely; there are probably 8-9 new growths (I did let them grow to 4" or so before submitting to the daily rains). I am really hoping that it will bloom later this summer (the type I have *supposedly* blooms late in July.
I'll keep you posted. I am filled with hope.
Regards - Nancy

Nancy, that is a spectacularly grown C. warscezwcii! Very compact in the pot.

Thanks Dave, but I must correct you - it is a nicely-grown *foliage* plant. If it 'chooses' not to flower this summer, I'm not sure what my next move should be. It certainly looks blooming sized, and is pale green from full sun! I think last week was the first time I've fertilized it this year.
Regards - Nancy