Cattleya gaskelliana var. coerulea

Cattleya gaskelliana var. coerulea 

Cattleya gaskelliana var. coerulea generally blooms with white sepals and a dark midrib in the lavender-disked lip. The forelobe is a blue to blue-lavender. This plant has bloomed with blue sepals, so again we demonstrate the lack of stability. It is a very good, prolific grower. The new growths show definite signs of lavender.

Cattleya gaskelliana var. coerulea  had a number of fine qualities to recommend it to orchid growers. It was easy to grow, very free flowering, and had large 7-inch flowers with a nice fragrance and lovely delicate texture. It had been imported in large quantities, so it was readily available and was not too expensive to acquire. 

Its flowering season made it a must for all Cattleya lovers, because without it, there were no Cattleya flowers after C. mossiae finished blooming in mid-May until Cattleya warscewiczii bloomed in mid-June.

Cattleya gaskelliana var. coerulea  is native to Venezuela, where it grows as an epiphyte and lithophyte from 2,300 to 3,300 feet above sea level in the Eastern Coastal Mountain Range, the Cordillera de la Costa. It occurs in three Venezuelan provinces, northeastern Anzuategui, southern Sucre, and northern Monagas. 

Its natural habitats vary from tropical, humid cloud forests, to somewhat drier areas where it is forced to grow on rocks in nearly full sun. Unfortunately, it has been collected almost to extinction in some areas and is no longer as plentiful as it once was.

It will normally begin growing in the United States in early February and complete its growth by mid-May. It should be watered sparingly until the new growth is about 3 inches long. Then water should be increased until it is receiving heavy waterings as the growth matures. Always remember to allow the medium to dry out, however, between waterings, otherwise, if the roots are kept too wet, they may rot and die.

Cattleya gaskelliana is one of the Cattleya species that produces flowers as the growth is maturing. In other words, it does not produce a growth and then rest for a few months before flowering as do Cattleya mossiae and Cattleya trianaei. 

Like most other Cattleya species, C. gaskelliana needs lots of sun and air to grow and flower well. The night temperature should be 58 F–60 F and the day temperature 80 F–85 F.

Cattleya gaskelliana var. coerulea normally produces three to five flowers on a flower stem in mid-May in the United States. The flowers do not stay in bloom as long as C. trianaei or Cattleya schroederae and three weeks is normal. Once in flower, the plants should be kept in the coolest part of the greenhouse so the flowers will last longer. 

After blooming, the plants will sometimes make a second growth, which, unlike C. warscewiczii, does not seem to diminish its flower production the following year. Repot the plants only when you see new roots starting from the lead pseudobulb.

These are blooming size division in a 5” clay pot, newly repotted about 1 to 2 years to bloom.  Grown from Seed! Limited!