Cattleya schilleriana synonyms:
Consul Schiller's Cattleya
Cattleya aclandiae var schilleriana
Cattleya regnellii
Cattleya schilleriana var. amaliana
Cattleya schilleriana var. concolor
Cattleya schilleriana var. regnellii
Epidendrum schillerianum, is a species of the genus Cattleya.
This species was described by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach in 1857.
Cattleya schilleriana is endemic to Bahia state in coastal eastern Brazil. In nature it grows as an epiphyte or lithophyte on trees or rocks along the rivers at an altitude of 200-800 meters. Today it is considered extinct in nature.
It is a small sized, cool to hot growing, epiphytic, bifoliate orchid with club-shaped, sulcate, often tinted reddish-purple, 14-15 cm long pseudobulbs carrying 2 apical, elliptic-oblong, spreading, deep green above, reddish purple below, 10 cm in length leaves.
Consul Schiller's Cattleya blooms in the summer and fall on a terminal, short, long-lived, 1 to 5 flowered inflorescence carrying fragrant, waxy flowers. The flowers, which up to 12 cm in diameter, can remain open for up to 24 days.
Light:
Cattleya schilleriana needs a light level of 45000-50000 lux. 35000 lux is enough during the rest phase. The photoperiod must be at least 12 hours. To grow this species, artificial lighting systems are indispensable, as natural light is often not enough.
Temperature:
During the growth phase (from the appearance of new growth to the last flowering of the year, which may be in autumn or already in December), daytime temperatures should be 25-28° C during the day and 17-20° C at night. When the plant is resting, temperatures are 18-19° C during the day and 12-13° C at night.
Humidity:
This value depends on the way in which we cultivate the Consul Schiller's Cattleya. 50-60% are good for potted specimens. Those with a bare root need at least 70%.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Cattleya schilleriana can be grown either in pots or bare-rooted on a raft. As a vase we recommend the transparent plastic one, which facilitates the monitoring of substrate conditions and roots. The medium-sized bark (2-4 cm) is chosen as the substrate, with a possible addition of a sphagnum layer on the substrate surface. If you decide to grow it on a raft, it is important to put sphagnum under or over the roots of the orchid to ensure a reserve of moisture.
This species does not like to have the roots disturbed, so if a repot causes many fractures or losses, the plant blocks its growth for a certain period, adapting to the new conditions. Later you could skip the blooms of one or two seasons. If the roots of the orchid are in good condition, the repot is done every 2-3 years, to replace the aged substrate. The repot is carried out with such care, doing everything to avoid damaging the roots. Obviously, in case of problems with the root system, the repot is done immediately.
Watering:
In the growth phase the plant gets water as soon as the substratum has become almost dry. Water with a low content of mineral salts, room temperature or warmer, up to 40° is used. The bare root orchids get wet 1-2 times a day.
Fertilizer:
Fertilizations occur only during the growth phase. The orchid is fertilized every 3 watering with 1/2 of the dose indicated on the bottle of a special liquid fertilizer for orchids. Before fertilizing the plant it is necessary to water it to avoid the harmful effect of the fertilizer on the dry roots.
Rest period:
The development of Cattleya schilleriana involves a certain period of rest in the winter months, which, however, may be difficult to provide for its habit of producing two generations of pseudobulbs a year. Rest does not affect the ability of the orchid to bloom but it serves more than the other to give it a generic pause from the vegetation. In any case, if the orchid has new growths in progress, the rest period is not done, because the pseudobulbs formed by these growths will not be able to bloom if subjected to the stress of drought and the low temperatures during their formation. During rest, the substrate must remain completely dry for 5 days between watering, and do not forget to lower the temperatures. Rest ends with the arrival of new growths from the base of pseudobulbs.