Object Details
Description
This cattleya is named for its flower, which was the largest cattleya flower of its time, in 1831. The first C. maxima was actually collected in the 1770s, before the genus Cattleya had even been described, but the dried and pressed record did not reach the famous botanist Lindley until 1831. Over time, more samples of C. maxima reached Europe, and botanists noticed distinct upland and lowland varieties. The upland variety was the one initially described, which is more compact with darker, more intensely colored flowers. The lowland type is very tall with many more, lighter colored flowers per a flower spike. C. maxima can be easily identified visually, because in all its varieties and color forms, it has a distinctive yellow stripe which runs down the middle of its lip.
Bloom Time (Northern Hemisphere)
Year round; peaks from September to November
Pollination Syndrome
Bee (Eulaema polychroma)
Provenance
From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
Accession Number
2009-0228A
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Life Form
Epiphytic
Bloom Characteristics
Erect to arching inflorescence is 12" (30.5 cm) long with 3-15 long-lived, heavily textured flowers. Flowers are 5" (12.7 cm) across. Lowland plants have more flowers than upland plants, but upland plants are considered to have a better shape and darker color. Lowland flowers are "floppy" and more white to pink.
Foliage Characteristics
Unifoliate
Fragrance
Sweet
Range
S Ecuador to Peru
Habitat
Seasonally dry, coastal forest; 33-5900ft (10-1800m)
See more items in
Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection
Common Name
Christmas Flower
Flor de Navidad
The Greatest Cattleya
Group
[vascular plants]
Class
Equisetopsida
Subclass
Magnoliidae
Superorder
Lilianae
Order
Asparagales
Family
Orchidaceae
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
Genus
Cattleya
Subgenus
subgen. Cattleya sect. Maximae
Species
maxima
Data Source
Smithsonian Gardens
Topic
Orchids
Living Collections
Link to Original Record
Record ID
ofeo-sg_2009-0228A