Cattleya percivaliana

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Photographed by: Hannele Lahti
Photographed by: Hannele Lahti
Photographed by: Creekside Digital

Object Details

Description

This large orchid is one of many known as a “Christmas Orchid” due to when it flowers. This plant produces slightly smaller flowers than Cattleya labiata, but typically have a better form, with fuller and flatter petals. It is named for an English orchid enthusiast of the 1800s.

Bloom Time (Northern Hemisphere)

December to February; peaks in January and February

Provenance

From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin

Accession Number

2015-1590A

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Life Form

Lithophytic

Bloom Characteristics

Inflorescence is 10" (25.4 cm) long with 3-4 short-lived, pink flowers. Flowers are up to 5" (12.7 cm) across.

Fragrance

Musty

Range

Colombia to NW and N Venezuela

Habitat

Near rivers; 4265-6560ft (1300-2000m)

See more items in

Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection

Common Name

Christmas Orchid

Percival's Cattleya

Group

[vascular plants]

Class

Equisetopsida

Subclass

Magnoliidae

Superorder

Lilianae

Order

Asparagales

Family

Orchidaceae

Subfamily

Epidendroideae

Genus

Cattleya

Species

percivaliana

Data Source

Smithsonian Gardens

Topic

Orchids

Living Collections

Metadata Usage

CC0

Link to Original Record

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ax793c9f215-2843-43e2-a1a8-182b5f696f26

Record ID

ofeo-sg_2015-1590A