Catasetum schweinfurthii

Also known as: Schweinfurth's Catasetum in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

Native to: Peru

General Information

Schweinfurth's Catasetum is a sympodial warm to hot growing orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae native to Peru. It is named after the American Botanist with Peruvian Species in the 1900's.

Plant Description

Sympodial. Each new growth has numerous elliptic leaves that grow to 3.5-30cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 2.5-12cm

Flowers

Numerous fragrant blossoms appear

Fragrance

The orchid is fragrant.

Substrate(s)

• Coarse
• Bark
• Charcoal
• Treefern
• Spaghnum Moss
• Perlite

Fragrant:

• IsFragrant

Climate

These orchids thrive in humid, cool, shady conditions with good airflow, they will be found under dense forest canopies where they will receive moderate sun exposure throughout the year.

When cultivated they will thrive in a cool, sheltered environment such as a shaded greenhouse, or if grown in cooler climates they can be grown in the garden in areas where they are protected from frost and receive shade throughout the year, though they may be able to tolerate some morning sun during winter.

Grows at low to high elevations. Rainfall ranges from 114mm to 632mm per day, heaviest in May and lightest in December. Humidity ranges from 76% to 81%, highest in July and lowest in February. Temperature ranges from 16C to 30C, highest in February (18C to 30C) and lowest in January (16C to 28C).

Watering

These orchids prefer a constant supply of moisture, with a slight drying out between waterings. Saucers can be placed under pots to retain moisture during hot weather, however the saucers should be removed or let to dry every 1-2 weeks to prevent rot. Keep an eye on the plant especially in hot weather and look for cues of under/overwatering and adjust accordingly.

During Summer, be sure to keep media moist. Keep moisture levels up during hot weather as the plant is prone to dehydration

Fertiliser

These plants thrive on fertiliser, especially during periods of growth. Liquid fertiliser can be applied year round at the recommended strength, augmented with manure pellets or other quickly degradable fertiliser, applied away from the base of the plant, during periods of strong growth. Slow release pellets can also be applied year round at the rate of 2-3 pellets per cup (250ml) of media.

They can benefit from a high phosphate fertiliser leading up to flowering season, and by a high nitrogen fertiliser when new growth appears. 

Use balanced fertiliser year round. This plant is a heavy feeder year round, full strength fertiliser can be used. Fertiliser can be applied heavily year round. Use a high Nitrogen fertiliser during Spring and Summer. Use a high Phosphorous fertiliser during Summer.

Potting

Use water retentive media such as moss to prevent roots from drying out quickly This plant does very well in baskets or suspended pots Repotting is best done annually.