Cattleya cernua

We first knew this species as Sophronitis cernua before Sophronitis was included in Cattleya, and S. cernua was the type species for the genus. Unusually for a 'Sophronitis' this species is warm growing and is found in woodland close to the sea along the Atlantic coast of South Eastern Brazil.  We have explored this habitat and it is a dryish spikey forest with smaller trees and good light. Plants like Cattleya cernua survive in this habitat by growing low down on the trunks of trees where they get a little more shade and can hold onto more moisture.

In cultivation we grow Cattleya cernua indoors in our IKEA cabinets (min 17C) and mounted so that plants have perfect drainage and can crawl around their mount with growth sticking tight to the bark. We spray every day or every other day but with bright grow lights the plants dry out well in between waterings.