Cattleya purpurata

Cattleya purpurata is not an orchid you can miss. This iconic species is the national flower of Brazil - a good choice as it is endemic to the South and South East of the country and so very at home grown in gardens across Brazils mega-cities on the Atlantic coast.

Cattleya purpurata naturally grows as an epiphyte in warm open woodland and so like a warm bright spot. This habitat also has a distinct dry season in the winter.

We grow our Cattleya purpurata in a large basket in the roof of our cloud forests greenhouse. The top of the greenhouse is always a few degrees warmer than lower down and it lives where there is less shading. Growing vertically is a great way to gro plants from different habitats in the same space. The masdevallias growing below cattleya purpurata benefit from its shade and live in a cooler wetter environment in the lower greenhouse (in the wild the masdevallias grow 1000m higher that Cattleya purpurata up the cool cloudy mountains)

Cattleya purpurata is variable in colour and lots are available. Our plant is the venosa variety and is drenched in a lovely deep pink with a darker lip blotch.