C. mossiae fma. semi-alba

('Blanca' x 'Aurora')

Hailing from the forests of Venezuela and described in 1836 by William Hooker, Cattleya mossiae is one of the most cherished members of the genus. Its immense popularity as a species is reflected by its status as the national flower of Venezuela, and may only be matched by its prominence in standard cattleya hybridizing. C. mossiae was the third unifoliate cattleya species to reach Victorian England, and comes in a variety of color forms ranging from pure albas to dark purples. The semi-alba cultivar 'Reineckiana' received an FCC from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1871, and "fma. reineckiana" has occasionally been used to denote subsequent semi-alba forms.

C. mossiae is one of the easiest of the cattleya species to cultivate. It typically starts growing in late spring, after flowering, and should receive plenty of light and water during the summer months. Growth is completed in the fall, and the species rests during the winter, during which time watering should be at a minimum. The warmer days of spring elicit the long-awaited flowers, up to 4-5 on a spike and with a strong floral fragrance that has come to exemplify the genus. Cattleya mossiae was described by Hooker as "the most magnificent of all orchideous plants," and those who have seen the species in flower would be hard-pressed to disagree.

photos taken on 04-01-08, 04-05-08
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