The Orchid Album, Volume 3: Comprising Coloured Figures and Descriptions of New, Rare, and Beautiful Orchidaceous PlantsMoore, Thomas
Science
The Orchid Album, Volume 3: Comprising Coloured Figures and Descriptions of New, Rare, and Beautiful Orchidaceous Plants
Moore, Thomas
Orchids; Orchids -- Pictorial works
The fine variety of _Cattleya labiata_ here illustrated, which was
introduced many years since, is still quite rare, indeed, as much so as
the type itself. It is a most beautiful variety, and the plant, though
seldom seen, is a most useful one, since it blooms at a time when there
are comparatively few Orchids in flower, although some other of the
Cattleyas that have been introduced during the last few years blossom at
the same time. The plant from which our drawing was taken bore
forty-eight expanded flowers, and was a grand example of good
cultivation. It was grown in the superb collection of the Comte de
Germiny, at Gouville, France, and was most perfect as regards foliage
and flowers. Mr. Rondeau, the gardener, seemed delighted to show us this
plant, as he might well be, as it made a grand floral picture. We gave a
description of this fine collection after our visit to Gouville, as
noted under Plate 108.
_Cattleya labiata pallida_ is an evergreen plant, with the stems or
pseudobulbs about eight inches in height, supporting one thick bright
green leaf, about ten inches in length, and is one of the most
compact-growing Cattleyas we have. The sepals and petals are of a deep
rose colour, the lip of a yellowish white, with a large patch of bright
magenta, the fore part margined with pale rose, and the throat bright
orange. It blossoms in July, August, and September, and continues in
beauty from three to four weeks.
This plant is best grown in a pot, with rough fibrous peat, perfect
drainage being secured by filling the pots three-parts full with crocks,
and mixing a few lumps of charcoal with the top of the drainage, and
also with the peat, as this keeps the latter more open; the roots,
moreover, like to cling to it, so that it is very beneficial to the
plants. The plants should be well elevated above the top of the pot, and
then the roots will run all over the soil among the charcoal and fibre,
which they delight to grow in. When potted in this way the material
keeps sweet for a much longer time, as the water is directly carried
away and cannot become stagnant about the roots. The great secret is to
have good drainage and sweet material for the roots to work in. If the
soil gets bad remove it, and give the plants a fresh supply without
injuring the roots.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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