Cattleya Orchid - Elizabeth Smith

Cattleya Orchid, originally uploaded by Elizabeth Smith.

A gift from a friend many years ago, this Cattleya orchid has somehow survived my care. My guess is that southern Florida’s climate is similar to that of South America, it’s probable origin. Cattleya orchids were “the” orchid that started the orchid excitement in the 19th century. You can read a bit of history about it here.

Cattleyas have been bred and hybridized for over a century, with all types of colors and color combinations. Although these orchids have gone a bit out of favor, I love this particular one because it reminds me of my friend.

You can click on the top image to view larger on my Flickr photostream.

~Elizabeth Smith, Southwest Florida, USA