first bloomer, a solitary flower without a sheath. I do like its color though, maybe slightly darker than usual because I totally blasted it with light this fall.



A pleasing winter-blooming species, Cattleya schroederae was discovered in 1886 and named after the wife of the orchid enthusiast Baron von Schröder. The flowers of C. schroederae are not as variable as those of other species, usually ranging from soft to medium pink, but they more than make up for that with above-average shape, a most delightful fragrance, and characteristic bright orange throats.

Cattleya schroederae is one of the easier species to cultivate, typically starting its growths in early spring. Under ideal conditions, it may actually produce two growths in succession, and then starts its rest period in the fall. Buds develop in the late fall to early winter, and flowers are very long-lasting (4-6 weeks).