Cattleya warscewiczii Habitat in Colombia 2024

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DrLeslieEe

Scholar, Addict and Aficionado of Orchidacea
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While attending to judge the Medellin shows, I was lucky to be included in a Frontino Orchid Expedition to see one of the Cattleya warscewiczii habitat owned in a sector of private land.

The 5 hour drive through mountainous terrains and cloud forests was exciting, with the car halting to a stop every time someone yelled ‘orchid’! We saw many species of Cyrtochilums, Epidendrum, Sobralia, Oncidiums, Catasetums etc etc etc.

But the highlight was to see the King of Cattleyas growing on ‘Guli’ tree crevices, trunks and branches on the hilly mountain sides with stunning views. Elevation was around 1500-200m and temperature range from 15-25C.

Plants were plentiful with some as big as 20 bulbs and many seedlings on the branches. The roots were surround by moss and ant colonies (that protected the plants from pests). Many plants were holding multiple pods, showing the healthy insect pollinator population. Unfortunately it wasn’t the blooming season but I was sent pics by the guide. Interestingly, it is also the same habitat as Cattleya dowiana aurea…

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Last pic is a bloom pic in same area during dry season (courtesy of my guide Leon).

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That's lovely to see some photos of the habitate of C. warscewiczii and thanks Leslie for posting some of you photos.
..... The 5 hour drive through mountainous terrains and cloud forests was exciting, with the car halting to a stop every time someone yelled ‘orchid’! We saw many species of Cyrtochilums, Epidendrum, Sobralia, Oncidiums, Catasetums etc etc etc...............
I'm wondering that you could drive at all in the end.
 
Many thanks for post. I saw somewhere a Columbian farmer, he put some gigas onto the proof, surrounded with cattle manure and did nothing else...his plants turned to huge clumps with many dozens of shoots and with 80-100 flowers /clumps. Sometimes he puts some more manure on clumps....i tried to find his post but couldn t...incredible....
 
Many thanks for post. I saw somewhere a Columbian farmer, he put some gigas onto the proof, surrounded with cattle manure and did nothing else...his plants turned to huge clumps with many dozens of shoots and with 80-100 flowers /clumps. Sometimes he puts some more manure on clumps....i tried to find his post but couldn t...incredible....
Yes that’s the normal practice there with the manure.

There are many people in local villages around this habitat who save the plants from the forest floor, that was knocked off by wind or storms, and establish them on their garden trees. In fact, many of the exceptional cultivars were bought as partitions from these collections, such as ‘Katia’ and ‘Ithuango’ and even ‘Floresta’!!
 
Leslie, when do the plants produce new growths?
You’re saying that they flower just before the second wet season of the year. How does this relate to their growth?
The growths start after Sept, then cold chill in Oct/Nov/Dec to bloom Feb/March.

Apparently the new growths in the second rainy season is rare due to long drought before.
 

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