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shown at left...
Cattleya aclandiae var. coerulea

Cattleya aclandiae is a dwarf growing bifoliate whose pseudobulbs are generally less that 5" high. Like C. violacea and C. schilleriana, the 3-1/2" flowers open shortly after maturation of the new growth in the late spring, with the buds appearing as the leaves unfold. C. aclandiae has a reputation for being temperamental. It will happily grow on the outside of a clay pot for years, covering the pot with its vigorous root system. Try to establish it in a new pot and it will languish. This is an indication that C. aclandiae's long, unbranched roots do not like to stay wet. We have had best success growing C. aclandiae on small horizontal pieces of cajeput (although buttonwood works equally well). Shown here is the rather rare 'coerulea' color form.