Cattleya maxima var. alba

Introducing the Picaboo Orchid - The Greatest Cattleya with Pristine White Flowers!

Bring the allure of South America's Flor de Navidad, also known as the Christmas Flower, into your own home with the exquisite Cattleya maxima var. alba, affectionately named the Picaboo Orchid. This captivating orchid variety boasts stunning, pristine white flowers that can reach an impressive size of almost 14cm. What truly sets it apart is the characteristic yellow stripe running down the center of the lip, a defining feature shared across all forms of Cattleya maxima.

Cultivating Tips: Cattleya maxima var. alba thrives in medium-sized conditions, making it an ideal choice for orchid enthusiasts of all levels. Here are some cultivation tips to help you enjoy the best results with your Picaboo Orchid:

1. Light: Provide bright, indirect light to mimic its natural habitat in seasonally dry, coastal forests. Avoid placing the orchid in direct sunlight, as it may lead to leaf burn.

2. Temperature: This orchid prefers cool to warm temperatures. Aim for daytime temperatures around 65-80°F (18-27°C) and slightly cooler temperatures at night.

3. Watering: Allow the potting medium to dry slightly between waterings, as Cattleyas dislike constantly wet roots. A well-draining orchid mix is ideal for maintaining the right level of moisture.

4. Humidity: Cattleyas enjoy higher humidity levels, so using a humidity tray or misting the air around the plant can be beneficial, especially in drier climates.

5. Fertilizer: Feed your Picaboo Orchid with a balanced orchid fertilizer during the growing season (spring and summer). Reduce or stop fertilizing during the rest period (fall and winter).

6. Repotting: Repot the orchid every 2-3 years or when the potting medium starts to break down. Spring is the best time for repotting, just before the new growth emerges.

With proper care and attention, your Picaboo Orchid will reward you with an elegant display of fragrant, sweet pea-scented flowers. Their heavy-textured blossoms hover just above or at leaf height, creating a breathtaking sight that's sure to captivate anyone who lays eyes on them.

Originating from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and northern coastal Peru, this unifoliate orchid species showcases clavate, lightly complanate, sulcate pseudobulbs adorned with nonfoliaceous sheaths. The plant produces a single, apical, oblong or narrowly elliptic-oblong, thickly coriaceous leaf.

The flowers emerge from mature pseudobulbs and are presented on erect or arching, few to several flowered, racemose inflorescences. Each inflorescence is subtended with a large, elongate sheath, and you can expect 3 to 15 long-lived blooms on each flowering stem.

This is a blooming size, potted in a 5" pot, about 1 to 2 years to bloom, grown from seed, limited! 

Delight in the beauty of the Picaboo Orchid as it graces your living space. Whether you're an experienced orchid enthusiast or a beginner looking for a captivating addition to your collection, the Cattleya maxima var. alba is a must-have for any orchid lover.