- Approximate light
- 2500–4000 fc
- Day temperature
- 22–32 °C
- Relative humidity
- 60–80%
This is general guidance by genus. Species, hybrids, potting mix and your home conditions may call for different care. Check moisture and actual growth before following a schedule.
Light and position
Lots of light during growth, nearly Cattleya level.
When and how to water
With leaves and well-developed new roots, water frequently according to how the mix dries. Reduce as the pseudobulb matures and dormancy begins. A new shoot alone is not enough: wait for established new roots.
Potting mix and container
Sphagnum or fine bark in a small pot: it grows fast and drinks hard in season.
Feeding during growth
Weekly, generous feeding while growing: it builds the whole year's pseudobulb in four months.
When to repot
If fresh medium is needed, repot as new growth starts, preferably before delicate new roots appear. Avoid damaging roots that are already active. Repotting does not mean starting watering: wait for well-developed new roots, around 7.5–12.5 cm, according to the plant and its conditions.
Dormancy and seasonal changes
When leaves fall for dormancy, suspend routine watering and feeding. Monitor the pseudobulbs: severe dehydration needs assessment and may require light hydration. The plant’s condition takes priority over the season.
Flowering and new growth
Blooms at the end of growth, before or during leaf fall. Five to fifteen fleshy, fragrant flowers. A big pseudobulb built with plenty of water, light and food in summer.
What to watch for
Spider mites love its soft leaves. Check the undersides weekly in summer.
A FloraFlor care guide based on its app library, with editorial revisions for the web. Sources and further reading: American Orchid Society · Catasetum. No affiliation or endorsement is implied.
Let your plant set the pace
Save your Catasetum in FloraFlor, note when you watered it and record photos of its changes. Adjust reminders to your season and hemisphere, and log care after you have actually done it.
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