Wow, that's a stunning bloom! I've never seen a catt bloom like that, but I've only been involved with this hobby less than 10 years. I'll sure be watching this thread to see what the experts have to say.

Sheila :)

That's a beauty. Great form. Mine always flower on the modified growth. I find Cattleya walkeriana will bloom erratically and on a mature bulb when the dry period is not respected. It's surely a beauty and it would be great to see this plant with a multitude of blooms in the future. Please share your culture with us.

Beautiful...I'd love to hear cultural hints too! Love the flower shape.

I see both you Raphael and Calvin live in a country with some pretty wide fluctuations in temperature, worse than here in England although this winter has been pretty cold and last summer was wet and dreary. Heating a greenhouse over here these days is a major expense however growing my orchids well is very important to me and so I pay to keep them warm and happy at 70' during the day and 60' at night with the help of some good insulation. It is of course warmer during the summer with sun heat. C.Walkeriana seems to enjoy this regime, it does need a long rest once root activity ceases and I hardly water during this period just an occasional misting. Plenty of water and fertilizer when it is growing with good drainage. I think cutting back on the watering during the rest period is important. I would be interested to know what sort of dry period if any, the plant gets in it's natural habitat. Maybe someone could help with this info.

This is the info straight from Orchid Wiz, compliments of Baker.

Rainfall is moderate to heavy from spring into autumn with four to five months dry season from late autumn into winter. Plants still receive heavy dew however. Cultivated plants should be misted daily when actively growing and never allowed to dry for extended periods of time.

I grow a couple of different walkeriana in a g/h and if the sun is shining in the winter, they get watered, if it is dark and ugly with no sun, they don't get anything. They are grown in a vanda basket with lava rock as a substrate.

My alba walkeriana blooms from the top of the pbulb but the coerulea blooms from the rhizome.

Brooke

Nice pictures Brooke. My alba blooms on a modified growth. Maybe it's confused! All of my nobilior and walkeriana are kept bone dry after the newest growth has matured and until the next new growth commences. All of my nobilior are potted so I don't water during this time and I also move them to a very cool location. My walkeriana are grown media free so I mist them daily with pure RO water.

Wonderful flower, congratulations!

A Beauty!~Charm