Books about Cattleyas from Amazon.com

In 1818, William Cattley succeeded in flowering one of the first species of the genus that would bear his name. These first cattleyas are the classic cattleyas, whose form defined the essence of tropical orchids for generations to come. Indeed, the color of their flowers became known as "orchid." In this helpful and informative book, each classic Cattleya species is described in fascinating detail, and its role in breeding programs is elucidated. All that is required to appreciate and grow the large-flowered cattleyas successfully is included. Cultivation, humidity and watering, fertilizing, propagation, and diagnosing and treating problems are detailed, making this volume valuable for both veteran orchid enthusiasts and those who simply love these beautiful flowers..
Price: $8.25 [Notify me when price goes down.]

In this sequel to his celebrated series of books on the Cattleya alliance of orchids, Carl Withner joins with Patricia Harding to explore "the debatable epidendrums."

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Epidendrum in 1753 to include the mostly epiphytic orchid plants his students and colleagues were sending back to him from tropical America. Over time the genus grew to include more than one thousand species of evergreen epiphytic, lithophytic, or terrestrial orchids. Some of these epidendrums were transferred to other genera, such as Barkeria, Dimerandra, Oerstedella, and especially Encyclia. Others have yet to be divided into natural subgroups, which could be split off into their own genera. A portion of these remaining epidendrums, those with pseudobulbs, are the focus of this volume.

Withner and Harding have collected the available data and organized it to show what we know about these plants and what problems remain to be resolved in determining how and where to classify them. The authors' data comes first from the literature (which often has conflicting reports) and then from first-hand experience in growing the plants. Keys are provided for each subgroup to assist in species identification, and the cultural information gathered should help keep these plants in cultivation. Supplementing the concise plant descriptions are 98 color photos and 68 line drawings.

Despite their controversial nomenclature, the debatable epidendrums are an interesting and often beautiful species, many being relatively easy to cultivate, making them ideal for beginning growers. This volume is certain to be of use to hobbyists, collectors, and growers alike..
Price: $12.40 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This is the final volume in a landmark treatise of six volumes devoted to the genera of the Cattleya alliance. Carl Withner’s extensive experience, study, and research give readers access to an unparalleled range of information about the particulars in the wild and the behavior in cultivation of each species he describes. He is candid about the difficulties in resolving taxonomic ambiguities in the alliance, many members of which have undergone repeated reclassification during their history. But his enthusiasm for the orchids is displayed in accounts of his first encounters with various species in the wild, his observations of them as a grower, and his suggestions for hybridization possibilities.

Writing in the American Orchid Society Bulletin, Rebecca T. Northen said of the first volume, “This is a book for all time. It and the five volumes to follow will form a grand addition to orchid libraries . . . [a] source of information for years to come.” As the treatise draws closer to completion, her prediction seems to have been amply fulfilled..
Price: $13.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]