Cattleya warscewiczii is the best known of all Colombian
Cattleya, although, it is safe to assume that it is not the most
popular among hobbyists, simply because in the northern
hemisphere, the blooming season is usually during the hot months
of July and September. The plant was discovered near Frontino in
1849 by Josef Warscewicz. Most plants from the early collection
perished during the trip to Europe and it was not until some 20
years later that the plants became more popular in the European
collections. By the end of the XIXth century, they received very
high awards by the Royal Horticultural Society. It also received
the name of Cattleya gigas because of its size, but this name is
only a synonim of Cattleya warscewiczii. A friend of mine told
me once that you do not need to be an orchid grower to
appreciate the beauty of this Cattleya. It is indeed a
magnificent Cattleya when it is in full bloom. Not many orchids
compare to it at during blooming season. During my literature
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