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Caring for your Cattleya 'My Perfect Angel'
Cattleya 'My Perfect Angel' is a graceful exhibitor: large ruffled blooms, a refined fragrance, and a compact growth habit that suits both show benches and elegant interiors. Follow these essentials to keep it healthy and blooming:
Light: Bright, indirect light is ideal. Provide strong morning sun or filtered afternoon light—leaf color should be a medium olive green. Pale yellow leaves indicate too much light; dark green means it needs brighter exposure.
Temperature: Maintain day temperatures of 70–80°F and nights of 55–65°F. A 10–15°F drop at night encourages spike formation.
Humidity & Airflow: Keep humidity at 50–70%. Good air movement prevents rot and fungal issues—use a gentle fan if growing indoors.
Watering: Water thoroughly, then allow the potting mix to dry slightly between waterings. In active growth (spring–summer) water more frequently; reduce in winter when growth slows. Avoid letting roots sit in water.
Potting Medium & Repotting: Use a fast-draining mix such as medium-grade fir bark with some charcoal and perlite. Repot every 2–3 years or when the medium breaks down, ideally just after flowering or when new roots appear.
Fertilizer: Feed with a balanced orchid fertilizer at quarter to half strength every 1–2 weeks during growth; reduce to monthly in winter. A bloom-boosting formula with slightly higher phosphorus can be used as buds form.
Pruning & Aftercare: After flowering, trim the spent spike to the base unless it is a multifloral spike that may rebloom. Remove any dead or diseased roots and leaves when repotting.
Pests & Problems: Watch for scale, mealybugs, and spider mites. Treat early with appropriate systemic or contact controls and improve cultural conditions to reduce stress-related susceptibility. Yellowing leaves, soft roots, or blackened crowns signal overwatering or rot.
With balanced light, steady temperatures, and careful watering, Cattleya 'My Perfect Angel' rewards patience with spectacular, long-lasting blooms that elevate any collection.
