I was sorting through some of my orchid photos and realized that I’ve photographed some incredible varieties of cattleya orchids – and that I’ve never shared these photos with you. So I’ll be posting them in a couple of posts in the next week or so.

Cattleya orchids are originally native to Costa Rica and tropical South America. They were named in 1824 after Sir William Cattley, who cultivated some cattleya orchids that were used as packing materials for other orchids.

When you think of a typical orchid – a showy flower often with one frilly lip petal and wonderful patterns – chances are you’re thinking about a cattleya orchid or one of the many hybrids involving cattleya orchids.

Here are some of my cattleya orchid photos – I hope you enjoy them.

Mine Gold – a Sophrolaeliocattleya orchid – photographed at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

Cattleya orchid – unknown variety – also photographed at Longwood Gardens

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

A Trick or Treat Cattleya orchid photographed at the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden in Coral Gables, Florida.

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

And finally three photos of a spectacular orchid I photographed at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

(c) 2010 Patty Hankins

I hope you’ve enjoyed this wonderful orchids – I’ll post a few more cattleya orchid photos next week.