This is one of my floofiest cattleyas, and one of my favorites. It was purchased several years ago at Parkside. At the time, we had almost no cattleyas, so we purchased it for the express purpose of having "a cattleya" for show displays. It's a massive plant. While not terribly tall (my L. purpuratas are much taller) it is stout and strong, putting out sturdy, heavy growths. It's been divided a few times and because of that hasn't bloomed in a while. I didn't even realize that it was in bud until I saw the blooms a few days ago.

I took a shot of the bloom on the outside edge nearest the aisle. The texture while velvety in the photo (and in appearance), is very firm and heavy to the touch. It has a delightful scent, and the color, a rich mix of magenta and deep red/wine, is just amazing.