Cyc. Cygnus Atratus 'lo' x Cyc. cooperi 'Super Dark'

Dark Chocolate Blossoms with a Curve Like a Swan’s Neck

A dark and dramatic Catasetinae cross straight from our Kurtistown houses, bred to stack thick, waxy blooms onto plump, ribbed pseudobulbs.

Each blossom opens in tones of deep chocolate and dark mahogany, so rich it looks like it was poured out of a fudge pot. The prominent column curves gracefully over a thick, glossy lip, giving the flower the distinct silhouette of a tiny swan gliding over dark water.

Catasetums and their kin carry a kind of wild seasonality that makes growing them an absolute riot. They spend spring and summer growing like weeds and eating like pigs, then drop every single leaf in winter to enter a deep, bone-dry sleep. That seasonal leaf drop gives you a mandatory vacation from watering for months at a time, which is a rare treat in the plant world. When this cross spikes, the waxy flowers fill the room with a clean, warm wintergreen fragrance that stays strong for weeks. It packs a huge visual punch without demanding much room on your bench.

Quick Care Guide

• Light: Bright, indirect light to high filtered sun; leaf color should sit at a light apple green.

• Water: Heavy watering while in full summer growth; zero water during winter dormancy when leaves drop.

• Temperature: Nights 62–68°F, days 75–90°F. Warm-growing year-round.

• Fertilizer: High-nitrogen or balanced fertilizer with every watering in spring and summer; none in winter.

• Mature size: Pseudobulbs reach 8 to 12 inches tall; arching inflorescences extend 12 to 18 inches.