LC purple pigment on leaf, pseudobulb, and sheath?
 

My Lc Tokyo Magic 'Hihimanu' x Slc. Fire Fantasy 'Hihimanu' has some purple
pigmentation on its newest pseudobulb, leaf and sheath, which is different
from older growths that were completely green. Any idea what that could mean
(if anything)? This is a mini-catt that tends to flower twice a year for me,
once very poorly and once spectacularly. The previous flowering was so poor
that I started talking about perhaps giving this plant away (in its
hearing), and that threat must have helped since now it has 4 buds coming
out of this newest sheath. :-) At previous flowerings the sheath of this Lc
tended to dry out before the buds started coming out of it, whereas this
time around the sheath is still completely green with some purple and the
buds are slowly beginning to open. It's almost behaving like a different
plant, but that is not possible. The environment that this LC has been grown
in has changed drastically this year, so I assume that that's what caused
the changes.

Joanna

LC purple pigment on leaf, pseudobulb, and sheath?
 

Sounds like you are giving it more light... Seems like a healthy color
to me.

Rob

J Fortuna wrote:
My Lc Tokyo Magic 'Hihimanu' x Slc. Fire Fantasy 'Hihimanu' has some purple
pigmentation on its newest pseudobulb, leaf and sheath, which is different
from older growths that were completely green. Any idea what that could mean
(if anything)? This is a mini-catt that tends to flower twice a year for me,
once very poorly and once spectacularly. The previous flowering was so poor
that I started talking about perhaps giving this plant away (in its
hearing), and that threat must have helped since now it has 4 buds coming
out of this newest sheath. :-) At previous flowerings the sheath of this Lc
tended to dry out before the buds started coming out of it, whereas this
time around the sheath is still completely green with some purple and the
buds are slowly beginning to open. It's almost behaving like a different
plant, but that is not possible. The environment that this LC has been grown
in has changed drastically this year, so I assume that that's what caused
the changes.

Joanna




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Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

LC purple pigment on leaf, pseudobulb, and sheath?
 

Rob's is no doubt right, but I do have a question. Is the new environment
colder? For those of us who grow outside down here and have little control
over our temps, the rare cold weather can cause reddish purple pigmentation
of Catt leaves. Our solution is Epsom salts, 1Tb/gallon once a month.

Just sayin'.....

Diana

LC purple pigment on leaf, pseudobulb, and sheath?
 

Rob and Diana both make good suggestions -- and it would take a very good
picture to let us have a chance of firmly deciding between the two.

But since you say the plant is budding/blooming nicely, I lean toward the
"it's finally get enough light" theory. A lot of Catts with red or purple
color in the flowers will show some of that color in the foliage as well,
grown with good strong light. If it were cold damage, I think you probably
would've lost the buds. So, put that new Den near this Catt G. Kenni


"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:hhETf.107$4N1.105@trnddc06...
My Lc Tokyo Magic 'Hihimanu' x Slc. Fire Fantasy 'Hihimanu' has some
purple pigmentation on its newest pseudobulb, leaf and sheath, which is
different from older growths that were completely green. Any idea what
that could mean (if anything)? This is a mini-catt that tends to flower
twice a year for me, once very poorly and once spectacularly. The previous
flowering was so poor that I started talking about perhaps giving this
plant away (in its hearing), and that threat must have helped since now it
has 4 buds coming out of this newest sheath. :-) At previous flowerings
the sheath of this Lc tended to dry out before the buds started coming out
of it, whereas this time around the sheath is still completely green with
some purple and the buds are slowly beginning to open. It's almost
behaving like a different plant, but that is not possible. The environment
that this LC has been grown in has changed drastically this year, so I
assume that that's what caused the changes.

Joanna

LC purple pigment on leaf, pseudobulb, and sheath?
 

Rob, Diana, and Kenni,

Thank you for your ideas. Could it be a bit of both? More light and colder?
I will see once the buds fully open whether the flowers are indeed good this
time, but I've got my hopes up at this point.

Joanna

"Kenni Judd" wrote in message
...
Rob and Diana both make good suggestions -- and it would take a very good
picture to let us have a chance of firmly deciding between the two.

But since you say the plant is budding/blooming nicely, I lean toward the
"it's finally get enough light" theory. A lot of Catts with red or purple
color in the flowers will show some of that color in the foliage as well,
grown with good strong light. If it were cold damage, I think you
probably would've lost the buds. So, put that new Den near this Catt G.
Kenni


"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:hhETf.107$4N1.105@trnddc06...
My Lc Tokyo Magic 'Hihimanu' x Slc. Fire Fantasy 'Hihimanu' has some
purple pigmentation on its newest pseudobulb, leaf and sheath, which is
different from older growths that were completely green. Any idea what
that could mean (if anything)? This is a mini-catt that tends to flower
twice a year for me, once very poorly and once spectacularly. The
previous flowering was so poor that I started talking about perhaps
giving this plant away (in its hearing), and that threat must have helped
since now it has 4 buds coming out of this newest sheath. :-) At previous
flowerings the sheath of this Lc tended to dry out before the buds
started coming out of it, whereas this time around the sheath is still
completely green with some purple and the buds are slowly beginning to
open. It's almost behaving like a different plant, but that is not
possible. The environment that this LC has been grown in has changed
drastically this year, so I assume that that's what caused the changes.

Joanna

LC purple pigment on leaf, pseudobulb, and sheath?
 

Joanna
Are you growing under lights, alot of "Grow" bulbs can cause a plant to
produce more red pigment, I have some plants that have changed to a
reddish purple color. If you put them out just in the sun they will
change back to green, unless they were burned of course.

Jack