Hello,

I got one Catt in my collection and I have never seen the plant grow
before. I would like to hear if what is happening is "normal".
I bought the plant with 7 spikes and two flowers. The flowers die and
than two new spikes grew. The new spikes are now the largest and each
has one fully open leaf. Each leaf is about 10Intch long. Each of the
spikes has what looks like a folded leaf about 2Intch long. This fold
section is translucent and I can see something else inside it
(flower?). The folded section is glued on its rim. The plant has been
in this situation for at least two months. Now a new spike is growing
out of one of the new spikes.
The plant OK and I can see new roots growing here and there.

Is this normal?
Should I cut the folded section open?

Thanks

Gal

Seems like the plant is doing just fine. I wouldn't cut anything open if i
were you. Perhaps only the remainders of the old flowers. The new spikes
should always be bigger or the same size. So that's a good sign. If the
folded section is at the base of the leave, it could be the beginning of new
flowers. Normaly it will grow thicker and open up, voila new flowers. If you
have a camara you could take a picture and post it in the other newsgroep.
It will make it easier for the rest of us to see what you're talking about
and we can the give you a beter answer.
It sounds to me like a good healthy plant with a solid growth and a tendensy
to flower again shortly.
Peter
"gal" schreef in bericht
om...
Hello,

I got one Catt in my collection and I have never seen the plant grow
before. I would like to hear if what is happening is "normal".
I bought the plant with 7 spikes and two flowers. The flowers die and
than two new spikes grew. The new spikes are now the largest and each
has one fully open leaf. Each leaf is about 10Intch long. Each of the
spikes has what looks like a folded leaf about 2Intch long. This fold
section is translucent and I can see something else inside it
(flower?). The folded section is glued on its rim. The plant has been
in this situation for at least two months. Now a new spike is growing
out of one of the new spikes.
The plant OK and I can see new roots growing here and there.

Is this normal?
Should I cut the folded section open?

Thanks

Gal

First , let's get some terminology straight.

Cattleyas are sympodial plants, meaning that each successive plant grows
from a rhizome coming from the older plants.

The new growth consists of a short stem with a pseudobulb, which is topped
by one or two leaves. The translucent structure is known as a sheath, and
it protects newly-formed flower buds. Normally, as they grow, the buds will
split open the sheath and continue to grow and open normally. Sometimes it
pays to manually cut open the sheath, but if you do, be very careful, as the
buds and their stem are very fragile.

The structure that the flowers are on is known as an inflorescence, and in
catts, is usually in the form of a small raceme, but the term "spike" is
generically used to describe any inflorescence. Point your browser to the
URL below, and got to Free Information Inflorescences to see what I mean.

Now then, to answer your question: if the buds growing in the sheath still
have room to grow, you're probably better to leave it alone. It sounds like
you're doing the right things for the plant.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"gal" wrote in message
om...
Hello,

I got one Catt in my collection and I have never seen the plant grow
before. I would like to hear if what is happening is "normal".
I bought the plant with 7 spikes and two flowers. The flowers die and
than two new spikes grew. The new spikes are now the largest and each
has one fully open leaf. Each leaf is about 10Intch long. Each of the
spikes has what looks like a folded leaf about 2Intch long. This fold
section is translucent and I can see something else inside it
(flower?). The folded section is glued on its rim. The plant has been
in this situation for at least two months. Now a new spike is growing
out of one of the new spikes.
The plant OK and I can see new roots growing here and there.

Is this normal?
Should I cut the folded section open?

Thanks

Gal

Hi Peter&Ray,

Thanks for your usfull answers.
One follow up question;
Why would the plant put one leaf per pseudobulb and sometimes two ?
Does it tell me anything about the condition of the plant?

Regards

Gal

The number of leaves is very often just a caractaristic for a sertain Catt.
For example a Catt. harrisoniana has normaly 2 leaves on one pseudobulb and
a Catt. walkeriana only one leave.
Often a catt. with a thick pseudobulb has 1 leave, and one with a thin
pseudobulb 2 leaves. Not always!!!

Peter

"gal" schreef in bericht
om...
Hi Peter&Ray,

Thanks for your usfull answers.
One follow up question;
Why would the plant put one leaf per pseudobulb and sometimes two ?
Does it tell me anything about the condition of the plant?

Regards

Gal

Here's a theory for you: cattleyas come in unifoliate and bifoliate forms.
"Pure" unifoliates rarely, if ever, sprout a second leaf. Bifoliates have a
fair tendency to throw a third. Now hybridize the two and think about what
you're going to see.

I suspect that the more bifoliates in the hybrid's background, the more
likely of multifoliate growth. Again, there are no absolutes, it's just
chance, and best I can tell is in no way related to condition of the plant.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"gal" wrote in message
om...
Hi Peter&Ray,

Thanks for your usfull answers.
One follow up question;
Why would the plant put one leaf per pseudobulb and sometimes two ?
Does it tell me anything about the condition of the plant?

Regards

Gal

I knew about the two types, just not the english terminoligy.
But bifoliate forms have often thin longer pseudobulbs whereas unifoliates
are often oval shaped. (thikker)
At least that is what I have been told. My experiences have only supported
that. Take for example de Catt's Intermedia, Harrisoniana, amethystoglossa,
Interglossa, schilleriana, gutata ... all thin pseudobulbs and bifoliate.

Now take the catt's, walkeriana, aureum, labiata, warsewitsii, irricolor
.... thikker and unifoliate.

Of course I allso know of exeption like the catt's bowringiana and
(skinnerii?) ... thikker and bifoliate.

As a general rule I have often found this to be true. For botanical and
hybrid plants.
My sources could be completely off, if so, than so am I. In that case, you
all have my sincere appolligies and I bow down to your greater experience
and will once again have learned something new because of this newsgroep.

Sorry if I don't always use the right words to describe a plant or
situation. The terms are not always the same in Dutch as in English.

Respectfully

Peter



"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" schreef in bericht
...
Here's a theory for you: cattleyas come in unifoliate and bifoliate
forms.
"Pure" unifoliates rarely, if ever, sprout a second leaf. Bifoliates have
a
fair tendency to throw a third. Now hybridize the two and think about
what
you're going to see.

I suspect that the more bifoliates in the hybrid's background, the more
likely of multifoliate growth. Again, there are no absolutes, it's just
chance, and best I can tell is in no way related to condition of the
plant.

OK, Peter. That's the second time, so....

STOP RIGHT NOW!!!!!

No need to apologize for having learned something different / misunderstood
something / et cetera. We're all here to learn and share what we've
learned, and I cannot begin to tell you how many times someone "new" to
orchids has pointed out stuff I've missed in nearly 30 years of growing!

Your observation of the pseudobulb/number of leaves connection is a good
one, even in its exceptions. I was merely relating a possibility as to why
a normally-single-leaved hybrid might throw a second every now and then.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Boystrup Pb, ann,..." wrote in message
e...
I knew about the two types, just not the english terminoligy.
But bifoliate forms have often thin longer pseudobulbs whereas unifoliates
are often oval shaped. (thikker)
At least that is what I have been told. My experiences have only supported
that. Take for example de Catt's Intermedia, Harrisoniana,
amethystoglossa,
Interglossa, schilleriana, gutata ... all thin pseudobulbs and bifoliate.

Now take the catt's, walkeriana, aureum, labiata, warsewitsii, irricolor
... thikker and unifoliate.

Of course I allso know of exeption like the catt's bowringiana and
(skinnerii?) ... thikker and bifoliate.

As a general rule I have often found this to be true. For botanical and
hybrid plants.
My sources could be completely off, if so, than so am I. In that case, you
all have my sincere appolligies and I bow down to your greater experience
and will once again have learned something new because of this newsgroep.

Sorry if I don't always use the right words to describe a plant or
situation. The terms are not always the same in Dutch as in English.

Respectfully

Peter



"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" schreef in bericht
...
Here's a theory for you: cattleyas come in unifoliate and bifoliate
forms.
"Pure" unifoliates rarely, if ever, sprout a second leaf. Bifoliates
have
a
fair tendency to throw a third. Now hybridize the two and think about
what
you're going to see.

I suspect that the more bifoliates in the hybrid's background, the more
likely of multifoliate growth. Again, there are no absolutes, it's just
chance, and best I can tell is in no way related to condition of the
plant.