Catasetum MALE (male) flowers ...

[Manfred Busche]

My 'Hi' goes to Catasetum plant experts, and
my question is ::

Can Catasetum plants (C. maculosum) be influenced by the grower to produce MALE (male) flowers ??
If so, how ?

Best regards, Manfred.

[AvantGardner]

Hi Manfred, ctsms usually produce male flowers on smaller plants and in darker than optimal conditions. One trick I've heard for stubborn female bloomers is to divide the plant into 1 or 2 back bulb divisions.

[Manfred Busche]

Hi AvantGardner - thank you a lot.

"darker than optimal conditions" ? ...

When dividing natural light into 3 categories :
(a) light from a cloudy blue sky,
(b) 'Cattleya light',
(c) 'Phalaenopsis light',

would (c) be likely to make a Catasetum plant to produce male (male) flowers ?

Thanks again, Manfred.

[isurus79]

I think cutting the plant into individual bulbs will do the trick.

I've tried giving large, mature plants that produce female flowers Phal light and they still gave females. Chop 'em up!!

[Manfred Busche]

Thank you a lot .
As my plant has already developed 2 flower spikes,
I have placed it for the time being under 'Phalaenopsis light' ...

Male flowers will appear on smaller plants ::
---------------------------------------
If this is correct, it would mean that, in nature (!),

(a) a YOUNG (still small and lean) Catasetum plant makes male flowers to fertilize, with the help of Euglossini Bees,
it's ADULT (big) female compatriots, and

(b) after itself has grown big after 2 years or so, it makes female flowers to await fertilization by it's juniors ...

Thank you for making me aware of this very interesting phenomenon.

Best regards, Manfred.
PS : any comments ?

[estación seca]

There is anecdotal information that male cycads can be induced to change sex by heavy fertilizing and excellent care.

[Manfred Busche]

In accordance with what was said above, I have placed my big plant of Catasetum maculosum under dusky light,
and the result was female flowers on 3 successive racemes. I have then cut off from the main and potted separately
2 small bulbs to see what these will do in the future.

What Catasetum plants (apparently) do makes much sense, because females in nature have to bear and bring to fruition one or several seed pots, and they have to be strong for it - while the males are of value only for 2 days or so ...
male plants could even wither away after fertilization. In nature that is.

Plant intelligence :: could the often criticized Anthony Trewavas be right ?

[orchidsarefun]

Many people repeat and pass on what the "experts" say without any direct experience. For most people that is probably OK, but it is very frustrating for people like me who are genuinely interested in expanding their knowledge, to the point of actual seed propagation. I have tried all the methods to get either male or female blooms. Nothing has worked for me.
I am not sure of what theories Anthony Trewavas espouses but if based in science and not hearsay, then he's ahead of most.

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[isurus79]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

Many people repeat and pass on what the "experts" say without any direct experience. For most people that is probably OK, but it is very frustrating for people like me who are genuinely interested in expanding their knowledge, to the point of actual seed propagation. I have tried all the methods to get either male or female blooms. Nothing has worked for me.
I am not sure of what theories Anthony Trewavas espouses but if based in science and not hearsay, then he's ahead of most.

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Don't wag your finger so much, it might get chopped off. I still recall the thread where you took sides with a guy who swore the moon phase influenced his propagation techniques.

[orchidsarefun]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Don't wag your finger so much, it might get chopped off. I still recall the thread where you took sides with a guy who swore the moon phase influenced his propagation techniques.

Thanks for proving my point. That "guy" was a propagator with many registrations and was speaking from direct experience. If moon phases were a common thread that he could identify and support, then it's irrelevant that some people think it's crazy.
Have you tried it? If not , then it's easy to snipe from the sidelines. I have and even now it's something I bear in mind when doing my own crosses - wherever possible. I performed 2 exact crosses months apart, same conditions. One was successful, the other not. No prizes for guessing the common thread.
In fact I make a point of proving or disproving so called common lore that doesn't make sense with direct experience as I have found that much advice is just regurgitated. The common advice against use of sphagnum moss with phals is another fallacy that persists. I always maintain that if something works in your conditions then carry on, even if the "experts" are telling you it's wrong. If you have the resources to experiment with orchids, then do so as only then does knowledge expand.

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