Lc. Final Blue, the long awaited flowers!

[camille1585]

At last, my LC. Final Blue is going to flower! Usually I have no trouble being patient with orchids, but this is one of those plants where I'm really, really looking forward to seeing it flower. Last year I watched with eager anticipation when it started growing a sheath, but was bitterly disappointed when it dried out and did nothing.

Not only did it produce buds when I didn't expect it, but there are 4! They are developing nicely, and starting to turn and spread out a bit. The only worry is the lowest one, which seems stuck in the sheath.

[DirtyCoconuts]

nice looking show coming your way.

i have learned to not fear a dried sheath as a lot of my catts bloom only from the sheaths that are brown and look dead and then...boom

[camille1585]

I had posted photos of that sheath here, and the consensus was that nothing was going to come of it, it was too small and crispy dry. Could be that the plant was not yet mature enough to flower and did a dry run. I'm only just getting into Catts and am learning as I go.

[SouthPark]

Definitely. Sheaths can be surprise packages. One thing we can do is to raise the level of our bar heheheh. For example - the "I'll believe it when I see it" level, which is ----- when the orchid not only develops the spike and buds ..... but also the level of bud opening. This goes for sheathless cattleyas too.

When the buds become large, like the one in the photo here ----- we know that the result is most likely going to be really good.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Not only did it produce buds when I didn't expect it, but there are 4! They are developing nicely, and starting to turn and spread out a bit. The only worry is the lowest one, which seems stuck in the sheath.

Wow, looking forward to seeing these open!
When there's one like the bottom one stuck, I usually slit the sheath to let it get out. The downside of that is that the sheath helps to support the flowers... so by setting the bottom one free, you also create the need to support the ones above, with wire or stake... those flowers will be relatively heavy, so you may need to support them anyway. I like wires states with a little U-shaped hook, 90 degrees to the stake direction, that can be slipped around the base of the flower, or the stem holding it, without being too visually intrusive.

The blooming from a dry, dead-looking sheath is characteristic of some species. In fact, it is one factor differentiating C. loddigesii from C. harrisoniana - the two look very much alike, one supposedly blooms from dry sheath the other from green. But I can't ever remember which is which. Or whether that's really universally true.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Wow, looking forward to seeing these open!
When there's one like the bottom one stuck, I usually slit the sheath to let it get out. The downside of that is that the sheath helps to support the flowers... so by setting the bottom one free, you also create the need to support the ones above, with wire or stake... those flowers will be relatively heavy, so you may need to support them anyway. I like wires states with a little U-shaped hook, 90 degrees to the stake direction, that can be slipped around the base of the flower, or the stem holding it, without being too visually intrusive.

Thanks for the tip, I hadn't thought about the weight of the flowers! I have some old wire clothes hangers that I'm sure can be shaped into the stake/hook you describe. That will give me something to do this weekend, I don't have much planned.

[camille1585]

I forgot to put the plant back in its place after watering, so went to move it back before heading to bed. Look!!

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Thanks for the tip, I hadn't thought about the weight of the flowers! I have some old wire clothes hangers that I'm sure can be shaped into the stake/hook you describe. That will give me something to do this weekend, I don't have much planned.

Here's an example. They can be any size... When I'm done with them, I just run the bottom (that was in the pot) through my propane-torch flame to sterilize them, then they can be used on other plants.

[SouthPark]

You're supposed to unwrap the 'present' in the morning!!!!!!

I can see the violet/purple colour already! Very nice indeed.

[papayj]

HAHA Congratulations!

Once they start to bloom, it will reliably and frequently produce flowers. Mine is already developing another round of flower spikes!