Species Cattleya Rest Period
 

Since what or which orchids need winter rest is being discussed in a post above, I would like to discuss the how's of this subject.

I raise primarily catts and most of them are hybrid, but I do have several species catts that I've read need a winter rest.

The little ones and the teenagers, I treat like any other cattleya during winter. I want them to grow bigger and get strong.

But the blooming size are the ones that trouble me. They don't wait until finished blooming to put out new growths. So my questions are;

Do I begin to withhold water even though they already have new growths up to 2-3 inches tall?

If I do this, will these new growths be stunted?

If I don't give them a winter rest, will they bloom next season?

Why are they putting out new growths so quickly?

If you have growth, then water as normal because you will stunt the growth if you force it into dormancy. As soon as the growth is mature, stop all fertilizer and withhold water until you get significant p-bulb shrivelage. Then water as neccessary to maintain that shrivelage without letting the bulbs get fatter or skinnier.

I don't have any species cats, but do have a few intergenerics, and mine seem to always bee in a combination of growth and flower. They will flower from nearly mature pseudobulbs, and at same time start new growths. I'm thinking they will grow themselves to death if this keeps up.

Debs it depends on the species. Some species don't really rest, some want a hard rest for six months, some don't rest until after they bloom in late winter.

List what you have for more specific rest periods.

Brooke

Hmm...this is a great question. I relatively recently got my first and only Cattleya, C. luteola. According to Jay Pfahl's site, it requires a "distinct winter rest". It has just finished opening a leaf on it's newest growth and is in sheath. Not sure if I should go ahead and put it over with my Dendros.

IOSPE PHOTOS

Debs,

I have some of the same questions that you have, so thanks for creating this post. :thanxs: I'm giving Brooke my list of species...hopefully yours are among them too. :)

Brooke, here is a list of my cattleya species. What can you tell us about their rest periods?

1. C. amethystoglossa
2. C. aurantiaca
3. C. bicolor (cork mounted)
4. C. bowringiana
5. C. bowringiana var. coerulea
6. C. dowiana var. aurea
7. C. dowiana var. rosita (cork mounted)
8. C. forbesii
9. C. granulosa (cork mounted)
10. C. guatamalensis
11. C. harrisoniana
12. C. iricolor
13. C. labiata ‘Sherwood Forest’ AM/AOS
14. C. leopoldii 'Mendenhall'
15. C. loddigesii var. alba
16. C. lueddemanniana
17. C. mossiae var. coerulea
18. C. percivaliana
19. C. schilleriana (cork mounted)
20. C. skinneri
21. C. violacia (cork mounted)
22. C. walkeriana var. coerulea

Thanks!

I don't have aurantiaca, bowringiana, granulosa, labiata, or the violacia.

The ones I do have and can remember sitting here - do not dry out the forbessii, harrisoniana, leopoldii, leuddemanniana or the walkeriana. If mounted and the sun is shining, I water the mounts. If potted, they get watered every 5-7 days depending on how many days of sun they get.

The ones with the distinct dry period are mossiae and dowiana, both six months. The quickest way to kill a dowiana is cold, wet potting media. For these two plants, if it is sunny, I mist the exposed roots. If I start to see shriveled pbulbs, I drizzle water around the edge of the pot, but not heavy water in the middle of the pot.

The amesthyglossa needs a winter dry out (4-5 mo?) and this one I water about every two weeks, lightly.

The percilivaliana, skinneri, schilleriana, iricolor I can check tomorrow when I go to the g/h. I think perci rests after bloom but won't swear to that one.

I put tags on all my pots stating temps, dry out, bloom time etc. so I don't have to remember the details on each species and then group them together if I can.

Almost forgot, my guatemalensis I treat as a hybrid since it is a natural hybrid between two species and I water it whenever the hybrid catts get watered. It is just starting to bloom now.

Brooke

Brooke...Thank you so much! I will have to watch my dowianas...one is mounted and the other in a pot...the potted one is in active growth right now with 2 p-bulbs forming. I believe I would ahve done damage if not death to these and others I've added this year without your advice. :bowing

Thanks again to Debs for creating this post! :biggrin:

Ive heard a lot of conflicting reports on this species. Sometimes a source says that these plants need a rest while others say that no rest is needed. Anyone with experience have any advice??

I gave my luteola a rest last year and up until a few months ago, thought it was a lost chid! It now has two new growths coming up...and it is staying in general population for winter ;)