Help me save my Cattleya :-(

[SouthPark]

Wow! That is a fantastic looking flower too. Now that's what we like to see - nice flowers and nice news.

Great photo, and very nice contrasting colours of yellow and red.

[My Green Pets]

Hope they bloom out beautifully!

I am afraid to get my hopes up literally until flowers open. Good luck!!!!

[bunnylotus]

Well today, I decided to peak inside that flower sheath to see how big the buds were (childlike curiosity excitement) and noticed some black and fuzz situation going on :-O. At first I thought maybe it was a spider egg, so I took a sterile blade and cut the flower sheath in half and found that two of the buds had turned totally black and slimy and there was nasty mold fuzz.... :-( Made me so so sad. Luckily there is still one bud at the top going strong!!

So, I removed the dead buds and cleaned off the mold fuzz with a tissue and wiped it clean and then put a little cinnamon on the cut part of the sheath / where the buds had been removed. Pics attached.

Has this happened to any of you guys before? Do you know why this happens? Is there something I'm doing that would have caused the bud blast / rot?

I noticed on the other flower spike as well that it clearly blasted / lost buds as well and is just growing the one. I'm wondering if it's because the plant overall IS A RECOVERY plant so perhaps from an energy standpoint it could not sustain all the buds?

Thoughts?

p.s. pictures attached. I forgot to take a picture of the one bud that was completely black and gross. But you can see the one bud that fell had started blackening. Those are from the sheath I cut. I have also attached pics of the other one again so you can see where it lost some buds. Also I noticed the bud that is growing strong is bending/curling weird? I'm assuming as it gets bigger it'll correct itself? Or should I try and cut that sheath as well to help the bud not grow deformed?

[SouthPark]

BL ...... hard to say what happened there. But at least there's still 1 bud.

There can be considerations, along with questions such as --- is there gentle air-movement in the growing area most of the time? And .... does the orchid grow in still-air environment? And ---- does the sheath remain dry (ie. no water gets into the sheath)? And has the orchid been moved around?

In any case, if that remaining bud makes it and continues onward to flowering ------ then that flower will get all the energy, and could possibly be bigger than if there were 2 or more flowers growing on that spike all at once. So not always a bad thing ------ as that bud will get all the energy to develop a big flower heheh.

[Roberta]

First, I have definitely had the experience of buds blasting in the sheath. I am sure that many others have as well - you have plenty of company.

The one bud looks good. At this point, I'd just leave it alone. By opening the sheath you have let air in, so that the ambient air will help to keep things dry and healthy. It may well be that it just didn't have the "oomph" to get all of the buds out to fresh air and able to bloom...

[bunnylotus]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

BL ...... hard to say what happened there. But at least there's still 1 bud.

There can be considerations, along with questions such as --- is there gentle air-movement in the growing area most of the time? And .... does the orchid grow in still-air environment? And ---- does the sheath remain dry (ie. no water gets into the sheath)? And has the orchid been moved around?

In any case, if that remaining bud makes it and continues onward to flowering ------ then that flower will get all the energy, and could possibly be bigger than if there were 2 or more flowers growing on that spike all at once. So not always a bad thing ------ as that bud will get all the energy to develop a big flower heheh.

The plant is near my humidifier I'm wondering if it could have been from that? And there is a little air movement, but considering it is an indoor plant, not too much. I don't like putting the plants near any vents with drafts. Just for temperature regulation and such. And no it hasn't been moved at all, only picked up on occasion to be watered fully. And the sheaths have definitely stayed dry even with the humidifier being near by, but that's like rarely on these days. Maybe once a week, and only for like 20 or so minutes.

but that's right if I get two beautiful flowers thats still a win. I just want to make sure there isn't something else going on that i need to be worried about! Again it was a sick orchid so i guess it could also just have decided " screw this two flowers for you and that's it!!!" LOL!

---------- Post added at 12:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:09 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Roberta

First, I have definitely had the experience of buds blasting in the sheath. I am sure that many others have as well - you have plenty of company.

The one bud looks good. At this point, I'd just leave it alone. By opening the sheath you have let air in, so that the ambient air will help to keep things dry and healthy. It may well be that it just didn't have the "oomph" to get all of the buds out to fresh air and able to bloom...

Thanks Roberta!! Glad I'm not alone

[SouthPark]

BL ----- true! The fact that you got 1 flower already, and expecting a second - is great, considering that the orchid was having issues before.

The normal functions/processes going on in the orchid depends on various factors, including the health state of the orchid.

If the orchid is/was still recovering, and hasn't got enough resources/energy etc to support the growth of all the buds, then some natural mechanism ----- not sure how it works - can automatically eject 1 or more buds ------ possibly when one of them somehow begins to grab all the energy. Maybe similar to say fruit trees ------ lots of flower buds ...... developing into small fruit ----- and many can drop off naturally if not enough water (and/or essential nurtrient elements), or conditions aren't great for fruit development ------- leaving just a few fruit to develop ----- the ones that managed to not drop.

[bunnylotus]

The buds are growing fast! Been a week since I sent my last update and wow. Can already see them changing colors.

That said, I’m guessing the downward shape/drooping is Norma for Cattleya buds? This is my first time having one bloom/grow buds so I have no idea!

I can’t wait for them to be ready to open!!! One of them already has a little unfurling happening!!! 😍😍😍🥳🥳🥳🙏🙏🤞🤞🤞🤞

[Roberta]

It has to lean over like that to make room for the flower to open in a good orientation. It should be perfect.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by bunnylotus

One of them already has a little unfurling happening!!! 😍😍😍🥳🥳🥳🙏🙏🤞🤞🤞🤞

It is opening!!!!!!!!!!! Nice!!!!!

Just allow the orchid to do its thing, and open the flowers.

Allow the orchid to just stay in the same position and location --- and get the camera ready!!!