{{gwi:202277}}Cattleya is a varied group and the time between the sheath forming and the spike forming is quite a bit different from species to species.

In general, the pattern is that new growth matures, a sheath forms at the top of the new pseudobulb and a spike forms within it, sometimes as much as a year later. I have one Catt hybrid that blooms on last years growth after the new one forms.

The sheath on the left bloomed shortly after the picture was taken after just sitting there for a year. The one on the right is newly formed. It grew a bit more and is now waiting for the next active growth cycle.

Since I have a general "adapt or die" rule in the greenhouse, I water more for temperature and light than for the growth phase of any particular plant. Right now water is cut back sharply from summer. Some of the plants are not getting any water.

Your plant is (now) a Sophrocattleya Mari's Song, formerly a Lc. Sometimes they just send up buds with no sheath but I can't tell you why. Someone else with more experience might have the answer as to why this occurs on occasion. Good culture? Bad culture?

Orchid Wiz shows this to be a very complicated pedigree with lots of award winning parents in the pedigree. These are direct quotes from the Wiz.

It is comprised of species which take 100% high light.

It is comprised of species which 100% take intermediate temps, 91% take cool temps, and 29% hot temps. Grow this hybrid in cool to intermediate conditions, or 58-75 degrees at night. It may be tolerant of hot 75-85 night temps.

50-60% humidity, mature plants must dry out between waterings, grow in pots with free draining media, fertilize weakly weekly.

My interpretation, she can be grown in just about anything you throw at it. Drier in winter and heavier watering in summer but remembering the media still must dry out after each watering. Her pedigree is so mixed up you can't ascertain if there is any required dry period or for how long.

I don't think catts are eluding you - you have two in the family with buds - enjoy.

Brooke

Some just send up a stem with buds.

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No Sheath
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Buds emerging from sheath
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I see one of the experts answered while I was reading Orchid Wiz and typing.

Richard is there a reason why a sheath doesn't form and you just get buds? Is it something I caused or did the plant not read the instruction sheet for proper conduct?

TIA - Brooke

{{gwi:202283}}I took this picture this morning. One difference among Catts is that some form the buds after pushing out of a small sheath. Jane's top picture shows a sheath, albeit small. This Cattleya deckeri had a small and dry sheath that you can see in the picture below the cluster of buds.

I bet if you look closely at the base of your Catt spikes you will see some sort of sheath.

Several Cattleya species do not set sheathes. C. aclandiae comes to mind, but there are several other species who do not. So it all depends on the genetic makeup of the parents of a hybrid as to whether or not you get a sheath.

I knew I had a couple of catts blooming that normally have sheaths but are blooming now with just buds.

I have three C. Guatalamalensis, two of which were started from back bulbs, all three are blooming but the smallest one gave me two blooms, without sheath. The other not by the book thing, the two largest bloomed this spring, which is normal time but have now given me another round of blooms.

The other is C. Bob Betts 'York' AM/AOS. He opened blooms a couple of days ago but another growth, not mature, shows buds emerging, no sheath. I'll take blooms, however I get them.

I'm sure Liz is even more confused but will be enjoying the blooms soon. There are never black and white answers to anything and some seem to have a mind of their own.

Brooke

The reason to cut back on watering is because the plant is getting less light. Lots of light equals lots of growth therefore more water and fertilizer. Less light equals slower growth, therefore less water and less fertilizer. Took me a while to get the hang of it.

And you'll love Mari's Song. It blooms a couple of times a year for me, and is not a very big plant, so it doesn't need much room. I have it right up against the glass in my south window.

Yes, I AM more confused! I'm also glad to know that the plant is fine -- buds with no sheath. I did a little squeeze on my Gold Digger and there are definitely buds in the sheath. I can't wait to see flowers -- first for me (cattleyas). BUT, now I am confused about the watering needs! orchid126, you stated "cut back on watering because the plant is getting less light". Well, mine are indoors under a metal halide light. Is that considered "less light"? It seems the plants are dry every day or every other day (although I do not water that often). Although I am second guessing myself and believe I need stronger glasses, I actually do think I see some sheaths/buds forming on the other few cattleyas I have! Perhaps I am getting the hang of it! It is so amazing...since I have been driving you all nuts with my newbie questions, my orchid growing "luck" has turned around. I have an oncidium with a 3-foot spike and another with a spike just starting -- around 3". Yipeeeee! Liz Oh, one more thing -- I asked before, not sure I saw an answer: does a growth produce a flower only one time, or can it bloom for many years? Thank you :)

Sorry Liz, one and done.

Yes, MH lights can be very drying, particularly if you also have a fan sweeping back and forth. Here is where your best guesstimate comes into play - wait until you think the pot is dry, wait another day, then water. Learn the weight of each container when wet/when dry. Use the bamboo skewer method to test for moisture.

I actually watered more under lights than when they were outside. And this winter, I am watering w-a-y less in the greenhouse.

Brooke

One growth, one blooming. New growths only bloom once. If you loose those flowers, you need to wait for another growth to mature and then flower. That's why you want to make sure conditons are optimal for those growths to produce flowers.

Great growing, and it does sound like you have good lighting if they are still producing growths. Use your judgement on watering. As Orchid126 stated, you judge by the amount of growing the plant is doing. Sounds like you are doing great!

Jane

...and some bloom from a stem emerging directly from the base of the last pseudobulb -- no leaves, no bulbs, just a skinny stem with buds on top. I have one hybrid that does this every 2 or 3 bloom cycles and it weirds me out each time. I think it is a walkeriana or an intermedia hybrid...

That would be a walkeriana influence, Rita. Definitely.

-Cj

You may be confusing sun with light. To a plant, light is light, regardless of the source. I grow at my windowsills, and north of the Mason Dixon line the light is rapidly diminishing. Therefore, I must cut down on my watering and fertilizing. You, on the other hand, have additional light. Artificial, but it is nevertheless more light, just the same. Therefore, you can continue to water and fertilize the plants, as Jane NY says, depending on how the plants are growing.

It is confusing. The correlation of water with light is good general cultural practice (less light = less energy = less growth = less water). But that is during the growing period, and NOT to be confused with watering practice during a cattleya's rest period. It just happens that at our latitude (longitude?) winter coincides with low light. But for most catts in native habitat, winter (the rest period) is dry and BRIGHT. I tell you this because, with your MH light, your setup will mimic native conditions in this respect more closely than a windowsill or greenhouse grower in temperate North America.

Many but not all catts are hard-wired for an annual rest period - mostly the spring bloomers. Just observe the plant. I've got two resting cattleyas right now, and an actively growing one in exactly the same conditions (MH+HPS). So the plants know what they're doing. I try to observe the behavior and support whatever it is. I don't completely withhold water from the resting catts; I'm more careful with them, though, and certainly no fertilizer. Even though they're getting water on a regular basis, they're still resting away. Some ARE very touchy about water during rest, though. C. dowiana particularly.

HTH,

John