How much success have you had rooting old rootless Cattleya back-bulbs.

[estación seca]

Old Cattleya rhizomes may produce new roots. Some Catts normally produce new roots from the new rhizome just formed on new growth; others normally produce new roots from the older rhizome just before the new growth. When back bulb divisions are potted up, many Catts make new roots from the old rhizome as the new eye breaks.

If successful in the glass of water, I have observed new roots form on the rhizome before the eye breaks.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Old Cattleya rhizomes may produce new roots. Some Catts normally produce new roots from the new rhizome just formed on new growth; others normally produce new roots from the older rhizome just before the new growth. When back bulb divisions are potted up, many Catts make new roots from the old rhizome as the new eye breaks.

If successful in the glass of water, I have observed new roots form on the rhizome before the eye breaks.

The plump back-bulbs of large Cattleya typically shrivel significantly after repotting and usually don't become fully plump again. This suggests that the roots they produce never become sufficient to sustain the bulbs. Perhaps this is the reason for Ray's focus on growing the eyes. I assume he will clarify.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by K-Sci

The plump back-bulbs of large Cattleya typically shrivel significantly after repotting and usually don't become fully plump again. This suggests that the roots they produce never become sufficient to sustain the bulbs. Perhaps this is the reason for Ray's focus on growing the eyes. I assume he will clarify.

The old back bulbs don't plump up, but the roots sustain the new eye.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by estación seca

The old back bulbs don't plump up, but the roots sustain the new eye.

Good point. The eyes usually don't get roots until they are fairly long.
K-Sci

[Shadeflower]

Originally Posted by K-Sci

The plump back-bulbs of large Cattleya typically shrivel significantly after repotting and usually don't become fully plump again. This suggests that the roots they produce never become sufficient to sustain the bulbs. Perhaps this is the reason for Ray's focus on growing the eyes. I assume he will clarify.

Backbulbs that have lost all their roots can become rehydrated again but the more vigorous the hybrid the more noticebale it will be, ie it does depend on how many new roots the orchid can produce which can take years in which time the backbulbs could become even more dehydrated.

I would like to introduce exhibit "A":



It's a Cattleya Orange nugget if anyone is interested, good strong root producer. and when I bought it is was severely shrivelled. It produced new roots and slowly slowly the backbulbs have regained plumpness. It's a shame I don't have a picture of what it used to look like but you can maybe judge by some browning on the bulbs how severely shrivelled it was, the furthest left bulb has not plumped up completely yet but is more plump.

Notice the roots required, this one really put out the roots in order to do this so if you have a not so vigorous root producer maybe the backbulbs can never get plump any time soon but it can be done and this one is now ready to be divided whereas before the backbulbs were too shrivelled.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

Backbulbs that have lost all their roots can become rehydrated again but the more vigorous the hybrid the more noticebale it will be, ...
I would like to introduce exhibit "A":
<snip>

We're not quite talking about the same thing. What I'm referring to as back-bulbs are far older than your plant. Two examples are the crinkled old 'Muse' back-bulbs in my last post.

I've attached a photo to illustrate. The plant on the right, Lc. Bryan Wheeler 'Grandson', was moved up to a larger pot last year without removing media. The oldest backbulbs from are somewhat shriveled, probably due to repotting root loss perhaps 8-10 years ago. The rest of the plant is thriving, but the old bulbs never fully plumped up again.

On the left is Lc. Betty Ford 'York', which had to be divided to fit it in the pot last year. All but the most forward bulbs are very deeply shriveled due to the root loss and will probably never be fully plump again.

Most of the back-bulbs I'm trying to root are like those of the plant on the right -- perhaps 8-12 years old.

K-Sci

[realoldbeachbum]

Wow K-SCI, how do you keep those clay pots so clean? Mine have white (salt? Calcium?) dust on them. It comes right back when I clean them. Good job!

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by realoldbeachbum

Wow K-SCI, how do you keep those clay pots so clean? Mine have white (salt? Calcium?) dust on them. It comes right back when I clean them. Good job!

Reverse osmosis and rainwater with only an occasional hosing off. Very little in the way of salts to accumulate.

-Keith