Cattleya with yellow and black sheath

[luvmyorchid]

I have a dinard my blue heaven with 3 sheaths all with buds forming inside. But the sheaths are turning yellow and black. This is my first cattleya so I'm nervous. Thanks in advance😁

[SouthPark]

#1 positive remark is --- you have a big plant, mature, and flowering size!

#2 neutral remark is --- was the plant grown outdoors or indoors? If the plant doesn't get an adequate amount of light ----- it usually results in darkish green leaves, instead of lighter coloured green leaves......and could also result in no flowering too.

This doesn't mean that your plant is not going to produce flower buds. Let us know where this plant is grown --- outdoors, or indoors...and is it getting an adequate amount of light etc.

[luvmyorchid]

I grow her indoors in a brightly lit southwestern picture window. I can see the buds inside all 3 sheaths. I live in Massachusetts so our days are getting shorter but the temps have still averaged 70 or so everyday.

[Roberta]

Some Catts do bloom from dry sheaths. I don't recall which species characteristically to that. Being indoors, moisture collection in the sheaths is probably not a problem. If I think that moisture might become an issue. I'll open the top of the sheath so that moisture doesn't rot the buds. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. We have some very experienced Catt growers on this forum, so I hope that you can get an opinion more educated than mine.