A flower, too heavy (among other things)

[Jeff214]

Got this C. Yen Corona 'Green Geenie' baby seedling as a freebie on an order a couple of years ago. I was excited for it to finally bloom yesterday.

And well... today, it broke off. Found the flowering p-bulb on the ground next to the pot. I've been meaning to stake it but didn't think the entire p-bulb would just come off. The cut looked relatively clean, coming off where the new lead met the old p-bulb.

Weak joint, heavy flowers, animal, rot, nutritional deficiency, combination?

These striking patterns aren't for me but I did want to see it once in person... I think I'll let this one go... It's given me a 'clean break'...!

[JScott]

I think it just broke because it was too heavy and you didn't stake it. That happens sometimes. Don't wait until the flowers are open to stake them. Once they are open, they will not change orientation, so if you wait until they are open and stake them, you'll have the flowers displayed at odd angles.

Stake plants as the buds start to get big. You don't have to do it when they are still tiny, but once they reach a certain size, they really grow fast, so you have to stake them before they get too big, so that they have a chance to orient themselves properly before they open. If the break is clean and green and healthy looking, you have nothing to worry about. If it is black or brown or discolored, you may have a bacterial rot.

But I don't think that's the case. I think the flowers were just too heavy and you didn't stake in time. I usually stake just ask the buds start to emerge from the sheath. If you have individual flowers that look they aren't going to display properly, you can stake those singly with a thin bamboo skewer, the kind you might use to grill kabob. But if you stake the pseudobulb to hold it upright, and then you affix the stem of the flower cluster to the stake as well, you should be golden.

---------- Post added at 03:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:51 PM ----------

That looks like a very happy, healthy plant. I don't think disease is the problem here. I think it was just a tragic accident.

[Roberta]

Jeff -
Does the broken end show any signs of rot? If not, it probably was a weight thing. - looks like new growths on this plant are brittle. I have had spikes break of their own weight, have not had a growth do it, but I can sure see how it could happen. Animal or even a bird just landing on it could also have been involved... again if the growth was brittle, would not take a lot to snap it.

[Jeff214]

Thanks for the feedback Jscott, Roberta,

No, the cut doesn't show signs of rot. I was initially concerned since the dry sheaths looked black/brown. It was fine underneath and at the cut. Since the cut was so clean, I was surprised that the weight of the flowers alone could do it! This p-bulb was growing way out of the pot (hard to see it from the photo angle) and I just never got around to staking it. oy... learning the hard way...

I suspect the two sparrows who've made my orchid area their playground. They stop by 4-5 times a day, drinking water from the Phaph/Phrag water saucers and swing around on terracotta pots I have hanging on some wire shelving. They seem to enjoy digging up orchid bark for some reason and sun bathe in my cattleya pots. It's been a welcome sight while I work from home.

[Roberta]

I don't think I have snapped a new growth with flowers, but I have certainly snapped a new growth on occasion... they can be very, very brittle. Is there any sign of an eye such that the broken growth can root? If not, it will, at any rate, do fine in a vase, the pseudobulb will probably keep the flowers going for the same amount of time that they would last on the plant. And if the eye(s) were on the part that didn't break, maybe next year...

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Jeff214

I suspect the two sparrows who've made my orchid area their playground.

That's probably what happened Jeff.

But that was excellent how you photographed the flowers - and the number of flowers developed is fantastic!

I have a couple of 'Green Genius', both near flowering size - never flowered before. One of them has a single bud - going to open any day now!

I'm a Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown fan - so I thought it would be nice to grow Rlc. Village Chief North 'Green Genius'. I'm also looking for Rlc. Yen Corona 'Green Genie', which doesn't appear to be easy to come by in Australia.

[Jeff214]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Is there any sign of an eye such that the broken growth can root? If not, it will, at any rate, do fine in a vase, the pseudobulb will probably keep the flowers going for the same amount of time that they would last on the plant. And if the eye(s) were on the part that didn't break, maybe next year...

There is a dormant eye...but with flowers, I'm not too hopeful for new growth. I'll enjoy the flowers at least!

Originally Posted by SouthPark

But that was excellent how you photographed the flowers - and the number of flowers developed is fantastic!

I have a couple of 'Green Genius', both near flowering size - never flowered before. One of them has a single bud - going to open any day now!

I'm a Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown fan - so I thought it would be nice to grow Rlc. Village Chief North 'Green Genius'. I'm also looking for Rlc. Yen Corona 'Green Genie', which doesn't appear to be easy to come by in Australia.

Thanks. I'd send you mine but I've never shipped a plant in the mail, let alone internationally across the Pacific (US->AUS). If you actually want it, I can do some research... I assume AUS has alot of rules regarding biological imports...

[Roberta]

If there is a dormant eye... once it stops blooming, it might be worth finding a nice branch, and mount it. Catts love to grow mounted, most are too big but this piece would be just about the right size. By the way, bottlebrush tree wood is a really good mount... and likely someone in the neighborhood is having one trimmed.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Jeff214

Thanks. I'd send you mine but I've never shipped a plant in the mail, let alone internationally across the Pacific (US->AUS). If you actually want it, I can do some research... I assume AUS has alot of rules regarding biological imports...

Jeff ------ that was a most fantastic and nice gesture. I haven't gone down that path before of international shipping - but I did look up information some years ago about the procedures. I think it turns out that the formalities and work involved is significant - and there was mention of paperwork, quarantine, fumigation etc ----- and even possibility of paying like thousands of dollars (plus the understandable hoop-jumping through the authorities) could also come to zero - if the orchid doesn't make it through shipping and fumigation.

Your assumption is absolutely right Jeff about biological imports in Aus.

I may still have one unexplored avenue for Yen Corona here - a grower that I purchased orchids from before. Definitely don't consider international shipping Jeff ----- as it definitely involves quite a lot of work - and relatively high cost too.

Although, if it were to just cost a relatively high price with minimal paper-work fuss (with paperwork and authorities etc) ---- that would be no problem. But we can be sure it's not a straight-forward process between USA and Australia for say single whole plants.

But I do recall flasks with guarantees/certificates of sterile flasks - not as bad maybe --- but still not to be taken lightly. And flask orchids take ages to grow hahaha.

But once again - that was one of the greatest and nicest gestures I've come across before. Genuinely appreciated Jeff!

[Jeff214]

Originally Posted by Roberta

If there is a dormant eye... once it stops blooming, it might be worth finding a nice branch, and mount it. Catts love to grow mounted, most are too big but this piece would be just about the right size. By the way, bottlebrush tree wood is a really good mount... and likely someone in the neighborhood is having one trimmed.

Yes, those trees (bush?) are everywhere here. Saw them blooming earlier in the year. Do you still need to boil/bake/de-tannin-ize these wood? I've just been using treated Mopani aquarium wood.

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Jeff ------ that was a most fantastic and nice gesture. I haven't gone down that path before of international shipping - but I did look up information some years ago about the procedures. I think it turns out that the formalities and work involved is significant - and there was mention of paperwork, quarantine, fumigation etc ----- and even possibility of paying like thousands of dollars (plus the understandable hoop-jumping through the authorities) could also come to zero - if the orchid doesn't make it through shipping and fumigation.

No problem, I was thinking of letting this one go anyway. I did a cursory check on the agriculture.gov page and yes, it will cost thousands... and involve a couple of inspections. sorry. It was an educational read, if anything...