My first Cattleya!

[YetAnotherOrchidNut]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Just chant my mantra, "Orchids teach patience" when you are tempted to mess with it.

Hah. For sure. Only house plant I can think of that requires more patience is the Lithops family of succulents. At least with orchids you can still get some sense of satisfaction by feeding them regularly, but with Lithops watering them more than a couple of times a year is the kiss of death. :-)

[desirue]

Thank you for your assurance (re-reassurance, hehe). With the blackening, I was just afraid it was rot or potentially fungal and/or viral and could spread to my others. I've had the flowers on my orchids die of course, but they never turned black like these. But alas, I am chanting said mantra each morning as I examine my beauties. Thanks again Roberta for all of your help, it is appreciated more than you know .

---------- Post added at 08:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:16 AM ----------

Originally Posted by YetAnotherOrchidNut

Hah. For sure. Only house plant I can think of that requires more patience is the Lithops family of succulents. At least with orchids you can still get some sense of satisfaction by feeding them regularly, but with Lithops watering them more than a couple of times a year is the kiss of death. :-)

I've never heard of those, I'll look them up out of curiosity. Do you really only water them twice a year?

[YetAnotherOrchidNut]

Originally Posted by desirue

I've never heard of those, I'll look them up out of curiosity. Do you really only water them twice a year?

Yeah, pretty much. Or less even, adult plants can last for more than year with no water. Super easy to kill by over-watering, they will absorb it and burst like a balloon. I grow them right next to my high light orchids and I have to be careful not to spill. (<---mandatory orchid reference. :-)

Aizoaceae - Wikipedia