Is this a flower spike?

[Maru777]

Hello everyone! Quick question about my one and only catasetum - monierara millennium black magic. This plant continues to confuse me. And I think, also continues to be confused… earlier in the year this plant decided it was time to wake up crazy early. Now, I think it’s starting on a spike? Is this a flower spike? It has lost none of its leaves, zero! And it is not even the height of summer yet let alone fall. Should it not wait until fall? Is it really trying to bloom now? I suppose I keep on watering since it’s scorching hot and it has all its leaves. HELP! Pretty please!

[StephaneL]

It is a flower spike. It will take 2-3 months to mature, so it will be fall by the time it blooms.

The presence of a flower spike does not affect watering in catasetinae. If they bloom during the growth season, they should be watered. If they bloom during the dormant season they should not be watered (or very little).

[Roberta]

Water it heavily - also fertilize. When it is in is growing time it needs both. (And that is now...) Time for flowers can vary... I have a few that bloomed early (just as watering was starting), several that are blooming now at the peak of their growing time, there will be others that bloom in the fall as they are going dormant, or even after. And some can bloom twice in the season. So water and fertilize, and enjoy the flowers whenever they decide to appear.

[Maru777]

Thank you! Very exited to see some flowers. I will continue to fertilize and water. Fingers crossed it will do ok.

[Maru777]

It was a flower spike how long should the flowers last though for this plant? Mine started with 8 buds but then dropped some of them and only fully opened 2 of them and they did not last very long, maybe 2 weeks. Is this because the plant was stressed? It looked pretty bad when I got it though the bulb it grew while I had it looks healthy enough, though a bit anemic . The other bulbs plumped up from when I got it but still looking pretty bad. Also, should I stop watering now the flowers wilted? The leaves seem to be on the go as well so I think it might go dormant soon.

[Roberta]

Not sure if this intergeneric hybrid is dimorphic. For the plants that are, male flowers don't last long, 2 weeks is actually quite good. (Then they start dumping pollinia that stick to the floor... and the flowers fade) If flowers get jostled they can loose pollinia and have life shortened. (I don't usually take them to orchid club meetings because transport always causes some of the pollinia to trigger causing flowers to fade prematurely) But in general, even for the ones that aren't dimorphic flowers don't last all that long. Enjoy and get your pictures while they are fresh. If it is a young or stressed plant, that can also cause flower life to be short... there is always next year.

Some of my Catasetinae are starting to lose leaves, but I'm still watering for another month at least. You can start cutting back the fertiiizer, though, if it looks like it is going dormant. (Blooming is no indication at all... they can bloom early season, late season, even after losing leaves)

[Maru777]

Thank you! I had no idea about the impact of moving the plant. I absolutely did that! because, pictures! First of its kind blooming for me. I had to. There was no other option

As long as the plant is fine, all is well. I consider this a bonus bloom anyway since I really did not think it was going to bloom this year. Getting it to not die was pretty much the standard for success on this one

[Roberta]

Moving the plant isn't a problem if it doesn't have the trigger pollinia that Catasetums do. So for depends on the parentage. But at any rate, just take care of the plant, ignore it all winter, if you are going to repot, do it while it is dormant, and follow the "watering rules" when the new growth starts. I think it just needs to get bigger to put on a better show.