Budded Sheath & Empty Sheath @ Same Time?

[Claire25]

Hi all,

My Cattleya Blue Angel 'Glove' SM/JOGA is getting ready to bloom for the first time in my care. It has produced two sheaths, one of which is filled with a developing bud (and is actually splitting open as this emerges) while the other appears empty. My question for those more experienced Catt growers out there is: do your Catts that produce sheaths bloom from them at the same time, or is it possible for one to remain empty while another blooms?

As an aside, I've grown a few hybrid Catts in the past but have never had one that produced sheaths. Does anyone know what species/types of Catts regularly produce sheaths and which do not? Just curious...

Thanks!
Claire

[Tindomul]

I have seen catts produce sheaths that all develop flowers at different times, and sometimes sheaths are made and no flowers come out of them.
I am no expert but to help you answer the second question, I have never seen any of my catts bloom without making a sheath first. I have 8 catts now, more in the past. I am sure that the sheath is a type of cataphyll whose function is to protect the bud and therefore is necessary in all if not most catt species and their hybrids.

[Claire25]

Thanks Tindomul, that's helpful. I wonder if I've somehow overlooked the presence of sheaths in the past. That being said, I'm pretty certain the last two Catts that bloomed for me (the minicatt Slc Fuchsia Doll and Laelia liliputana) just sent up bare buds, no sheaths.

[Junebug]

I have a Pot. that produces sheaths (empty ones) but chooses to send out buds in growths that have no sheaths.

Another one of my Pots. is in the process of blooming now. First she developed 4 sheaths. Three of them were full sized and one of them small. However her first buds developed without sheaths while the one small sheath was developing buds. It has since bloomed too. I was initially disappointed because the three large sheaths stayed empty, but they began developing buds as the first blooms faded. The buds are now emerging from the delayed sheaths and they should be blooming very soon.

There are also cattleyas that develop empty sheaths which dry up, but send out buds several months down the road. I have a noid catt. that displays this characteristic.

[Rosiefuture]

Hi Claire, I have a fair few cat alliance orchids and some of them do bloom without a sheath. Others produce sheaths that flower at different times or don't flower at all.

I even have one at the moment that has a bright green sheath full of bud plus a brown dead looking sheath also full of happy buds

I have a cat that some sheaths are single and others are double layered.

Seems cats will do just what they feel like! LOL

[tucker85]

I agree with Marion. I have about 60 Catts.. Some produce sheaths on every new psuedobulb but only bloom on the last one. Others can bloom on every new psuedobulb. I get buds in sheaths that are green and sheaths that are old and brown and shriveled up. Many sheaths produce no buds at all. And I've had several plants bloom from psuedobulbs that had no sheath. Some Catts always bloom all at once and no more until next year. But my favorites are sequential bloomers that bloom on one psuedobulb and a few weeks later on another and maybe again. I've had up to three bloomings on one Catt one right after another which means orchids for three or four months. That's a lot of bang for your buck.

[fxxy]

I have one Catt which is producing 3 empty sheathes. I hav e only had this plant for about a month. Any reason for this????

[tucker85]

Don't cut the sheaths off. The plant can produce sheaths many months before it develops buds in them. The plant may not develop buds in all the sheaths but you never know which ones will make blooms so just let them be. Also a plant can bloom from one sheath and then a month later bloom from another sheath. You just never know. Some of my catts also bloom from psuedobulbs that have no sheaths.

[Connie Star]

What if the sheaths look brown and dry? I have an encylia brassavoloa that keeps doing that. very dissappointing. I'm not sure I'm giving it the conditions it needs. It's pretty big and I'm a little space challenged.

[Lorraine]

I've had catts have empty sheaths and never a spike. I have also learned my lesson in cutting these sheaths down...having it spike right through the cut sheath. I have heard that the sheath even though it is brown and looks dead is still a mini greenhouse and still put out a spike. I have 1 catt that does this often. It sheaths and months later spikes. Mother nature seems to know what she is doing.