Not a Cattleya NOID? Translate label + leaf ??

[Zoi2]

If you purchased this plant from a box store as a "bag baby", the picture is just a representation of what the type of orchid flower will look like. The tag in the pot is the name of the plant. (Unless something got screwed up at the grower).
Joann

[ElenaMarie]

Originally Posted by msaar

Take a look at your photo again. The "Paradise Blue" is about as blue as you can expect from this grex. The flower is white with slate-blue lip mid-lobe and edges of the side lobes. If the sepals and petals have any mauve on them, the photo is probably incorrectly labelled.
Look here: http://www.hihybrids.com/sc_images/p...arge_image.jpg

Here are the two labels. What do you think--wrong photo or both tags wrong about blue?

[Zoi2]

Originally Posted by ElenaMarie

Just to make sure I get this correct, wait until it's no longer dehydrated and then move to a larger pot but NOT the 5-6 inch pot specified on the label?

If it were my plant I would repot ASAP into fresh media in a 2-3" seedling pot.
If you repot to a 5-6" pot chances are you will kill the plant as the media will not dry properly for such a tiny seedling.
Joann

[ElenaMarie]

Originally Posted by Zoi2

If it were my plant I would repot ASAP into fresh media in a 2-3" seedling pot.
If you repot to a 5-6" pot chances are you will kill the plant as the media will not dry properly for such a tiny seedling.
Joann

Sounds like a plan to me! I know what I'll be doing tomorrow. Oh, and is a seedling pot any different from any other pot? I have on hand a 3 inch clay orchid pot, will that work? Sorry for being so dense.

---------- Post added at 09:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:43 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Zoi2

If you purchased this plant from a box store as a "bag baby", the picture is just a representation of what the type of orchid flower will look like. The tag in the pot is the name of the plant. (Unless something got screwed up at the grower).
Joann

Oh AWESOME!!! I so hope it's the blue blue. Thank you!

Yeah, it was a box store. I was there just to pick up a couple of small lemon ferns, I swear I wasn't going in to even peek at orchids, but I couldn't help it.

[Zoi2]

A 3" clay pot should do fine as long as it has drainage holes.
One other thing, your plant has probably not had decent light coming from the store. Slowly aclimate it to bright sunlight, you don't want to burn it in it's condition.
Good luck with your new baby.
Joann

[ElenaMarie]

Originally Posted by Zoi2

A 3" clay pot should do fine as long as it has drainage holes.
One other thing, your plant has probably not had decent light coming from the store. Slowly aclimate it to bright sunlight, you don't want to burn it in it's condition.
Good luck with your new baby.
Joann

Will do. Thank you SOOOOOO much!

---------- Post added at 09:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:56 PM ----------

I just did a search for the Paradise Blue Cattleya and the only place I found selling it wanted $19 plus $12 shipping. I got this little guy for a whopping $4. So I have to wait a couple or three years for blooms. I can do that!

[Junebug]

Originally Posted by ElenaMarie

Oooooo, that's beautiful! I hope the pic on the outer label is wrong, I'd love to have one of those! The outer label had no variety name, just said Cattleya. The tag in the pot is what said "Paradise Blue."

Thank you so much! Now it's not just a challenge. It's a mystery!

---------- Post added at 09:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:29 PM ----------



Just to make sure I get this correct, wait until it's no longer dehydrated and then move to a larger pot but NOT the 5-6 inch pot specified on the label?

If the roots look good I'd go ahead and repot it into a slightly larger pot. Three inch net baskets work well for seedlings in transition. I used a small amount of loosely packed sphag with some tree fern fiber and charcoal thrown in for good drainage. Net pots are great because the open slots allow for rapid drainage and evaporation.

Whatever the style of pot, make sure that you have plenty of drainage. It looks like your little plant has been lacking in moisture. When it's repotted you'll have to monitor it closely to make sure that the roots are receiving moisture but not too much and not for extended periods of time. The medium needs to dry between watering sessions.

[ElenaMarie]

Originally Posted by Junebug

If the roots look good I'd go ahead and repot it into a slightly larger pot. Three inch net baskets work well for seedlings in transition. I used a small amount of loosely packed sphag with some tree fern fiber and charcoal thrown in for good drainage. Net pots are great because the open slots allow for rapid drainage and evaporation.

Whatever the style of pot, make sure that you have plenty of drainage. It looks like your little plant has been lacking in moisture. When it's repotted you'll have to monitor it closely to make sure that the roots are receiving moisture but not too much and not for extended periods of time. The medium needs to dry between watering sessions.

I'm afraid I don't have any net pots, and while I do have sphag I haven't any tree fern fiber. I do have a bag of medium bark/charcoal/perlite mix, will that do?

The clay pots have worked nicely for the two phals I got that were in soggy moss for far too long. In fact I wonder if I need to water them more than I am. But I've already got those two under close monitoring so this little guy won't be ignored.

I'm just so tickled that it might be that gorgeous plant that msaar linked to. I can't let it die now!

Thanks so much Junebug!

[Cavs n' Orchids]

Hey!
Congrats on the great find! I grow my Cattleyas in terra cotta (or clay) pots and they LOVE it! A three inch clay pot should be perfect. Not to throw in too much info, but I found that some cattleyas can be touchy about being repotted when their roots arent actively growing, so if it doesnt have any green pointy new root tips, I might personally wait till it stops resting and starts growing again, although if it desperately needs a repot (and a big ole drink), putting it in medium bark mix in the 3 inch clay pot and that might perk it right up! Avoid the sphag moss. They like to wrap their roots aroung the bark chunks. Good luck and good growing!!

[Junebug]

Originally Posted by ElenaMarie

I'm afraid I don't have any net pots, and while I do have sphag I haven't any tree fern fiber. I do have a bag of medium bark/charcoal/perlite mix, will that do?

The clay pots have worked nicely for the two phals I got that were in soggy moss for far too long. In fact I wonder if I need to water them more than I am. But I've already got those two under close monitoring so this little guy won't be ignored.

I'm just so tickled that it might be that gorgeous plant at msaar linked to. I can't let it die now!

Thanks so much Junebug!

A clay pot would work. The type designed for orchids with extra slots around the side would be a great choice. Your bark mix should work. Sometimes the pieces of bark are too large in those mixes, but you can sort through the mix and pick out and use the smaller sized ones. Try to use bark and coal pieces that are closer to 1/2" in size and it wouldn't hurt, in addition to the pearlite, to incorporate some tiny chunks of styrofoam for better drainage. Good luck with your baby!