I feel like an idiot...

[Bulbofett]

My chids have been hanging out on my shaded porch for a month while I let them acclimate to increased light. I decided that they weren't getting enough light, so I moved them underneath my oak tree. Unfortunately I wasn't aware that this area gets direct sunlight mid day. My poor catt I figured with its thick cuticle it'd be able to handle a little direct sun

It has a new pbulb growing that was not affected, but how much can I expect for this burn to set me back?

I have them in a more shaded area underneath my oak tree now.

[Paul]

Happens to all of us.

It is possible that your catt could have handled the direct sun ... had it been hardened off appropriately. However, some catts can't handle direct afternoon sun no matter what you do. All comes down to genetics and the hardening off process.

You gave it a good start, but the next step should have been morning or evening sun ... no direct afternoon sun. The fact you didn't realize it would be hit by direct afternoon sun under the oak is a perfectly understandable blooper. That it DID get direct afternoon sun does rather surprise me. I take it the oak is not fully leafed out yet?

You can resume getting it adapted to more intense light ... just make sure you find an area that receives morning or late afternoon/evening sun for the next step up.

Bad news is ... you will likely be looking at these damaged leaves for a long time. A continuing reminder of your "crime". heh

Good news is your plant should recover just fine. If you've ever seen pictures of orchids in the wild, the plants often look like crap with burned or bleached areas on their leaves from their tree losing a shading branch or getting denuded of leaves, or the leaves all torn/shredded from animal or wind damage, etc. They are survivors.

[tucker85]

Cattleyas can handle quite a bit of sun but they need to acclimated to it slowly. Direct, mid day sun is a little too much for most orchids but direct sun in the morning or evening is usually well tolerated. I'm afraid the amount of damage done is going to set that plant back significantly. It takes several years to grow that many pseudo-bulbs and leaves. Since it's a mature plant there's a good chance that it will still bloom on the new growths. We've all done that kind of thing or worse. Good luck.

[Bulbofett]

Originally Posted by Paul

Happens to all of us.

I take it the oak is not fully leafed out yet?

All around my setup is dappled light, but the area I put them in just happened to have a huge gaping window for direct light to come in. Just my luck lol

What I should have done was watch the sunlight pattern for this area before putting them there. Instead, I figured there was no way they'd get direct sun underneath the oak and placed them there haphazardly. Live and learn I suppose. These are old growths anyways that already bloomed, so I'm hoping the new growth coming in will still bloom.

[Subrosa]

Not a Catt, but I cooked an Aerangis citrata last fall by not taking into account falling leaves and the lower angle of the sun. It lost about half its leaves, but recovered over the winter and just recently finished blooming.

[nikkik]

I empathize with you. When I moved my plants in for the winter, I managed to cook a vanda and it was in a very sunny location outside. Apparently, not as sunny as the one I moved it to indoors.

I hope it recovers quickly!

[kindrag23]

I fried several of my catasetum's and my cattelya's new growths...so don't feel awful for this happens to the best of us...I thought in my little greenhouse they would be okay especially being under a high watt heat lamp that I use to keep my tortoise warm....yeah I was WAY off...they got a little crunchy....But at least you realized it before you killed it so there is that!!!

[tryingtoflower]

I'm having a difficult time with heat stress and fried leaves too. Just when I thought I had it figured out our temperature soared and a lot of my seedlings didn't like it at all. Wish I could figure out which ones are more heat tolerant and quickly. I hear our temps. are headed back to the 90's next week.

[kindrag23]

@Tryingtoflower here in Texas we are closing in on 100 and its just the beginning of MAY!! I DONT want to know how hot it will be in July/August.

[Orchid Whisperer]

We have all done this at one time or another. Don't feel too bad!

And yes, this has happened to me this year as well. The sunburns are smaller on mine (an unguarded gap in the shade cloth), but I am not happy either.