Cut Cattleya Sheath, Will Blooms Perish?

[Ginger9899]

Like a complete moron I cut up a completely healthy and plump sheath on a bifoliate Cattleya. I thought dark pigmentation spots were buds at the top and I was going to help them out. There was a nice bunch of buds, but they are just coming out of the pseudobulb, not at the top of the sheath. I am wondering if they will still grow and develop without the sheath now, or if there is something more I can do other than cross my fingers.

I'll add this to my list of utterly STUPID orchid mistakes.

[bil]

Originally Posted by Ginger9899

Like a complete moron I cut up a completely healthy and plump sheath on a bifoliate Cattleya. I thought dark pigmentation spots were buds at the top and I was going to help them out. There was a nice bunch of buds, but they are just coming out of the pseudobulb, not at the top of the sheath. I am wondering if they will still grow and develop without the sheath now, or if there is something more I can do other than cross my fingers.

I'll add this to my list of utterly STUPID orchid mistakes.

Ah, a new member to the 'I did something stupid with an orchid' club.

We would have meetings, but we worry that if we did, the country might tip over to that side.

You aren't the first, and you sure as hell won't be the last. Did it myself thinking that I would have a look inside,, and cut too low, I just cut the tip off the bud, and those flowers aborted.

If you haven't been as dumb as I was, the flowers should develop normally.

Golden rule here is, before you cut a sheath, candle it with a torch - it's best done at night with the lights out.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Keep in mind that some Cattleya alliance types may push buds through sheaths that are a year old and dried/papery. I have an Epilaeliocattleya Golden Sunburst that did this and is blooming now.

You can candle them with a flashlight as bil suggests if you want see if anything is developing, though swelling of the sheath is what I usually look for.

[bil]

You knnow what I like, is when people say 'this catt is bifolate, this has sheaths, this blooms with no sheaths.

I have one that is psychotic. It has bifolate and uni Pbulbs, it has single flowers and doubles, and some flowers have sheaths and some don't. God only knows what you classify that as.

[silken]

Originally Posted by bil

You knnow what I like, is when people say 'this catt is bifolate, this has sheaths, this blooms with no sheaths.

I have one that is psychotic. It has bifolate and uni Pbulbs, it has single flowers and doubles, and some flowers have sheaths and some don't. God only knows what you classify that as.

I have a number of them like that! Often doing the different things all at once! I think it's because it is likely a hybrid with parents or grandparents that had different characteristics and they all take over with trying to influence how it grows.

[No-Pro-mwa]

I have them do it as well. Just this last winter I had written in a post that I had never had one come straight out of a psb before, only a sheath. My orchids then decided to make a fool out of me by 2 of them doing it right after I had written that.

---------- Post added at 08:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 AM ----------

Originally Posted by bil

You knnow what I like, is when people say 'this catt is bifolate, this has sheaths, this blooms with no sheaths.

I have one that is psychotic. It has bifolate and uni Pbulbs, it has single flowers and doubles, and some flowers have sheaths and some don't. God only knows what you classify that as.

You call that one a mess bil, it's just a mess

[bil]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

I have them do it as well. Just this last winter I had written in a post that I had never had one come straight out of a psb before, only a sheath. My orchids then decided to make a fool out of me by 2 of them doing it right after I had written that.

---------- Post added at 08:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 AM ----------



You call that one a mess bil, it's just a mess

I call it a lot of things. Actually I have a soft spot for that one. It's a nice flower, long lasting, grows well and was the first that I flowered.

When an orchid is for the chop, I take it out of the pot, and tell the others that it is on a one way trip to the compost, and if they don't buck up, they can join it.

I'm getting quite good results.

[Ginger9899]

I'm happy to say the buds didn't perish!

[Orchids4ever]

Originally Posted by Ginger9899

I'm happy to say the buds didn't perish!

Good thing they didn't ,you would have missed out on some very pretty blooms

[estación seca]

Wow!