Cloesia Rebecca Northen

[NikkiM]

I have a question on the Cloesia Rebecca Northen. I have been keeping an eye on this one since it is the first one I have tried growing. I was watering the other day, and seen a new growth starting. If I'm correct I think it is a spike, but I'm not too sure. Could someone tell me what this might be?

[fishmom]

It could be a spike, or a secondary growth. Either way, the plant looks healthy!

[Roberta]

I would suspect a new growth... it's Clowesia Rebecca Northen ... Could be a spike but I'd be surprised... these usually bloom on bare p-bulbs, then put out leaves and new p-bulbs.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Being that one of the parents of this hybrid is Clowesia rosea, Roberta is correct, they usually do bloom on pseudobulbs that have gone deciduous, (pseudobulbs without leaves). The inflorescence is pendulous, (hangs downwards). And I believe it is not the correct time of year to bloom as well.

The growths you posted a pic of look like new roots to me.

Btw, as a heads up, be careful how much water it receives because it looks like a couple of the roots are starting to not look so good compared to the other ones. While they do look a bit older, they still look like they still have green living tissue in them, so I recommend keeping an eye on those roots and pay attention to the watering schedule.

[NikkiM]

Thank you for taking the time to answer! Good information! I thought it was kinda weird that it was growing something and the newest growth isn't done growing yet. I will keep and eye on the watering, but I think the roots browned like that because of the amount of sun it was getting. I have since backed it away from the window some and it seems to be doing better.

[Roberta]

Like the other Catasetinae, water and fertilize heavily during the growing season (now). In the fall, when the leaves start to go (probably October or November, maybe a little earlier) reduce the water and fertilizer (at that point, no fertilizer is really needed or wanted) and by December, sooner if leaves drop, stop watering completely. My Clowesia Rebecca Northen typically blooms in February or early March (occasionally earlier). And smells wonderful. It doesn't start sprouting leaves until a month or so after that so no water until that happens and the new growths start opening their fans of leaves. Seems brutal, but that's what these plants want.