Clowesia seedling

[malteseproverb]

I recently received a Clowesia Grace Dunn 'Chadds Ford' that I bought from Ooi Leng Sun Orchids. It didn't say it wasn't blooming size on the listing so I was surprised to get a very small plant with 2 small back bulbs a couple inches in size, and it was also putting out two new growths with leaves. The leaves immediately all fell off upon unwrapping it. It was packed in soggy sphagnum in a ziploc baggy and that gave me pause. But I figured that the new (now dead) growths were small enough that it might have the energy to put out yet more new growth if I left the plant in dry sphagnum. I checked the plant after a few days and now I'm finding that the larger of the back bulbs is mushy and the latest root growth is white with mold.

Do I just dump this plant and take it as a $25 loss or is there some way to save it? I also received a bulbo medusae from the same seller that looks to be on its last legs, but I'm more confident with bulbo care that I think I can save it.

[estación seca]

The mushy one is gone. The other one might survive and make another healthy growth.

I would put a fan blowing directly on it and dry it out as fast as possible. Don't cut the mushy one off until the root ball is dry. Put it in a warm place and hope.

[SaraJean]

No! I wouldn’t trash it yet, these can bounce back surprisingly well. I would separate the mushy bulb from the one that is still good and leave the good one bare root in a warm sunny location to see if it pushes out a new growth in the next month or so. Make sure to keep it dry. Ideally there would be at least 2 healthy pseudobulbs when you divide these but I have had several that survived, grew and bloomed just fine with just one mature, dormant bulb.
This one looks like it is blooming size, Clowesias are much smaller than other Catasetinae. The shipping method doesn’t sound too great though

[malteseproverb]

OK! It's in front of a fan!! As far as warm and sunny, it's been soo gloomy (April showers blah blah) so I think I'll stick it under lights. Great to hear there is possibly a chance it'll survive, AND that it may be closer to blooming size than I thought. Though the only back bulb left now is less than 2 inches so I don't know... If it ever does put on new growth, should I give it the regular clowesia/catasetum treatment?

[estación seca]

Yes. Wait to water until the roots are longer rather than shorter.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

That's not a seedling. That's considered either near blooming sized or blooming sized. Catasetinae seedlings are completely unrecognizable to most people who have never seen them before. True seedlings of Catasetinae are vine-like. If someone who's never grown Catasetinae seedlings before got a flask full of them, the person would think they got ripped off and sold a plant that was not an orchid.

[estación seca]

Most gardeners use the term "seedling" the way malteseproverb did: To refer to any plant, grown from seed, which hasn't flowered yet.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

That definition sounds a lot more like seed grown than what a seedling would be.

It seems odd to me that a plant that is about ready to bloom soon would even be coined a "seedling".

My definition of an orchid seedling is that phase when the plant has grown out of the protocorm phase but is not yet an adult. I'm not putting the blame on anybody nor am I attempting to put anybody to shame, I'm just keeping it real. To call a Catasetinae at this late in development a "seedling" is like calling a young adult human-being a toddler. It is illogical to me.

In the case of Catasetinae, developmental differences are quite stark. I feel that it is a major disservice to people to call a Catasetinae at this level of development a "seedling" when it is actually closer to being near blooming sized or blooming sized. I believe that it gives people the false impression that a Catasetinae seedling is just a miniature version of the adult phase of the plant when it is simply not factual. True Catasetinae seedlings are completely unrecognizable from their adult forms, (and, no, I'm not just referring to their protocorm phase). True Catasetinae seedlings that have recently developed out of the protocorm stage resemble tiny one leafed vines. This is observable fact. I will also add that, in my opinion, these seedlings are quite fragile and care should be taken when handling them.

And, yes, I am nitpicking on the way the term is being used.

@malteseproverb: As for whether the plant should be chucked or not, the answer is, NO, keep it!

Unless the pseudobulbs themselves are mush, your Clowesia is in ok shape to recover. If you're not already aware, Clowesia leaves go deciduous, (if you know, great). When growing Clowesia, it is noteworthy to mention, (even if you already know), that they go dormant during the winter and resume growth during mid-spring.

[WaterWitchin]

I'd say keep, watchful waiting, etc, as suggested. I'd also be in touch with the seller and ask for a full or partial refund. And if that doesn't succeed, I'd put them on my "avoid" list for future purchased.

Edited to add: Cool nail polish. Very "springish."

[malteseproverb]

I actually wasn't sure if there was a different term for a juvenile plant that hadn't bloomed yet versus a plant that has been more recently been deflasked, but I noticed most people using the term "seedling" for both so I went with that. And at the time I really didn't think that this plant was anywhere close to blooming. My other clowesia has pbulbs exceeding 6 inches in length and the largest bulb on this one is 2 inches (which is now mush in the trash). So I assumed I would have to wait 2-3 years for this one to be blooming size.

I also recently purchased two other "seedlings," a Stanhopea and a Coryanthes, that are each in 2 inch pots. Philip, would you consider these seedlings? What would you call them?

I was wondering about contacting the seller... Anyone here buy from them before? Seller name is Ooi Leng Sun and their website is aaorchids.com