Cattleya New Growth & Leaf Questions...

[Jenna09]

Hi Everyone

So my cattleya has been growing two new growths since I repotted it a couple of months ago.

The one is kind of crooked and the other is fairly straight.

The crooked one has what I am thinking is a sheath or secondary leaf growing out of it (pictures attached). All of the other bulbs have 1 leaf except for one mystery 2 leafed bulb.

My questions are, what makes a catt grow a second leaf rather than a sheath? And how long to determine which is happening?

Thanks
Jenna

[JScott]

I don't think it is necessarily that they grow a second leaf *instead of* a sheath. Many hybrids are very complex and have both unifoliate and biofoliate species in the background, and this just results in some growths having two leaves, while others have just one. I don't think there is anything that causes it to happen; it just happens sometimes. I feel like it is more common in younger plants. Usually large, completely mature plants will be either unifoliate or bifoliate, although even then, they can sometimes produce a growth with a leaf more or less than the other growths. It doesn't affect the blooming of the plant whether the growth has one or two leaves, or even if there is no sheath. I've got several Catts which may or may not have a sheath on any particular growth, but they still bloom from the growths with no sheath.

[rbarata]

I can't your photos very well (I'm on the phone) but it looks from what I can see that your Catt is not getting enough light. It might not bloom due to that.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by JScott

Many hybrids are very complex and have both unifoliate and biofoliate species in the background, and this just results in some growths having two leaves, while others have just one. I don't think there is anything that causes it to happen; it just happens sometimes.

+1

In that last photo, that would be a tiny sheath not a leaf. Does not look like that one will produce a spike.

[Jenna09]

Many hybrids are very complex and have both unifoliate and biofoliate species in the background, and this just results in some growths having two leaves, while others have just one. I don't think there is anything that causes it to happen; it just happens sometimes.

Makes sense. I bought it as a "mini cattleya" NOID so I am not sure what all could be involved with it's makeup.

but it looks from what I can see that your Catt is not getting enough light. It might not bloom due to that.

I bought a light but unfortunately it just isn't enough for the cattleya. I am going to my local hydroponics store this week to see if they have something that will do the trick.

Thanks
Jenna

[Jenna09]

Got my new light setup today...I hope they are enough to do the trick. I went to the wrong hydroponics store (both on the same street and I didn't even know the one I was supposed to be going to existed)....anyway long story short the owner was a dumbass and was just hating on orchids the whole time so I decided to take my business elsewhere.

The other store, I was supposed to be going to, the owner was super nice and recommended these lights. He had the T5's and different lengths/watts of the LED's but from his advice I got these lights and than the stand.

I also got some kelp liquid (they didn't have kelpmax).

Hopefully this helps me to get BLOOMS.

Jenna

[Dollythehun]

Good choice. You'll love them!

[Jenna09]

@Dollythehun thanks! I did some searches on here and they seem to be highly recommended so I’m excited to try them out.

Jenna

[plantzzzzz]

I noticed you're in Ontario!

C and C orchids in Hamilton sells kelpmax.

Also, out of curiosity, the location of hydroponics makes it sound like you're near Kitchener-Waterloo?