Catasetum incurvum - Exercise in patience

[Roberta]

I got this plant as a single-pseudobulb division, from a South American grower, in February 2016. Since its seasons were flipped, it had just entered dormancy - very close to the time when Catasetinae are getting ready to exit dormancy in the northern hemisphere. I potted it up, and it just sat there (sound asleep) all summer. In the fall, the light and weather were saying "getting ready for dormancy" and this plant must have sensed that, since it stayed dormant. The following late spring (2017) it came out of dormancy with the rest of the Catasetinae. So it was dormant for 16 or 17 months. For the next bunch of years it did one new pseudobulb a year. I think it did two last year. But no flowers. FINALLY it just bloomed! And there are two new growths, getting big, maybe the other one could even bloom later in the season. Even it it doesn't, at last I got to see it. Sort of a weird one. but interesting lip.

At any rate, the question has occasionally come up as to long it takes to adjust seasons... for most orchids, a couple of years. But for high seasonal ones like the Catasetine, I have to say, "A looong time..." If you have one that has switched hemispheres and isn't performing, give it time. Lots and lots of time. As long as it is growing well, flowers are likely to show up eventually.

(Note: I modified dates when I rechecked my records. Plant was acquired in Feb 2016 dormant, didn't emerge until late spring 2017)