Catasetum Keikis?

[JennS]

I have no idea if this is even possible with catasetums, but my one and only seems to have a keiki starting! Unless it is somehow an early spike that looks very strange. It is a Ctsm. Rebecca Northen in case that helps.

I had one new growth this year, and one old pbulb that got infected and had be removed. This week I noticed a very tiny new growth starting where they usually start, then I noticed a tiny nubbin coming off an old pbulb. Could this be a keiki? It is about halfway up the pbulb, which I thought the spikes are more near the base.

Has anyone ever experienced this? Roots seem healthy, plant otherwise seems happy and healthy...

I don't have a picture yet...but i will get one.

[orchideric]

Catasetum and Cycnoches do rarely produce keikis. Essentally, wherever there is a leaf their s a leaf axil with a dormant bud. The buds can donothng, produce flowers, or produce a keiki.

If it is a keiki wait until it has matured a bulb and started a new growth with roots before removing it and planting it up. If the old pseudobulb is not important to the mother plant, you can remove it when the keiki first starts to produce roots and "plant" the pseudobulb so that the keiki is at the proper level for growth. This will avoid any shock of separating the keiki from the old pseudobulb.

Eric

[isurus79]

Like Eric said, there are 'eyes' all up and down every bulb. Whenever I do surgery on Catasetinae, I usually get one of these 'misplaced growths.' I dont condsider them keiki, but rather a new growth in a wierd place. I would just leave it. The roots will make their way down into the media. Keep watering your plant as normal until the new growth is mature (ie. December, January) rather than slowing water and fert this coming fall.

[JennS]

Thank you for the tips. I really had no idea how to approach this. It is strange since it is so late in the year to be producing this "keiki" plus another growth down at the base. Maybe it has something to do with removing the bad pbulb.

Anyway, I appreciate the help. I will keep taking good care of this baby.

[EdinAZ]

Originally Posted by JennS

Thank you for the tips. I really had no idea how to approach this. It is strange since it is so late in the year to be producing this "keiki" plus another growth down at the base. Maybe it has something to do with removing the bad pbulb.

Anyway, I appreciate the help. I will keep taking good care of this baby. :)

Jenn,

I get these sometimes (not too often) also, and the suggestions you have gotten so far are all good ones.

I also "multiply" my growths and bloom density by removing old psuedobulbs to get keikei's from them. When I have several older growths (healthy, not dying or rotting) I will pull a couple off (I try to always leave at least 2-3 healthy, solid growths with the original plant) and lay them on thier side in a relatively dry place. I usually do this in the winter, and I have a "dry zone" set up for the plants that need a winter drying, so that is convenient for me. I think anywhere dry would work (although they probably want humidity). By spring I have new growths pretty much ready for potting. I usually put them back in with the "mother" plant, when I repot, so I increase the number of active growths, and therefore blooms (I like to try for "specimen" type plants on all my orchids).

This has produced new growths for me almost 100% of the time, with no hormones, special treatment, etc.

I hope this is helpful/of interest.

Ed

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by EdinAZ

Jenn,

I get these sometimes (not too often) also, and the suggestions you have gotten so far are all good ones.

I also "multiply" my growths and bloom density by removing old psuedobulbs to get keikei's from them. When I have several older growths (healthy, not dying or rotting) I will pull a couple off (I try to always leave at least 2-3 healthy, solid growths with the original plant) and lay them on thier side in a relatively dry place. I usually do this in the winter, and I have a "dry zone" set up for the plants that need a winter drying, so that is convenient for me. I think anywhere dry would work (although they probably want humidity). By spring I have new growths pretty much ready for potting. I usually put them back in with the "mother" plant, when I repot, so I increase the number of active growths, and therefore blooms (I like to try for "specimen" type plants on all my orchids).

This has produced new growths for me almost 100% of the time, with no hormones, special treatment, etc.

I hope this is helpful/of interest.

Ed

Your techniques are definitely helpful AND of interest for me! While I do know that cutting promotes growth, I never thought of putting all the cuttings back together for a specimen plant! The next time my guys get big enough, someone is gonna meet Mr. Shears!

[EdinAZ]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Your techniques are definitely helpful AND of interest for me! While I do know that cutting promotes growth, I never thought of putting all the cuttings back together for a specimen plant! The next time my guys get big enough, someone is gonna meet Mr. Shears!:shock:

Steve,

Be careful when you do your cutting. You should have the complete base of the p-bulb for this to work best. I just twist-pull mine off, but cutting is fine, only be sure you keep the base on each p-bulb.

Ed

[JennS]

That is really interesting. I might think about this in the future. My plant is too small yet, but maybe next year or sometime later. Thanks for the ideas!

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by EdinAZ

Steve,

Be careful when you do your cutting. You should have the complete base of the p-bulb for this to work best. I just twist-pull mine off, but cutting is fine, only be sure you keep the base on each p-bulb.

Ed

Gotcha. Thanks for tip!

[JennS]

I just wanted to post this pic and see if everyone agrees it could be a keiki starting. I had to cut into the pseudobulb that it is attached to because it had some rot on the top portion and I had already lost a pbulb earlier this season so I didn't want to let this spread. So, I guess that means the keiki might not make it, but I would rather save the whole plant. Anyway, I would love to hear what others think.

*Note* I believe the name has been changed to Clowesia for this particular plant, but not positive. Don't know if that makes a difference in keiki abilities....*