9 new cycnoches...all growing

[mrobert]

Well now I'm up to 9 cycnoches and the like. The only one I've seen blossom is the species barthiorum. All are actively growing, none are dormant. Here is the current list:

Cycnoches Barthiorum
Cycnoches barthiorum ‘Sunset Valley Orchids’ x Mormolyca colossus ‘Ron Kaufmann’: budding
Cycnoches William Clark: budding
Cycnoches ‘Robert Dicknow’
Cycnoches barthiorum ‘SVO’ x Cycnoches barthiorum ‘Sunset Valley Orchids II’
Cycnoches Jean E Monnier
Cycnoches warscewiczii ‘Panama’ x Mormolyca warscewiczii ‘Sunset Valley’
Cycnoches warscewiczii ’Jumbo’ x Cycnoches warscewiczii ‘SVO II’
Mormodia Painted Desert ‘SVO’ x Mormolyca lawrenceana ‘#1’

If anyone would like to offer culture advice please do so, I'll likely make a separate thread in the culture question area since the Catasetum Alliance area isn't exactly a hive of activity.

-Mateo

[isurus79]

From what I understand from literature and from experience, your Catasetinae plants should either be dormant or going dormant. Ive heard that sometimes they need to "forced" into dormancy with either cold weather or dry conditions in order for successful flowering for the next year. As I have not seen all of your plants in bloom, Im really hoping that you can post some pics over the next year!! If you Google "catasetum" and "care" you can find a plethora of care tips. Good luck!! I cant wait to see these guys bloom over the next year!!

[mrobert]

Originally Posted by isurus79

From what I understand from literature and from experience, your Catasetinae plants should either be dormant or going dormant.

You've pointed out exacty what I found to be so strange, some plants are dormant, some have just dropped flowers, some are beginning to drop leaves, some are actively growing, some are spiking, and some have buds. I don't understand it. I'm going to write to the original cultivator and have him shed some light on what I have going on.

-mateo

[kavanaru]

my added:

I have 6 Catasetinae and they are also behaving weird this year:

Catasetum pileatum: dormant
Catasetum pileatum: flowered but does not seem to pretend going dormant at all
Catasetum pileatum: one spike about to open in one week, and one spike just 1 inch long (first bloom for this plant) - of course no sign of dormancy at all.
Cycnoches hageii and Cycnodes Taiwan Gold: did not flowered this year and seem to know nothing about dormancy.
Cycnodes Wine Delight: did not flowered this year, and have just started to loose leaves.

I have to add that I have cut the watering to all of them since end of November.

[tuvoc]

Here's my .This subject came up here a couple of weeks ago. My chlorochilon has lost it's mind too. It usually blooms about October, and then goes dormant. This year it is still in full leaf, and the spike is about a month away from blooming. That means dormancy in about February, which is about when it used to start new growth.

Kim

[isurus79]

In the May 2007 issue of Orchids Magazine, there is an article by Fred Clarke (of Sunset Valley Orchids) that talks about his strategy for these guys. Basically, he slows watering in mid November and stops fertilizing all together. Then, on Jan 1, he stops watering his Catasetinae altogether, no matter what stage of growth they are in and that initiates dormancy. This article is really great, especially for the issues brought up in this particular thread. Not to mention the fact that the article was written by one of the world's premier Catasetinae growers.

[mrobert]

Originally Posted by isurus79

In the May 2007 issue of Orchids Magazine, there is an article by Fred Clarke (of Sunset Valley Orchids) that talks about his strategy for these guys. Basically, he slows watering in mid November and stops fertilizing all together. Then, on Jan 1, he stops watering his Catasetinae altogether, no matter what stage of growth they are in and that initiates dormancy. This article is really great, especially for the issues brought up in this particular thread. Not to mention the fact that the article was written by one of the world's premier Catasetinae growers.

...and not to mention I have most of his crosses!

[mrobert]

So I've crossed the two plants that are bolded in the OP. (there is a thread about it in prorogation). Now what do I do? Do I still with hold water and fertilizer? This all very hard to figure out.

[isurus79]

So I've crossed the two plants that are bolded in the OP. (there is a thread about it in prorogation). Now what do I do? Do I still with hold water and fertilizer? This all very hard to figure out.

While I havn't crossed any of my Catasetinae, I would imagine that you treat the parent plant as normal. After all, in the wild, the rain doesn't start coming down because of reproducing 'chids! Thats just a guess though!!