Ctsm. Bela Vista's Sangria 'Jamie's Purple Passion' HCC/AOS x Ctsm. pileatum v. imper

[ncapensis]

It appears I have female flowers too, bad timing . Here are a couple of pics .

[brsucculents]

Please post pictures when they open. I'm curious what your color will be.
P.S. I assume you know they will be female by the shape of the bud?

[ncapensis]

I think with a bud that shape they are female, I have no experience of female flowers. I will post a pic when they open .
Thanks

[euplusia]

I bet these are females.

[Saadia]

I agree, these are females

[ncapensis]

I just wanted to ask if other members who grow Catasetums get a lot of female flowers ? I had my plants under high output T5 lights indoors next to a window. Then outside under Bamboo for the past five weeks. They have slow release fert on top of the moss and are watered often. Growth rates are good I think . Since this is my first year growing I have no clue as to what real growth rates should be.
Thanks
Steve

[AvantGardner]

Steve,

I've never had female flowers, you must be doing something right! Especially on a first bloomer. Just curious, what fert do you use? I use a mix of K-Lite (From First Rays) and a high urea 20-20-20. I was thinking of switching to slow release now that I have mine outside hanging from a big Bradford pear. They're loving it. Hot and humid and rains every day.

But as far as females go, I thought plants needed to be bigger and more established to throw females.

As far as growth rates, some of my early risers have p-bulbs that rival or surpass last years'. The later ones have a ways to go, but leaves are stretching out nicely.

Sounds like you've got it going on over there. Keep up the good work.

[brsucculents]

I've read on this forum that light on the inflorescence was the factor in determining the sex of the flowers. I was at a nursery this past week and there were two plants side by side under a 50% shade cloth. One had female flowers and one had male. I believe it's more complicated then we first thought.

[ncapensis]

Hi guys , complicated question on how I got female flowers. Having never flowered a Catasetum from start of the spike but for one. It could be the high output lights , two are aquarium lights with more UV , 6700 . It could be the foliar feed Bromeliad mix I use every week or so. It could be this plant throws female flowers more easily than others as another member had female flowers too. Adam I can still send it down to you as it's of little use to me this close to moving. I really would have liked some male flowers

[brsucculents]

My plant is blooming with female flowers again and I just notice the fragrance. It's very nice. Kind of a cross between nodosa and camphor.