Doubts about cattleya flowering - Orchid Board

Merita · #1 11-07-2020, 05:27 PM

Hello everyone.
For a long time I have doubts about the flowering of the hybrid cattleya Blc.Always Dream because I have a healthy plant that bloomed the first year a flower, the second, another flower, then I transplanted it and did not give any, the other year a flower and in each sheath a single flower. They are large flowers, up to seven inches but only one. Will this always be like this? Can someone explain to me what is going on?

SouthPark · #2 11-07-2020, 07:52 PM

Merita ----- do you mean that the orchid was flowering once each year, except for the year when you transplanted it?

It probably just depends on the state of the orchid after transplanting. Such as - is the medium the same as the previous medium (except the new medium is just new), and any change in lighting and temperature or other conditions - as compared with before. And also maybe consider what was done for the transplanting.

If the orchid keeps growing - as in developing more bulbs each year, then that should be ok.

In general, maintain the satisfactory conditions - temperature levels, light levels, fertiliser, elements, water etc ..... will have the orchid flowering again - for sure.

Or is it relating to the number of flowers per spike?

Merita · #3 11-07-2020, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Merita ----- do you mean that the orchid was flowering once each year, except for the year when you transplanted it?

It probably just depends on the state of the orchid after transplanting. Such as - is the medium the same as the previous medium (except the new medium is just new), and any change in lighting and temperature or other conditions - as compared with before. And also maybe consider what was done for the transplanting.

If the orchid keeps growing - as in developing more bulbs each year, then that's should be ok.

In general, maintain the satisfactory conditions - temperature levels, light levels, fertiliser, elements, water etc ..... will have the orchid flowering again - for sure.

Or is it relating to the number of flowers per spike?

Thanks for answering. What worries me is that the plant in each pod only has one flower, the other plants usually have two or more flowers per pod. It's been flourishing for four years now and it's still the same. It's disappointing. I think it may be a genetic problem.

Roberta · #4 11-07-2020, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merita

Thanks for answering. What worries me is that the plant in each pod only has one flower, the other plants usually have two or more flowers per pod. It's been flourishing for four years now and it's still the same. It's disappointing. I think it may be a genetic problem.

Not really a "problem" ... it depends, in large part, on ancestry. Some of the species in its background may tend to have a single flower per growth - especially the ones with large flowers. To get multiple flowers from such plants, one has to grow them BIG... multiple growths. So if each growth produces one flower, but there are several growths that bloom at the same time, you can get quite a grand display.

I looked it up, and the photos in Orchidwiz - really well grown plants, have maybe 2 flowers on a growth, not more. So with care, when the plant is stronger, 2 flowers on an inflorescence is probably the most that you will get - and that's under ideal circumstances. That is just what it does... but it's a beauty.

SouthPark · #5 11-07-2020, 11:15 PM

Merita ....... I reckon Roberta is right. It may be behaviour due to genetics ..... and that is not considered as a problem.

Producing big flowers requires enough energy to get it done. Some orchids may even drop 1 bud ---- automatically somehow - if the system hasn't got enough in the tank to support the extra flower.

And in many cases, the size of a single flower flowering ...... can be noticeably larger than say a double-flower flowering. Not all the time ----- but sometimes can be noticed.

For myself ----- if my orchids produce just 1 flower successfully ------ that's really nice already. Pretty sure that your orchid will eventually produce doubles though. If your other catts do produce doubles, then this one will get there too eventually.

JScott · #6 11-08-2020, 08:15 AM

I have a few of the larger flowered Catts (ones with flowers that are 7 or 8 inches) that only ever have one flower per growth. I think like the others said, it depends on genetics. Because of whatever is in the background of your plant, it may only ever have one flower per growth, or on occasion, rarely two. I don't think it is anything to worry about. I think your plant probably just only ever has one flower per stem.

Merita · #7 11-08-2020, 10:27 PM

Thanks to Roberta and those who gave their opinion. I will hope that one day this plant changes and I can see more than one flower or that it synchronizes its flowering because it has several pods that open at different times. This was the first of this season, the second is opening, and two more pods that will take a while.

Merita · #8 11-08-2020, 10:29 PM

Thanks to Roberta and those who gave their opinion. I will hope that one day this plant changes and I can see more than one flower or that it synchronizes its flowering because it has several pods that open at different times. This was the first of this season, the second is opening, and two more pods that will take a while.

SouthPark · #9 11-08-2020, 10:40 PM

Merita .... does your Rlc. Always Dream have a cultivar name? I can see that the 'Volcano Queen' one has some pics with 1 flower ..... sometimes 2 flowers.

So chances are ----- you'll get the 2 flower eventually.

Merita · #10 11-08-2020, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Merita .... does your Rlc. Always Dream have a cultivar name? I can see that the 'Volcano Queen' one has some pics with 1 flower ..... sometimes 2 flowers.

So chances are ----- you'll get the 2 flower eventually.

Yes, the one from Volcano Queen, I've had it for years.