What's Growing on my Lcn. Elizabeth Grace?

[c123anderson]

Hi everyone! I have a Laeliocatanthe Elizabeth Grace from a cutting someone gave me this last spring. I have potted it up and have a nice new pseudobulb coming from the plant. The attached image it what's growing from the pseudobulb.

Please ignore the older, shriveled pbulb. The new growth is happy and growing well. The older bulbs are "okay" to "ho hum".

Since this is a bifoliate cattleya, I'm not sure what to expect from this plant. I'm still learning my way around cattleyas, so any help is greatly appreciated.

[Roberta]

Can't see it well, but looks like it might be just a bit of the sheath protecting the new growth, that will dry up as the growth matures. Don't see anything to worry about.

[c123anderson]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Can't see it well, but looks like it might be just a bit of the sheath protecting the new growth, that will dry up as the growth matures.

I will keep an eye on it. It didn't seem to be like the new growth.

Thanks!

[Louis_W]

Guarianthe sheaths have little leaflets at the end that fall off when the sheath matures. It's is totally nothing to worry about. It's just how they grow. I have G. aurantiaca (one of the parents of your plant) and skinnerii and they both do exactly what you show in your photo

[c123anderson]

Originally Posted by Louis_W

Guarianthe sheaths have little leaflets at the end that fall off when the sheath matures. It's is totally nothing to worry about. It's just how they grow. I have G. aurantiaca (one of the parents of your plant) and skinnerii and they both do exactly what you show in your photo

Louus_W, this is a sheath that may develop a bloom?

[Louis_W]

No it's the kind that covers the new cane as it grows, then it dries out when the cane is mature. Basically they form a 'skin' over the cane. The kind of sheath that will eventually bloom is between the two leaves at the top of the cane

If you post a photo that shows the entire cane we should be able to see where the bloom sheath comes out.

https://www.orchidboard.com/communit...cture13935.jpg

[c123anderson]

Okay. I’ll see if I can get a “full cane” shot.

Thanks for the info!

[Louis_W]

For some reason I was having trouble posting my photo but check it out here:

https://www.orchidboard.com/communit...cture13935.jpg

[Roberta]

A note of caution... don't try to "tidy up" the plant by removing those "leaflet" sheaths on the outside of the pseudobulb, until they are very dry and loose. If you try to strip them too soon you can damage the pseudobulb (cane). Once they are very dry (usually a year or so after blooming) then cleaning them up is good because scale and other nasties can hide out underneath the dry stuff, if they don't fall off on their own. But be sure to wait that year or so...and that they are crispy-dry.

[c123anderson]

Thanks, Roberta. I usually do a tug test: if it doesn’t come off with a slight tug, it stays.