Transferring C. aclandiae Seedling to Basket

[orchidman77]

Hope I didn't create a problem!

I did some digging - although I definitely don't know as much as you already about the genetics of coerulea coloration, especially in bifoliates. I looked through google images of coerulea aclandiae blooms trying to find how the new growth appeared, and some definitely show spots, like this one from SVO:

Sunset Valley Orchids - Superior Hybrids for Orchid Growers

So, I guess pigmentation in leaves/sheaths might work differently for bifoliates? With labiate cattleyas, they usually lack any spotting or pigmentation like albas. I have a coerulea Gaudii (tigrina x loddigesii) from SVO 2 years ago that has yet to bloom that will exhibit a little pigmentation on the developing growths, but I wouldn't call it red. I think the cross was done before with the same parents and yielded blue offspring. I'll have to wait and see for confirmation when it does bloom!

I do remember reading from Fred's notes to look for a "grey cast" on leaves (this implies coerulea flowers), and I've definitely seen this on my Gaudii. Maybe that's useful for aclandiae too!

Orchids never stop surprising me. I love it! And yes, you will end up with too many orchids before you know it!

[galguibra]

Originally Posted by orchidman77

Hope I didn't create a problem!

I did some digging - although I definitely don't know as much as you already about the genetics of coerulea coloration, especially in bifoliates. I looked through google images of coerulea aclandiae blooms trying to find how the new growth appeared, and some definitely show spots, like this one from SVO:

Sunset Valley Orchids - Superior Hybrids for Orchid Growers

So, I guess pigmentation in leaves/sheaths might work differently for bifoliates? With labiate cattleyas, they usually lack any spotting or pigmentation like albas. I have a coerulea Gaudii (tigrina x loddigesii) from SVO 2 years ago that has yet to bloom that will exhibit a little pigmentation on the developing growths, but I wouldn't call it red. I think the cross was done before with the same parents and yielded blue offspring. I'll have to wait and see for confirmation when it does bloom!

I do remember reading from Fred's notes to look for a "grey cast" on leaves (this implies coerulea flowers), and I've definitely seen this on my Gaudii. Maybe that's useful for aclandiae too!

Orchids never stop surprising me. I love it! And yes, you will end up with too many orchids before you know it!

No worries at all!! I definitely appreciate the input, and all any of us can ever ask is that people weigh in from the best of their experience Good to know about the grey leaf cast too, I'll be on the lookout

---------- Post added at 03:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:19 PM ----------

Update: I've left it in the nursery pot for now based on people's suggestions, but it turns out my suspicions were correct about the rot. What I at first thought was just some dehydration was actually that the oldest and tiniest little pseudobulb in the back had actually gotten severed from the rest of the rhizome entirely, and the wound was a bit mushy/dark.

I removed the structure since it was already disconnected anyway and just floating freely in the pot, and the roots that I thought looked suspect when I first inspected the plant were indeed connected to that same pseudobulb, so they came out too. I'm fresh out of fungicide at the moment, so I dabbed at the wound with a q-tip soaked in rubbing alcohol, and then covered it with a little bit of cinnamon. Is there anything else I can do for the little guy to give him the best chance of pulling through?

[MateoinLosAngeles]

Originally Posted by orchidman77

I do remember reading from Fred's notes to look for a "grey cast" on leaves (this implies coerulea flowers), and I've definitely seen this on my Gaudii. Maybe that's useful for aclandiae too!

I have a self-ing of the attached C. schilleriana from Fred and it does have a silvery cast on the leaves and no pigmentation whatsoever. However, I have some "coerulea" hybrids with pigmented dots. Haven't bloomed those yet, so whether they come out coerulea is TBD.

[Louis_W]

Originally Posted by orchidman77

So, I guess pigmentation in leaves/sheaths might work differently for bifoliates? With labiate cattleyas, they usually lack any spotting or pigmentation like albas. I have a coerulea Gaudii (tigrina x loddigesii) from SVO 2 years ago that has yet to bloom that will exhibit a little pigmentation on the developing growths, but I wouldn't call it red. I think the cross was done before with the same parents and yielded blue offspring. I'll have to wait and see for confirmation when it does bloom!

I dont think its so different. I have a few really dark plants that are pretty much solid red as they grow and they mature with a red outline and spotting. They also get darker green as you expose them to more light not lighter. The albas are totally clear and all my coeruleas are also clear and very light green.

I bet its like tipo plants. Very dark flowers are indicated by dark/a lot of pigments. Very dark saturated coeruleas probably have more speckles and maybe more of a grey caste. Mine are all very light and not very saturated (a little disappointingly) and they do noy show anything on the leaves. The photo from SVO looks like a rich dark one, so perhaps thats why the spots are visible