Help!!!! My Cattleya violacea is dying!

[Brassavola]

Poor Cattleya violacea
It has no roots now, I've put two of the attatched pseudobulbs in a pot with bark and I spray it twice a day. I don't think spag and bag is a good idea, because there is no air circulation in the bag, and lack od air movement is the thing that had made my plant sick.

[taipan]

You could try wrapping sphag.moss around the roots ( give the plant a day or so to dry out ) & pot the plant into a terracota ( clay ) pot. Clay will "breath" thus air will be moving around the moss & roots. Keep the moss just damp not wet. This may encourage new root action & you will have air movement around the leaves

[Mahon]

Originally Posted by euplusia

Sad experience. To my knowledge and experience all C. violaceas don´t live for long in cultivation. Even mounted they die after one or two years. Most of the Cattleya species can be grown easily, but C.violacea is ticklish.

I wouldn't exactly agree with this. I have a Cattleya violacea 'Muse' FCC/AOS mounted division from Krull Smith that is most likely from the mid 1980's after it was awarded. It grows great with higher light, high air circulation, and sparse watering. It just finished blooming last month, and is now kicking up 3 new growths...

As for the seedling C. violacea, I think you are right, stagnation will kill this species; in both air and water. I would suggest a medium that dries out quickly, perhaps a fine bark mix. It may have to be watered frequently to encourage some growth. Also, try to increase light on the plant, like a windowsill. Seedling Cattleya seem to be trickier than mature plants...

-PM

[Virgil]

I have a violacea that I have had and bloomed for several years, It is potted in perelite and charcoal, I water it twice a week and use a slow release fert. When I repot a sick plant I would cut all the bad roots, Be careful about over watering, The new roots will appear in time. I find it more difficult to grow mounted catts than potted. My blooming violacea is attached. IF you inlarge the photo you can see size of plant and the pot.

[Orchonubee]

Your orchid looks savable! First dust the roots with either root tone or cinnamon. Pot in a light and airy mix small charcoal, bark, perlite. Be sure to use a clip to fasten the plant so there is no movement in the pot. Make a spray of KLN & seaweed extract, 1/4 recommended strength. Place in bright, but no sun spot. The KLN is for root growth, the seaweed extract is to increase the brix. Then pray. In several weeks you should see some growth.

[Leisurely]

Euplusia, your feelings about C. violacea not living very long is probably thoughts in the right direction. I have tried growing it twice in the past several years and the plants lived about two years each time. So I decided that I would try a couple of hybrids: C. Maui Maid x C. violacea and Hawkinsara Sogo Doll x C. violacea. Do you think they would have more vigor?

Brassavola, I would re-mount your plant and grow it on the dry side as advised. It may just do well for you. Who knows. I am sure there are many varieties of these plants and some do better than others. There is one variety called C. violacea 'Muse' that does quite well but is virtually impossible to find.