Cattleya trimming

[dennis4246]

I asm relatively new to orchids and am still learning. I have 3 cattleyas that have finished blooming. Do I cut the spike all the way to the end of the sheath or what do i do to prepare it for future bloomings.

Thanks
Dennis in Pensacola

[mjsdas]

Use a sharp blade and cut the blossom stem 1/4" above where it emerges from the pseudo-bulb. Future blooms will come from new shoots that will come from the based of the orchid.

[BikerDoc5968]

MJ is correct....cut the old spike. At the base of the pseudobulbs is a small "node" which will develop into a new pseudobulb and from this will grow a new flower spike. Sometimes the you will get a flower sheath and inside is the flower and sometimes they grow flowers without a sheath and sometimes the sheath will be empty. You can see the open sheath on the 1st pic. The 2nd pic just grew a spike without a sheath. While the 3rd pic isn't my best, it demonstrates a node that I trust will become a new pseudobulb. The last pic is a developing PB....