Is this Cattleya walkeriana?

[Neverend]

The plant is in a basket, and the moss is only a very thin top layer, as the plant is mostly in LECA. It has an extensive root system inside the LECA actually, but you are right about the soggy conditions it was initially in, which made me feel that the roots were on the verge of rotting when I was repotting it. The roots don't have a chance of staying wet in the current setup (the moss doesn't even touch any root...), so I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem of too much water.

That said, the leaves are becoming increasingly dotted with red speckles, is it a sign of too much sunlight?

[RGonzalez]

The problem with Catleya Walkerianas is a never ending story. You need to learn from your plant, it will dictate you what it needs. You do not mention your country, if you are located on sea level or at hight altitude or if there is a water source nearby or if there would get breezy during the day. Rainy season vs dry season, etc.
If you have a shade house where you have your plants or a hobbyist greenhouse or simply at a terrazo patio. Many specific places that I need to know before I can tell any useful suggestion.
The best scenario, and you never get wrong. Do not disturb the plant too much. In "winter" or during dry season the plant does not spend energy putting on new roots, unless in its native environment or at a greenhouse, and the process of growing stops for several months until spring. If it is a stablished plant with more than 5 pseudobulbs it will eventually bloom. The pseudobulbs will always shrink a little bit at that time and previous blooming, they will regain water later on. Be patient, now it is not judicious to give the plant too much sunlight, it is small and is growing S-L-OOOO-W. This plant is a slooow grower, you got to be patient. When the plant regain strength then you can supply more sunlight. Do not go crazy about fertilizers. Very dilute amounts weekly will do. I will suggest using a medium size TEAK BASKET, cover the bottom with a piece of a screen cloth, use small-medium coconut cheaps and medium DYNA rocks (previously wet) as a growing medium and stick the plant inside tied with protected wire, hang it at a shady place or where it can get morning sun until 10 am. Sprinkle the plant every other day and water abundantly once a week if it does not rain.

[Neverend]

Indeed, this species is more challenging than I thought, and the fact that my country (Singapore) is constantly hot and humid, with no distinct seasons save for a monsoon period occuring now. Thanks so much for the advice, RGonzalez

[catwalker808]

Neverend.

Because of your location, barely 1 degree north of the equator, it appears that your temperatures are very hot & the sunlight intense throughout the year. I imagine that there is very little variation in your day length throughout the year (except for periods of rainfall, it's probably as though you have an endless summer. That might be a blessing, in many respects, however, it could present a problem for a winter blooming plant like C walkeriana.

We are about 21 degrees N, with a good climate for growing the species. After growing C walkeriana for more than 25 years (in a climate very different from its habitat), I have come to realize that it is much more important to identify the plant's needs, rather than to just try & replicate its habitat.

During late spring & during summer, C walkeriana initiates new growth, which matures, then fattens during cooler autumn days, into nice rounded pseudobulbs. From these fat mature growths, as day length shortens from 14 hour days to 10-11 hour days, flower spikes are initiated.

In Singapore, you may experience major growing differences and, possibly, some problems with blooming.

A couple of important points for your growing in Singapore. I find that during the heat of summer, fairly heavy shading is needed, along with lots of fertilizer & water. With your year round constant high temps & intense sunlight, you might need to shade heavily all the time. Perhaps 70% shade to allow 3000-4000 foot candles. Otherwise your plant may become very heat-stressed & all of your growths will be skinny & long or shrivelled. Without cooler temps, you may never get the nice plump pseudobulbs.

I'm not sure what would trigger blooming for you (with your constant day lengths), but I imagine that your rainy period might fool your plant with shorter available daylight hours (even if the sun is up there above the rainclouds. Since it's rainy Dec - March, I would guess that you might have blooms in February or March. If your bloom spikes initiate, keep the plant out of the rain to protect the bloom.

With your year round heat & strong sunlight, I would suggest you never hold back watering ... unless it's raining. You probably also don't have much of a difference in day/night temps.

[Neverend]

Thanks for the advice, catwalker808, I have a feeling that the bright light is responsible for the red speckles that have appeared on the leaves lately.

Normally I only get the best blooms at the end of the monsoon season, when the cooler temperatures trigger blooming. I'm interested to know if it can adjust to the inversed seasonal changes though (as Brazil is in South America), and right now I think I shouldn't even think about blooming it.

I'll move the plant to a darker location and see how it responds.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by Neverend

I'll move the plant to a darker location and see how it responds.

Hmmm, I dunno about that. These guys like it bright and some speckling on your leaves mean it is getting the light it likes.

[Neverend]

Really? It didn't have any speckles when I first got it and now half of the leaves are speckled...