My cattleya plants are healthy , new leaves and healthy roots , but when they start to form a flower in the pod , it turns black and rots off, just before opening . I'm at a loss , the dens and vandas, are flowering fine. I'd appreciate any advice
I had a simlar problem with a C. skinneri. I then noticed that the new growths would rot off and it turned out that the nursery I had bought it from had an epidemic of rot that went through and I almost lost the plant. In fact, this happend around March '07 and Im still not sure if the plant will recover, although I think it will. Anyway, you might want to take your plant out of its pot and do REALLY thorough inspection. Or maybe your plant is just getting too much moisture on the buds as they grow! Either way, I think you should be vigilant for a larger problem.
It will help if you put some photos of your plants. Are the sudobulbs healthy? If they are is like Tindo and isurus79 say, the buds are geting too much moisture.
Muchos saludos
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Juan Morales
Tepoztlan, Morelos
Mexico