How do you know when there will be a sheath?

[CR7cristiano]

It sounds like a leaf but a photo would certainly help

[RosieC]

Here's the photo. It looks like a shorter leaf in many respects although while it's split like a leaf the two half sit together and have not opened up flat. It's thinner texture than the leaf.

This orchid is usually unifoliate, although I know specific catts can vary and sometimes produce one, sometimes two leaves.

[silken]

RosieC, to me that looks like a leaf, sorry. None of my sheaths have ever done that.

[isurus79]

Looks like a deformed sheath on a growth that did not see ideal conditions. There's definitely something that that Catt is very unhappy about.

[CR7cristiano]

Before I give you my answer, is this cattleya a bifoliate?

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by CR7cristiano

Before I give you my answer, is this cattleya a bifoliate?

Not usually, it's a purpurata (which has changed genus several times but I think is Catt just now) and all other growths are unifoliate.

---------- Post added at 07:26 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:23 AM ----------

Originally Posted by isurus79

Looks like a deformed sheath on a growth that did not see ideal conditions. There's definitely something that that Catt is very unhappy about.

It was struggling in 2011, but grew lots and lots of roots and 2 new growths larger than the previous ones (including this one) in 2012. So let's say it's been in improving health but not been good in the past.

[CR7cristiano]

Yes this is a odd shaped sheath. Unusual, but then again these things can happen; everyone's culture/environment may vary slightly. Just Observe an continue to provide a great growing environment. It will be fine.

[NYCorchidman]

My mini catt makes one or two leaves. I don't think it is the culture. It's just the plant being crazy at times. lol

Quite a few of my oncidium hybrids do the same thing. While many plants always make one leaf on top of the pbs, they will sometimes make two or even three! I don't know why they do this but plants seem to be perfectly fine otherwise.

Many catts I see at a famer's market, it seems quite common. You find a same single plant in one pot has one or two leaves on their pbs.

[CR7cristiano]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

My mini catt makes one or two leaves. I don't think it is the culture. It's just the plant being crazy at times. lol

Quite a few of my oncidium hybrids do the same thing. While many plants always make one leaf on top of the pbs, they will sometimes make two or even three! I don't know why they do this but plants seem to be perfectly fine otherwise.

Many catts I see at a famer's market, it seems quite common. You find a same single plant in one pot has one or two leaves on their pbs.

It is very much in the culture as the norm is either bifoliate for that catt or unifoliate. Sometimes it may grow single leaves as a bifoliate but that occurs usually as a younger plant or just as a show of insufficient culture and your rare random occasion.

[NYCorchidman]

I'll have to disagree.
Those catts are professionally grown at a local nursery who specializes in catts. They are all wonderfully grown and flowers counts are very high.

My personal take is that with a few different species in the breeding background, one leaf or two leaves boundaries become unclear at times on certain plants.