Leaves yellowing/spotting and buds with no leaves issues

[braxtonds]

Sorry for an image heavy post:

My Cattleya cross Lc. Lee Langford 'Copper Queen' x Blc. Fort Watson Blazing was doing well until this year. It had normal lime green leaves and was repotted 2 months ago into the same 6.5" clay pot with an inverted net pot, lava rock and bark mix. I keep it in a sunny southern window in the house, normal house temps, until summer when it goes outside on an east facing porch that is covered, 2 hours direct morning sun max.

Last month, the leaves started to slightly wrinkle and are now turning yellow and have these black splotches on them. I'm not sure what to make of this and need some advice. I have anti-fungal that I have sprayed once last week.

Additionally, it has put out its first 'real' buds. It semi bloomed last year but mostly within the sheath and the bloom only lasted a day or so before wilting. This time there are 2 nice fat buds but they emerged without a leaf. Just a sheath and then buds, normally it puts out a leaf first.

These problems have me puzzled and suggestions are welcomed, thanks.

Main plant with buds in lower left:


Leaves becoming spotted and yellowing:


Close-up view of spotting:


2 Flower buds emerging from sheath with no leaves:


Side view of buds:

[silken]

To me some of the leaves look a bit dry and leathery. Were the roots good when you re-potted? I can't say for sure what the spots are. If it got warm temps and more light than it was used to it could be pigment. But they also look as much like fungal or bacterial. You could try an anti-bacterial as well as anti fungal like Physan. It might just be from being outdoors if it is getting wet at times.

As far as blooming with out a leaf, if it has C. walkeriana in it's parentage it can bloom like this. That is how it blooms. From a new growth that only has a spike. I have one that is about 1/3 walkeriana and sometimes it blooms like this and other times normally from a sheath. So that is likely not an issue. Make sure the roots are healthy and allowed to dry well between watering but not for long in sunny hot weather. You could try using some seaweed with some waterings and feedings to ensure healthy root growth which in turn will help keep the plant healthy. Another thing to make sure is that you have some Calcium/magnesium in your fert or start supplementing. I used to get lots of various spotting on leaves and it seems to have improved since adding that supplement.

[trdyl]

The pseudobulbs are shriveled which means it is either not getting enough water or it does not have enough good roots which also goes along with the wrinkled leaves. I'd check the roots and if they are bad put it in a shady spot until you have some better root growth. If the roots are ok then it would be a good idea to water more often.

[silken]

I checked your hybrid and it doesn't have any C. walkeriana in it. It has a fair bit of C. dowiana. There may be other species that bloom from a separate growth that I am not aware of. Still I wouldn't worry about that but more about the dry pseudo bubs and leaves.

[braxtonds]

The pseudobulbs are a result of overwatering 2 years ago that the plant has been slow to recover from. I've repotted it yearly since so that I can check the roots and each time I pot it drier and drier. What concerned me was the spotting, but if you think that a treatment of Physan will clear it up then I'll try it.

[silken]

Originally Posted by braxtonds

The pseudobulbs are a result of overwatering 2 years ago that the plant has been slow to recover from. I've repotted it yearly since so that I can check the roots and each time I pot it drier and drier. What concerned me was the spotting, but if you think that a treatment of Physan will clear it up then I'll try it.

If you are re-potting regularly and keeping the roots healthy it will be fine I think. The Physan won't clear the existing spots but should help any more from developing if it is bacterial or fungal. I'm not sure of your feeding regime but I would also consider the Cal/mag if you don't already have it in your plant food. I even used MSU much of the time, which does have some. But I find adding a separate supplement seems to have made a difference in reducing the amount of spots I get on leaves.

[braxtonds]

Sounds great, thanks for the info. I was just concerned that I was going to lose it over these issues.

[silken]

Keep an eye on it and as long as it doesn't get worse, it will likely be OK. I could show you several pics of mine, but its embarrassing! And I don't get the leaves wet which many people say is the cause of spots, so go figure....