Laelia anceps leaves drooping over?

[D_novice]

Hi all

I have an ongoing phenomenon in my L anceps and gouldiana, that seemingly strong upright leaves droop over and become floppy, without any visible signs of rot (the heart of the growth is normal green not brown or rotty.)

So, I'm not sure if this is normal, or a problem, or what. I do have some plants where solid sturdy growth is present at very awkward angles - so that it looks like, at some point the leaf drooped over and then, after a while, regained its solidity.

In one plant (a mounted gouldiana) I thought I'd rotted out a growth from water sitting in it, after it drooped over in just the way I'm talking about. I foolishly yanked the leaf out, and found it was green and healthy looking. Nothing appeared wrong except that it had "fallen over".

Attached is a photo of a large mounted L. anceps that just developed this. The leaf that is pointing down was pointing up just a short time ago.

Is something wrong? Should I tie the leaf up (I don't want to move it too much since it feels so loose) or just leave it?

[estación seca]

New Cattleya shoots do that when they don't get enough water for the amount of evaporation going on.

Your plant is growing on moss, so I think you're watering enough.

The floppy shoot has a purplish cast to it, which means plenty of sun. Maybe the combination of sun, heat, and low humidity is too much for the amount of water the root system can absorb. Or maybe the roots dried out during a spell of sun and heat, and couldn't provide enough water at just the right time.

[D_novice]

Thanks, that adds up. There's a little moss there but it's on a piece of oak bark basically - and we have had hot weather, and they've had a couple of breaks in watering recently.

I guess I need to remember the dictum, you can't overwater a mounted plant!

On the other hand, I did have this happen to a potted Catt.

It's always something!

[estación seca]

If this happens to a potted Catt, the causes are underwatering or dead roots.