Cattleyas for cool climates

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There will be roots very soon.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Good luck. Perhaps the greenhouse, who wouldn't like that anyway.

[rbarata]

There's some evolution, slow but steady.
Now it looks more like a new growth. Been putting it under strong indirect south light/ full sun, misting heavily only the medium by early morning but there are no roots yet.
I suspect they'll grow from the base of the new growth 'cause there's a protuberance under the dry sheath. Anyway, so far they haven't appear.

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[rbarata]

After my last post in this thread, on month ago, the new growth is bigger but still no roots. Temps are now in high 60/low 70's and I spray in the early morning only the medium, around twice a week.
Next weeks the forecast is clear skies and high 80's so, with more watering it might be a boost for the roots to grow.

[epiphyte78]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Thank you for the sugestion, Salixx.
Unfortunately this specie also has the same problem as mexican laelias: dry winter.
My goal was to let them outside all year but I can't provide them a dry winter and I don't have conditions to protect them.

How much rain do you get? Here in Los Angeles we get around 12" per year. A few years back we got around 20" of rain. None of my orchids had a problem with the rain despite the fact that nearly all of them are from areas with dry winters.

Many years ago I did lose a few random Cattleyas during the winter. They were mounted... but with moss. Since then I haven't mounted my more succulent orchids with any moss.

Here's a photo I took three years ago of some Cattleyas blooming on my tree...


Cattleya Portia coerulea by Epiphyte, on Flickr

This last January I created a thread on the topic of winter rain. You can see a pic of my anceps blooming in the rain. I shared a short video and some more info in a blog entry.

Last year I shared this other blog entry with you... Creating The Perfect Orchid For Southern California. Laelia anceps isn't the perfect orchid for Mediterranean climates because it doesn't usually grow during our raining season. There are some cooler growing orchids in the Cattleya alliance that will grow during our raining season. But generally these aren't as drought tolerant as anceps. So the goal is to combine the best of both worlds.

[rbarata]

How much rain do you get? Here in Los Angeles we get around 12" per year.

Last year was 19,4". It rains this qty in a few months, the cool ones.
The raining season was something that I haven't noticed in my investigations to buy the anceps.

[rbarata]

Something I haven't noticed yet... a second new growth.
The roots, are they supposed to grow at the base of new growths or do they grow near the medium?

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They come from the bases of new growths. It will happen.

[rbarata]

I was wondering maybe focusing on the newgrowth base isn't the best choice.

Thanks, ES.

[estación seca]

Your plant is happy - it's making multiple new growths at the same time.