My Cattleya Plants are dying.

[savyk]

Please help I don't know what is going wrong with my Cattleya plants. I have some pics if anyone could please help. I live in Florida zone 9. Thank you for any and all help. I should mention we have had so much rain I the past 2 months..

[sweetjblue]

From the looks of your pics the plant has been receiving too much sun.

Just my


Judi

[dendro king]

Looks like the bottom of the pseudo bulbs are rotting, from all the rain. But also the first leaf looks like possible burn.

[savyk]

Thank you for your responses I feel the rain was a problem but also to much sun as well.

[euplusia]

Looks like rot by Phytophthora to me. Constant wet conditions and higher temperatures are ideal for this fungus, which prefers to infect the basis of older Cattleyas.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Better pictures and some more diagnostic information may help to assess the problem. Is it just these 2 affected plants, or are more affected?

I would take both plants out of the pot, remove medium from the roots, and inspect the roots. Are the roots nice, solid and firm? Or dark/mushy?

Also, check the rhizome between pseudobulbs while the plant is out of the pot. I can't see the rhizome clearly in your photos. It should be a nice green, not brown or black. If the rhizome is brown or black (rot), but there are green healthy-looking sections still present, try cutting through the rhizome ahead of the rot. Cut only with a flame-sterilized & cooled tool (shears), or one soaked in straight bleach and rinsed. Look at the cut you made. Notice any brown, black, or purple?

I do think it could be a systemic fungal infection based on what I can see. Phytophthora has been suggested, and that could be it: Black Rot of Orchids Caused by Phytophthora cactorum and Phytophthora palmivora in Florida

If your examination suggests a systemic fungal infection, you will need to cut off any pseudobulbs and rhizome that you suspect might be diseased (brown or black; purple in the rhizome would indicate fusarium infection). Treat anything that you want to try and save with a systemic fungicide. Skip the cinnamon, etc.; go for the big guns, or if you don't want to use those, just toss it.

[phraggy]

If when taken out of the pots you find bad roots don't despair. Cattleyas are very forgiving. If it's a root problem I would remove all dead roots, if this leaves no live roots then remove all compost from the rhizome and simply put the unpotted plant to one side and leave well alone. You will find after a month or so either new roots developing or the beginnings of a new growth. I've done this many times ( caused by neglect ) and the plants have all survived. You just need a lot of patience.
Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Ed