catasetum with sticky leaves - Orchid Board

Oranagra · #1 07-18-2018, 03:12 PM

Hi everyone.
my very first catasetum developed sticky leaves over the past week. especially on the underside. and also they don't looks so good.
I can't spot any scale insects, but I did find a few bugs hiding between the leaves, although I don't think that's their job.

Roberta · #2 07-18-2018, 05:03 PM

I would suspect spider mites (which loooovvve Catasetum-type leaves) Spray with rubbing alcohol and them soapy water (dish soap). And repeat at intervals of a few days. If you spray with anything stronger, read the label to make sure that the product works with mites (which are not insects, but arachnids)

Oranagra · #3 07-19-2018, 02:49 AM

Thanks.
I can't spot anything with a microscope, and also i'm not sure if spider mites leave sticky residue?
i sprayed the leaves and crevasses with 70% rubbing alcohol, i hope it'll take care of whatever's causing it, and won't harm the plant too much.
Interestingly, i have a Lycaste sitting right next to it, and it seems unaffected, although their leaves looks very similarly to me (but i'm not a spider mite).

camille1585 · #4 07-19-2018, 03:23 AM

It does look like you have spider mites, and I think the sticky residue is unrelated. My 2 plants both have sticky drops on the leaves, but I think it's happy sap rather than a problem.

If you did have spider mites I'm not too surprised that the Lycaste next to it is fine, Catasetinae are famous for being mite magnets...

orchidsarefun · #5 07-19-2018, 07:58 PM

On another note - granadillas are my favourite fruit !

Oranagra · #6 08-15-2018, 02:24 AM

Hi.
the spider mites infestation is hopefully in control now.
used a few treatments of alcohol with dish soap, and then one treatment with paraffin oil and dish soap.

but now it looks like one of the bulbs is either rotting, or drastically shrieked.
you can clearly see how that bulb looked like a few weeks ago in the photo at the top.
should i cut it? or wait?

p.s. does anyone know if the leaves were supposed to grow larger, or is this a good size?

estación seca · #7 08-15-2018, 02:35 AM

Old pseudobulbs don't last many seasons. I would leave it alone for now. It will dry up. When you repot before next growing season you can cut it off.

Roberta · #8 08-15-2018, 11:08 AM

The leaves are still growing. The new pseudobulb is still young - eventually it will get to the shape of the old ones, leaves will stay in proportion. Ideally the pseudobulb is bigger each year, but it may not get there... still some distance to go in the growing season, though.

Oranagra · #9 08-15-2018, 11:42 AM

thanks.. initially the leaves grow very fast, and got to this size within a few weeks. but then they stopped growing, and I think they're in the same size for the last two months.

hope you're right about the cane, I was worried that it might be rotted and will infect the rest of the plant.

this is the first season for it in my care, and my first catasetum.

Roberta · #10 08-15-2018, 12:26 PM

If that one pseudobulb is mushy, you could use a razor blade and cut it off at the surface of the medium and dust with cinnamon - let it dry out. However, usually, there is no spread, the pseudobulb just shrivels and dries out. But don't do anything that involves disturbing the plant in the pot, you would damage roots if you tried to unpot it. The firmer yellow pseudobulb is no problem - they do that anyway.