Cattleya heat or insect damage

[whitepine84]

Good morning,

I have a cattleya that I've owned for over a year now. It's been in the same location for most of that time and has done really well - it's added a new bulb, lots of leaves, and it flowered last spring. A few weeks ago I noticed some strange bumps on the leaves of part of the plant. It's not scale as far as I can tell because I can't scrape them off with my fingernail. Now, I've noticed two of the leaves on top are turning darker and getting wrinkly. Another consideration is that yesterday the heater ran all day in my classroom and it was super hot - Another BLC looks pretty beat up and shriveled, and a Potinara looks like it was damaged as well. What do you think the problem is, insects or heat?

Shared album - Zachary Johnson - Google Photos
Shared album - Zachary Johnson - Google Photos

[rbarata]

Heat, I think.

[camille1585]

Welcome to Orchidboard!

I was a bit pullzed at first when I saw the photos, that's not a Cattleya, but a Dendrobium of some sort. I can't make out the bumbs very well since it's hard to tell what might be a bumb or simple a water drop, so whatever they are, I don't think it's serious as the plant otherwise looks great.

As to the wrinkly leaves, I'm not sure. How hot was hot? Hot and dry (often that combination indoors with heating) could have done that.

One other thing, I'll assume the plant was wet from watering. It's usually good practice to avoid wetting the plant itself when watering, as it can invite all sort of diseases to take hold, particularily indoors where air circulation is poor. It's better to just wet the media.

[whitepine84]

Thanks for the quick responses! Yes, I wrote down the wrong species, it's a Dendrobium Love Memory "Fizz" according to the person I got it from. The tag fell off so I went off my less accurate memory

The room was really hot, probably in the 80's and this plant was near the vent. I'm glad to hear that this isn't some pest I'm unaware of - I am constantly battling scale, aphids, and spider mites in my classroom. That's why the plant was wet - I gave it a spritz of neem oil since I'm fighting off scale in a nearby plant. Thanks again! I'll keep it further away from the vent.

[isurus79]

Temperatures in the 80's are not considered hot for this Dendrobium, so its not possible for heat damage to have occurred.

The photos are pretty fuzzy, but the second photo looks like scale next to some pits in the leaves. Try rubbing the bumps harder to see if they pop off. I've had very tough scale before!

[rbarata]

that's not a Cattleya, but a Dendrobium of some sort.

Need to change my phone...the screen it's too small...or should I buy glasses?

[Roberta]

The temperature near the vent may have been a lot higher than the room temperature - so if the room was 80 deg F, those plants may have receive heat on the leaf surfaces 10-15 deg. F above that. If the leaves are warm to the touch, you have your answer.

[Nexogen]

You can not believe it, but your plant has scale.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Rather than neem, you would be better served treating for scale using a systemic insecticide, such as one of the widely-available Bayer Advanced products which contain imidacloprid. Treat 4 times at weekly intervals.

Much more effective.