Just bought a new Catt
 

Couldn't resist this one and I was almost coming home with two but as this one was the first to be seen and cost less than 8 € ...
It has four sheaths which I don't expect them to bloom because the plant was in a gh with cool temps, cold drafts and high HR.
Some canes are bifoliate while others are not.

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It seems to be healthy, but I have a few concerns.

It has what seems to be mechanical damages but the spots are what I have doubts about. I know nothing about diseases so I need some guidance... if you think useful to see new photos please ask me... I don't know...what do you think by its looks?

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psi3qjel2j.jpg
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And there's also this unopened leaf which has the looks that it won't open.
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psymzzbyb5.jpg

I'm planning to let it adapt to my environment for a month but tomorrow I will spray it with imidacloprid just in case...
About the repot, now the temps are starting to get higher it must be almost starting to grow new roots. When it happens I will repot it in a wood basket.

Nice find! :clap: Love the color.

Very nice find! Does it have a name?

The spots look like places it got bumped or scraped. The leaf reflects too little water, humidity or temperature.

Very nice!

Thank you, my friends
Today sprayed it with Imidacloprid. I don't have a southern window to isolate it so I've put it near some of the other orchids (by near I mean more than a meter apart (3.3 ft).

The leaf is not young enough for this to be caused by the temps where I bought it so it could be from transportation. Do you think it will open? I don't think so...:roll:

Another question... is this a bifoliate or unifoliate catt? It has both...:scratchhead:

Like many hybrids it has some ancestors with bifoliate growth and some monofoliate, and these are often inconsistent in leaf numbers. In this case it is probably a Cattlianthe type hybrid with significant ancestry from Gurianthe (C.) aurantiaca accounting for the largely bifoliate habit, but likely has both monofoliate and bifoliate true Cattleyas in the family tree as well.

In fact the flower resembles this species.
From what I've read it has a winter rest without significant growing and little water in our northen hemsiphere coldest months (watering once every 2 to 4 weeks). During spring and summer, watering should be heavy, with good drainage allowing the plant to get dry between waterings.

It is cold to warm growing which fits nicely ina standard home environment.

One thing I've noticed is that light should be moderate to bright which means it doesn't need as much light as a cattleya.
In your oppinion, should I cultivate it as a Catt or should I reduce light intensity?

I saw Guarianthe / Cattleya aurantiaca in Oaxaca, Mexico one November flowering in the dense shade of a forest of evergreen trees. It was growing on a limestone rock if about the size of a 2-person table, which was on the ground. The top of the rock was covered with dead leaves, which served as mulch for the plant.

I have a was-C. Chocolate Drop 'Kodama' that has survived almost full sun since midsummer. I would give this regular Cattleya care in all respects.

There are mixed culture advise in different sites.
I think to treat it as a Catt and keep monitoring it is a good way. Now spring is comming and I should see some activity starting.

Update on this one...
New buds are comming out of the sheaths. Not my credit but anyway...it indicates the plant is happy, I think.:)

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psziowrbhj.jpg
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Sweet! Love the color too. It's like Mangoes pineapple, or other tropical fruit.

I like it too.:)
When I bought it there were several plants like this one but in red. Also really pretty but I've found this color more unusual.

very pretty! with my experience, anything that looks like a cattleya gets treated like a cattleya. the potinaras and other small ones get shadowed under the larger ones...I think yours looks like it has been too sheltered and not had enough light for the amount of growing it wanted to do...which makes it sort of longer weaker growths....if you can decipher that, lol....one thing I would do, is pull all the old bract paper (cant recall the name for that stuff at the moment) off the stems and rhizomes....anything could hide out there, bugs you probably killed, but disease likes to hide there too...I piddle with them a lot, and I would pull that leaf open very gently...just pop the seal, and it will grow open eventually...doesn't everyone sit and cuddle their plants?

---------- Post added at 08:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:01 PM ----------

oh I forgot....those little sheaths are normal as the plant grows, but they are not going to produce...the young baby plants will put out sheaths on every growth sometimes, but you don't get a bloom for about 4-5 years old....so it is normal to see those small sheaths.

I had to put it near some of my orchids 'cause I don't have any other place with the correct environment.
Sprayed it with imidacloprid to prevent mites and other pests. Probably not as good as a quarantine but the plant seems healthy, at least visually.

The closed leaf... I opened it already, was "glued" by something I couldn't identify. It opened a little since then but I'm not sure if it will open more than that. It has a dry sheath inside.

I like the color of it, very nice.

Update on this one...

5 new buds opening
Especially in the right side flower there are some marks in the petals. They are not fully open so I don't know if they'll disappear but, in case they don't, if anyone knows what this can be it will be greatly appreciated.

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6obdplry.jpg

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...pstocohjus.jpg

This bud is twisted 360 deg inside the sheath. I was thinking about cutting the sheath to freed it but decided to give it an opportunity to grow longer. Maybe it will get out completely and go to its natural position towards the light.

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psq6zqrg7h.jpg

Last but not least... new roots:)

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0tzdto9k.jpg

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psra4hjtml.jpg

Should I repot it now?

Although it has new flowers I think now is the time.
They grow on trees or rocks so medium (the pot is small) coarse bark plus leka is what I think to be the way to go.
I'll use a 5,3 in (13,5 cm) plastic pot (currently is in a 4,3 in / 4,3 in). Maybe it's too large but this time I'll drill holes on the side.

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I would wait until the flowers fall. It won't be that much longer. The roots will still be a reasonable length to handle.

I agree, I never re-pot when there in bloom. Sadly Catt blooms don't last as long as phal blooms.

Well, the new blooms have only one week and the roots are growing fast.

I bet your wife wants to spank you all the time for not listening.

I'm single!;)

Well... not quite. My girlfriend is my next door neighbour but we agreed on living each one in its place.