Cat.sheaths
 

Hi all, I have been growing orchids for a few years but never have had any Cats. so this is a new problem for me. I ordered these from a grower by mail they arrived with the sheaths but nothing ever happened with them. Do they 'fill up' after awhile? How long do I wait? If they dont do I just clip them off or wait until they dry up or does it make any difference? Thanks for the help....Jean

Don't cut the sheaths off. The sheaths form when the psuedobulb grows. When the plant is finally ready to bloom, the buds will form inside the sheath. This could be months after the psuedobulb and the sheaths first appeared. Buds could form in one sheath and the orchids bloom and then weeks later buds could form in another sheath. So don't cut them off even after there have been blooms. Buds will not form in all psuedobulbs with sheaths and buds can also form on psuedobulbs that have no sheaths. So the short answer is no, don't cut them off.

Thank you Tucker. Glad I asked before I did something stupid....Jean

Often sheaths will dry up. Don't cut these off either, as they can also bloom from dried sheaths.

Tucker, I know you have a lot of experience with the flowering habits of cattleyas so I have a question for you. This year, after my Lc. Egeria Coerulea bloomed, the expired sheaths remained succulent and green for many weeks after the blooms had faded and dropped. They looked so healthy that they kept fooling me as being new sheaths. Is it possible that these expired sheaths could have spiked again? I'd never heard of this happening so I wound up removing them for fear that they'd capture and retain water and eventually develop rot. the sheaths were still fresh looking when I finally made the decision to cut, and the spike was still green and juicy. They looked so healthy that afterwards I wondered if I'd made a mistake.

you can get crosseyed watching and waiting for a sheath to bloom.

but dont cut em off..I have a few that have been growing broken off and the green bud is still down in there. Catts dont bloom and grow at the same time..If you have sheaths and new growths, the sheaths will sit until the new growth is done. Then it might bloom if you,
....put your right foot out;You put your right foot in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Pokey,And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

I have 1 plant with 5 sheaths and 3 more new growths all with sheaths, I wish it would stop growing and bloom for me from just one of them sheaths. I still watchin.


I have cut them off to see whats inside too :roll:

RJ, these were sheaths that had already spiked and bloomed. After blooming the expired spikes and sheaths had no desire to die back. Instead, they stayed green and succulent. This is the first time I'd seen this happen. I've never heard of cattleyas re-spiking from the same spot, but I wonder if does happen in rare instances.

I never remove a sheath, green or brown, I have a catt. that blooms right through the old brown sheaths everytime.

Junebug, Cattleyas never bloom a second time from the same psuedobulb. Sometimes they do stay green for a while after blooming but, as far as I know, they serve no purpose after that. If it's during the rainy season I cut them off just as you did.

I don't either if they haven't bloomed. The sheaths on this particular cattleya had already spiked and bloomed. Afterwards the sheaths and spent spikes stayed green, plump, and juicy for several weeks. That's what made me wonder.