cornu cervi chattaladae 4N refusing to bloom - Orchid Board

Manu · #1 09-28-2017, 02:43 PM

Hello,

I've been growing this CC for close to 1 year now. I got it as a blooming size plant. It kinda stalled for a few months but has been growing steadily since February 17. The plant is clearly healthy, many nice roots and leaves. Everything I grow has bloomed at least once since that time, but this guy refuses to bloom! It's growing leaves and roots non-stop, it hasn't dropped a single leaf since I have it.

I've read they need higher light, which it is getting. I also read that it likes a dry spell in the winter? I have a really hard time with keeping my orchids dry, hence why almost everything I grow is mounted... My amabilis which is another Phal that needs a bit more light then the others is in spike now while getting less light then the CC.

Everyone here seems to be getting these plants to bloom... What am I doing wrong?

jcec1 · #2 09-28-2017, 03:01 PM

Can't help you with your non bloomer - but got to say that's a really nice display.

camille1585 · #3 09-28-2017, 04:12 PM

I don't have this orchid, but do have a few Phals with high light requirements.

What sort of light is higher light? Orchidwiz says 1200-1500fc, but that they reportedly produce more blooms when light is high enough to turn leaves yellowish. In habitat, winter is the brightest season (1500-1800fc). They also add that winter is the driest season, with most water coming from dew, and humidity is around 60%, so they advise restricted watering: occasional early morning mistings between infrequent light waterings. Does not say if this is required for blooming. It also says that this plant should be in near continuous bloom!

I'm in the Netherlands, so at a latitude similar to southern Canada. Nearly all my Phals live on shelving in front of a south facing window, and are in full sun from mid-late morning to late afternoon. In the summer the sun is so high that there is little direct sun at the hottest hours of the day.

jkofferdahl · #4 09-28-2017, 05:17 PM

Cornu-cervi is a prolific plant when it's happy. Now, there is always the possibility that yours is simply a dud, but let's presume that's not the case. Judging by your photos I would say that the leaves are on the darker green side, and with cornu-cervi that's a clear indication that the light level is still a bit low. This species certainly likes a higher level than most Phals, though mine have produced well with less light. Your roots look healthy so I doubt there's a watering problem. Finally, cornu-cervi can get to a really, really slow, near-dormant, phase in the winter, more so than any other Phal I've experienced (which is most of them). However, I've never reduced watering in the winter and that's not been a problem - in about 40 years with the species.

I'm guessing that a bit more light could trigger the plant - and don't worry if the leaves get more pale due to the light, only worry if they begin to redden.

Manu · #5 09-28-2017, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camille1585

What sort of light is higher light?

It used to get about 1500 FC, but I recently relocated to provide more light. It''s now getting about 2000 FC. Unfortunately, I've been told light meters can't be relied on whem using LED lights..

It's right next to my P amabilis but a few inches closer to the lights.. I think amabilis and cc have similar light requierements? My amabilis is currently pushing out a fat spike, sure looks happy!

Manu · #6 09-28-2017, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

Judging by your photos I would say that the leaves are on the darker green side

I think the color balance of my photo is not great due to the artificial lighting and also because it has a lot of black pigmentation which seems to alter the color around. In real life they look pale green to my eye. I've seen other cc in bloom grown in a local greenhouses and mine is definitely paler then theirs... Maybe mine is a dud!

I tried to take another photo to show the leaf color...

On a side note, I was wondering if the light levels have any impact on the black pigmentation. I've been told the more it's pigmented, the darker the flowers will be, but have a feeling that's more of a reaction to light levels?

jkofferdahl · #7 09-28-2017, 10:23 PM

In that picture, the color looks more like mine (I have about a dozen cornus). It's possible that the light level, then, is OK. Give the plant a year, and if it doesn't bloom within that time then you may have a dud, yes, though I really doubt it.

As an aside, in my experience cornu-cervi can tolerate more light than can amabilis.

Manu · #8 09-28-2017, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

In that picture, the color looks more like mine (I have about a dozen cornus). It's possible that the light level, then, is OK. Give the plant a year, and if it doesn't bloom within that time then you may have a dud, yes, though I really doubt it.

As an aside, in my experience cornu-cervi can tolerate more light than can amabilis.

4 shilleriana, 12 cornu cervi... You have a greenhouse or you do this at home? I so don't have the space for duplicates lol

It used to get the same light level as my amabilis variegated, but I recently decided to give it much more light as anyway I don't think I could burn this plant under lights...

So let me ask you, the blooming season is irregular for you or always around the same period? Does it benefit from cold nights? Dry spell in winter? Anything special you do to initiate blooming?

Since mine is mounted, it dries quickly and gets daily waterings with very low but constant fertilizing...which is the same treatment everyone gets except a few exceptions such as my few (2) Dracula's.

estación seca · #9 09-29-2017, 04:17 AM

If it's a 4N... was it treated with colchicine, or is it a cross between two 4N parents? Colchicine can produce all sorts of undesirable mutations, including making plants sterile.

That said, you can get some amazing things with colchicine, so I would hang onto it until it's a lot bigger before getting rid of it. I don't know how big this plant needs to be before it blooms.

Manu · #10 09-29-2017, 06:31 AM

I'm not aware if it was treated or not, but it comes from a reputable breeder and friend that produces great plants... I'll ask him. I just read an article on this, I'm not sure how I feel about it!

It's definitely way bigger then needed to bloom. I've seen plants a quarter of that size with flowers..