Cattleya keeps growing P-bulbs in place of flowers

[jocierk]

I got this one a while back with a bunch of other Catts. It sits on the same shelf of them, gets the same amount of water, fertilizer, light and same temps. All of them have flowered and are growing well…this one keeps growing new pbulbs from its leaves instead of flowers. Every time I think a sheath is going to develop into a bud…it turns into a bulb. What is going on here? Is this normal for Iwanagara Apple Blossom?

[Bud]

By looking at your pictures, its got moisture issues. The bulbs and the leaves are wrinkly. Try feeding it fertilizer every other week and then water it under the sink until it is soaking wet once a week.
Missouri is in USDA Zone 5....your plant needs warmth, Cattleya lighting and at least 50% humidity

[jocierk]

I water by soaking in tubs for 20 min every week. I also fertilize every week rotating MSU and seaweed and then one week per month I dont feed anything to wash the salts away. I keep humidity at 50% and they are sitting about 4 inches below a 4 bulb T5 fixture. The room is in the high 70s during the day and drops to the mid to high 60s at night.

Like I said it is surrounded by similar sized Catts that are all thriving. I know that it looks dry, but the fact that it keeps growing more pbulbs in the places that should be buds is what I am confused about. It is also growing new pbulbs from the rhizome so I think it looking dry is just because its growing so many new bulbs all over the place. If it wasn't growing anything out the tops of the leaves I would just think it needs more time, but I have never seen a catt grow like this.

[theloyalplum]

You might want to repot it into fresh media then if the others are doing well and this one is not. It may well have no good roots and a broken down media won't help much. :/ The plant must have gone through a serious stress to put out growth on an inflorescence meristem.

[silken]

It certainly does look like it has root problems. Have you checked recently? Even so, all those pseudobulbs seem strange but it could be a stress reaction. The other thing that comes to mind, are you giving it growth hormones such as SuperThrive, or maybe too much seaweed? It contains growth hormones as well and too many can cause unusual growth habits.

If the roots are great and no growth hormones, maybe it is a fluke but the wrinkled leaves and bulbs suggest stress of some sort.

[jocierk]

I repotted when I first got it about 6 months ago and the roots were fine, it already had pbulbs growing out of leaves at that time. It also already had thin less ridgid leaves. I will recheck its roots this weekend, I havent done it before now because its gets the same care as the others and thry are all great.

Also, just to clairify, its not just one set of leaves that is growing a new pbulb instead of a flower...it is all of them. Everything it grows turns into a new pbulb, whether from the rizome or from an existing set of leaves.

Sorry for typos...im on mobile and its being stupid.

[Leafmite]

That weird growth was actually normal for mine. Not every growth would get it but some did and I still had blooms. I think this had something to do with it being a complex hybrid as I never used hormones, pesticides or fungicides on mine.
The shriveled pseudobulbs are not normal, however.
The problem with Cattleyas are that they are a very diverse family and, as a result, some of them have different needs than others. Some like more water, some like less and some have roots that rot easily when smothered in medium. I grew this in red lava rock and a basket pot. I did not fertilize from September until February as it usually did not grow at that time. It always bloomed faithfully somewhere between late winter and early spring.

This is one that I gave away to make more space. I really miss this one as it was so lovely when it bloomed and the blooms smelled just like the blooms on my Jonathan apple tree. Good luck with yours!

[jocierk]

Thank you guys very much. Ill check out its roots this weekend and then do a better job of paying attention to its water needs and not just want water needs of the Catt shelf as a whole. Its is a bifoliate and most of the others are not so maybe that has something to do with it. I had just never seen a Catt do this so when it just kept doing it I was concerned. Thanks again and Ill keep you guys posted!

[RNCollins]

Originally Posted by jocierk

I keep humidity at 50% and they are sitting about 4 inches below a 4 bulb T5 fixture.

I think you may be keeping your orchids too close to the T5 lights. It may be getting too hot under the lights and it looks like it is drying out your orchid. Plus, there is a pinkish hue to the leaf.

I have 3 T5HO bulbs, and I had to raise my bulbs to over a foot away because my Catts were turning purple.

[jocierk]

I thought it might be a little close to the light too but again this is the only one having the problem. Some of the others are a little pink but they are nice and plump and growing like weeds. Ill move it to a different shelf with less light.