Lc Acker's Madison x Lc Acker's Spotlight

[kmccormic]

Hi Guys!

Is this behavior is typical for this cross? When the top leaves of a new shoot become longer, they flop downward limply with some purple coloring at the base and I wonder if I broke them during watering or something; the rest of the growth seems fine and stiffly upright. I usually stick a bamboo stick under the leaves, trying to "save" them for any flower growths and monitor the rest of the stalk. Later the leaves seem to stiffen up and flatten out and may widen a bit. Yet there's a purple streak at the base of the leaf. I still get a bloom or two each year in the fall, just not on every new growth that came up. It's sending up plenty of new growths each year, and loves growing new roots year round. I repotted it last year. I don't have a picture of the flopping behavior, all of them seem to have stiffened up atm, naturally just as I was thinking to take a photo. I do have some photos of the new leaves this year which I'll post up shortly.

[kmccormic]

Photos of newer growths with some purple at the base of leaves. I've got a bloom coming if nothing interferes with it!

The second to last pic is one of the original growths on the plant from when I bought it. That growth has much wider flat leaves and no purple at the base. Maybe someday I'll be able to replicate that!

[Leafmite]

I do not have the answers to your questions but I would love to see pictures of the blooms of this one. I have Lc. Acker's Spotlight 'Pink Lady' and I have seen pictures of Lc Acker's Madison...now I am curious to see how a cross of these two look.

[estación seca]

I haven't grown this plant but it looks to me like it's not getting enough light. Every new growth on a mature Cattleya should flower, and the commonest cause when they don't is too little light.

[kmccormic]

Hi estación seca:

It's a good point. They're outside, 1 shelf below the top shelf. Here in Texas the sun is a fierce force, they're all screened by a 30% shade cloth, eastern sun. I did the best I could with a jury-rigged pvc pipe frame for the shadecloth but I just couldn't get it tall enough to be full shade for the top shelf. I've been reluctant to put it on the highest shelf because that one gets direct sun for a few hours a day, even vandas burned there. I'm happy getting a few flowers even if it's not all the new growths. At least the plant isn't getting stressed too hard pushing blooms!

Do you think it could be lack of light causing the initial leaf droop/flop pattern? I might HAVE to put it on the top shelf in that case, for the plant's health.

[SouthPark]

Maybe also consider if the plant is getting enough water into it at certain times. It looks like it has recovered - which is great. Getting enough water doesn't always mean too little water applied. It can also mean an issue with roots ... such as too much water on roots for too long. But hard to say what is happening right now.

[estación seca]

I don't know for sure. It just looks to me like not enough light, but somebody more familiar with this hybrid would have a better idea.

It might also be not enough water, like SP mentioned. That can cause floppiness in new leads.

I would try to figure out how to put shade cloth over the top shelf.

[kmccormic]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Maybe also consider if the plant is getting enough water into it at certain times. It looks like it has recovered - which is great. Getting enough water doesn't always mean too liitle water applied. It can also mean an issue with roots ... such as too much water on roots for too long. But hard to say what is happening right now.

Hi SouthPark:
It's a good thought. It's got a clear pot; the roots look good. They're white and plump, when they're not green, all through the medium and in the bottom. This summer I was especially careful to ensure it got extra water when temps were high. I'd put a humidity tray in too that was also replenished several times a week.

[SouthPark]

Kara - maybe also check temperature and/or air movement too in the growing area.

If this is the only orchid that does the leaf flopping behaviour, while the other catts nearby to it (if any) don't show that behaviour, then this will be a nice exercise in figuring out the cause of that behaviour.

There was a time when this orchid didn't have such behaviour, right? If this orchid has always had the same behaviour, then probably can't rule out genetics.

[kmccormic]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Kara - maybe also check temperature and/or air movement too in the growing area.

If this is the only orchid that does the leaf flopping behaviour, while the other catts nearby to it (if any) don't show that behaviour, then this will be a nice exercise in figuring out the cause of that behaviour.

There was a time when this orchid didn't have such behaviour, right? If this orchid has always had the same behaviour, then probably can't rule out genetics.

Thanks Southpark!

It's the only Catt I have right now, it's been a few years since my last one, I don't recall the others doing this though. I think it's done it every year I've owned it (2-3) but memory is a hazy thing I'd thought if it was a reaction to coming home with me that time would fix it, then if it was a media thing that my repotting last year would have fixed that. OMG was there a root explosion. And like I said, this year with me being home I could monitor it's water needs a lot more. It gets tons of air flow. Maybe I'll keep it indoors after the winter to see if more stable temperature instead of seasonal swings will make a difference. And maybe the next round of growths I won't prop up and see if they just firm up anyway without stabilizing.

With genetics you may be right. I was hoping that with so many on the board growing Catts they might be aware if there was a genetic thing that might cause this behavior.