Have no idea! - Orchid Board

thepurpleorange · #1 07-17-2011, 01:03 PM

Another of my orchids that I received from someone that I'm trying to rehabilitate. I've never seen this flower before now! I repotted it a few months ago and it grew a nice healthy psuedobulb and now it's bloomed (albeit one flower). It grew so many new roots in its new potting material, except it was unfortunate that I didn't know that you should remove the hard inner shell of the coconut (that stores the jelly) before potting. Apparently that has a lot of salts and will kill roots!!

But it managed to produce some good root growth anyway. The blackness on its leaves is as a result of sunburn! I'm taking much better care of it so maybe next year it will give me many more flowers!

can anyone help me identify this?

WhiteRabbit · #2 07-17-2011, 04:25 PM

what great color! to my inexpert eyes, it looks like a Catt alliance, but beyond that, I couldn't say

nice save!

thepurpleorange · #3 07-17-2011, 04:29 PM

thank you! yes the colour is a very deep purple, I love it!!
I forgot to mention that the flower is relatively small, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter.

Otis226 · #4 07-17-2011, 04:29 PM

Ditto! From the foilage I'd say Catt alliance
Tony

PaphMadMan · #5 07-17-2011, 04:59 PM

Definitely Cattleya alliance, and defnitely a hybrid. I think it will get more, larger and better formed flowers when the plant has had good consistent care for a while. There is usually no way to make a precise identification of an unknown hybrid even with a good representative flower. Keep up the rehab work.

thepurpleorange · #6 07-18-2011, 10:32 PM

thank you both for taking a look!!

paphmadman - I knew healthier plants produce more flowers but didn't really know they produce BIGGER ones too! how exciting!

I'm now wondering if I should remove this flower to allow it to save its energy for next time? It's only one flower, but it's sooooo pretty!! But, if I must....
What do you think?

Call_Me_Bob · #7 07-18-2011, 11:01 PM

i would leave the flower on. that is the reason for growing these plants in the beginning isnt it?

glengary54 · #8 07-19-2011, 12:39 AM

thepurpleorange - you are on the right track, but a few words of advice. The large black areas are indeed the product of sunburn but you also have a fungus issue, you need to start a regular program of spraying fungicide, especially during the rainy season. Also, in the last picture there is a plant to the left of the plant that we are talkng about that has black rot, you need to throw that plant away, if not at least move it away from the rest of your plant. Keep us posted on your progress.

thepurpleorange · #9 07-19-2011, 01:17 AM

oh wow, thanks for the heads up!!! That plant lost all its leaves a while back and I sorta just had it hanging around in case in grew roots but I will dispose of it asap.

I suspect that all my plants will need a dose of fungicide but I have been trying to limit my chemical use... I guess the time has come.

Thanks for taking a look at my pics!

orchidsamore · #10 07-20-2011, 07:10 AM

I do not see any fungal issues in the photos.

Burn and fungus look the same. If it is soft wet and growing it is fungus. If it is just ugly and dry ignore it. Fungus will die when temperatures get under 50 degrees and can also be ignored, although spores can live and reappear next season.

There is no product made that kills fungus. All the fungicides are meant to prevent the spread. If either of your black spots were growing fungus then a pair of scissors is the best cure by cutting the leaf off.

In a large commercial operation spraying to prevent the spread can be justified. But at the home level, the products sold to hobbyist are not effective and good products cost a fortune and are dangerous (Heritage $600 a pound). In a commercial setting fungused plants are destroyed immediately not tried to be rehabilitated.