Hello new member and Mediocalcar/Cattleya Questions/Problems

[thediaTOMaceouscity]

Good Afternoon,

Hello my name is Tom and I'm an Orchid Addict:

(all of you say "Hi Toooommm")

I've been watching posts here and there for a while. I am a Wildlife Biology student at Framingham State University in Framingham, MA and have recently taken and done stunningly in my Vascular Plant Taxonomy class, which is how I have come to be an Orchid Addict. I started with a Phal, and now have a Cattleya (one Hawaiian Passion Carmela seedling) which isn't doing so hot, a well established blc lemonade Sunshine, an unknown dendrobium (that was donated to me by my plant tax professor it hasn't flowered yet but it has new growth, an Epidendrum nocturnum, a Mtssa Shelob "Tolkien" and last but not least today I just received my Mediocalcar decoratum in the mail from Seattle Orchids and I have a few questions.

1. It looks like the roots of these are darker than any other orchid I've previously seen: does that seem accurate?
2. Should I secure this in it's pot? It seems that it made it through the mail okay, but it's a little wobbly I know some orchids like the Catts need to be secure to feel like they can throw down new roots.

And my question on the Cattleya (Hawaiian Passion Seedling) is this:

1. The roots have not grown any since I've had it, maybe a month or two and they've gone pasty/yellow white, the leaves are wrinkled and but still green, It's in the properly required sun spot, how to I cure this problem or is it done for?

Any help would be appreciated. And thank you for your time!

Tom

[SlipperGirl]

Hi Toooommm! and welcome

as for your catt post some pics of it so we can better help you but it could be under watered but I need to see the roots of it to know. I dont know much about catts but if they are like phals thay may take a time where they dont grow much, but that is a phal like i said I dont know much about catts. So post some pics of the plant so we can see what is going on.

[thediaTOMaceouscity]

Okay here we go PICTURES:
The first two are my Catt root problem.

[thediaTOMaceouscity]

I've posted the pics if anyone could tell me what they think about saving this hawaiian passion carmela I would appreciate it.

Thanks,

Tom

[SlipperGirl]

I don't know for sure but I still think it my be under watered, do you have any pest. other then that I dont know

[thediaTOMaceouscity]

I don't have any bug/pest problems. Underwatered eh...I have been trying not to be smothering with new plants. Do you think that it could recover? Maybe a sugar water dip and a high humidity environment? I hate to lose it but I understand I'm going to be killing my fair share of orchids from here on out. I don't think it was doing so hot to begin with when I received it. It came from New Waverly TX.

[SlipperGirl]

If it is under watered I would say yes you can save it. Maybe you should take it out of its pot and look at its roots. If your roots are dry and shriveled if so then I would say it is under watered if not then I don't know what it wrong. Sorry I can't see the pictures that well or I could probably tell if it was under watered.

[Stray59]

Hi Toooooooom!
Welcome to the Orchid Board. I think you will find this to be a really friendly and helpful site!
After looking at you pics, I think you need to increase both the humidity and the light. I recently purchased a very neglected Blc. hybrid; it had fallen off the shelf and had not been watered for several weeks. The roots were all dried out and the leaves were deeply wrinkled. I bought it (cheap), sat it on a bed of damp coco chunks, misted it heavily for about three weeks and root tips started to emerge. I put it under my brightest lights, bare root. I potted it up yesterday with very healthy roots and the leaves have filled back out.
I think such a treatment might help yours. If you don't want to try the bare root method, then I would trim off all the dead roots, repot it in a somewhat course medium, and mist it heavily for a few weeks; place it somewhere bright, but not enough to burn it. The good light and high humidity with moisture on the growth tip will "draw" the roots out. As there are no roots taking up water, don't allow the medium to stay damp or the root stem will rot. That is why I just mist mine until the roots appear. I use the bare root method because it allows me to monitor exactly what is happening in the root section.
What is the potting medium you use? I really can't see much from the pics, but it appears your medium may be a little heavy on the sphagnum moss. This can induce root rot and then the leaves start to wrinkle and go limp.
You might think about hitting it with some fungicide to avoid infection and further health issues.
Best of luck with the Cat.
Enjoy your time on the Board!
Steve

[Bloomin_Aussie]

Wouldn't worry too much about the Mediocalcar. They ramble and throw their little wire-like roots everywhere. They like to stay constantly damp though. Lots of water and air. I keep mine in net pots of bark sitting in saucers of water.

[SlipperGirl]

Hi

ok so I took a look at the pictures again and noticed it was black up at the top of the roots. Do you know what that is.

If it is under watered agian take a look at the roots its a little hard to tell from the picture but if it is under watered I would do what stray59 said.

But take a look at that black stuff.