Cattleya Blooms -- How long do they last?
 

Just curious...as I had my first Cattleya bloom (10 flowers) ---really nice. The blooms lasted about 2 weeks, but are beginning to wilt -- is that the norm for Cattleya blooms?

It depends on several factors. Some last longer than others due to genetics. The other major issue is culture. Poor culture can severely shorten the bloom life.

most of mine last about 4 weeks, but they're all different - had as short as 1 week during a heat spell
so - depends on the plant itself (species or the parent species), with environmental factors definitely effecting the longevity

I take mine out of the high light when they bloom, it seems to prolong the flowers.
Joann

In the fall and winter my cattleyas last 3 to 5 weeks. During the summer I would say 2 or 3 weeks. Some catts bloom on all their blooming psuedopods at once. Those plants make good specimen displays. Others have psuedopods that bloom sequentially, one after another, so that the plant can have flowers on it for 6 to 8 weeks.

Great -- thanks for the feedback. I got about 2.5 weeks out of mine , so i think everything is OK (It was pretty hot this past week where they were -- even with the fan).

On that note -- What do I do now? DO I cut the stems like a Phal? I need to do some searching round for what to do next --- any advice would be appreciated.

-Jared