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Wild Cattleya guttata

Discussion in 'Orchid Culture' started by Octavio Salles, May 29, 2015.

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  1. May 29, 2015 #1
    Octavio Salles

    Octavio Salles Member

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    Yesterday walking in a restinga (sea side, sandy ground forest) I found several Cattleya guttata flowering on the trees. The smell there was fantastic! Anyway, I also found this small plant on the ground, in very poor conditions, so I decided to bring it home and take care of it. It was laying on the ground, probably subject to eventual salt water flooding from high tides! It has lost most of its leaves, and the ones that remain are in poor condition. The same for some of the roots.

    What should I do? Should I carefully try to remove the roots and plant it in a plastic pot or should I keep it in this branch? The branch broke exactly where the orchid is, so there's not much room for growth I think. The tallest bulb there is only around 4 inches.

    [​IMG]
     
  2. May 29, 2015 #2
    Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    I would wait until it starts to show root growth and then move it.
     
  3. May 29, 2015 #3
    Octavio Salles

    Octavio Salles Member

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    Thanks, but then would you remove the roots and plant it in a pot?
     
  4. May 29, 2015 #4
    Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    How do you grow other cattleyas?
     
  5. May 29, 2015 #5
    Octavio Salles

    Octavio Salles Member

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    Plastic pots with bark/sphag mix, they seem to do well. The reason I ask is because I'm afraid I could damage the roots if trying to pull them off this branch.
     
  6. May 30, 2015 #6
    Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    You will damage the roots, but new ones will grow. Once you see new roots just starting to emerge from a growth (probably the next new one), you can remove it from the branch and pot it up just as you do your others. You want to do it while the roots are still very short so they don't get damaged and have a chance to go into fresh, new bark. You probably already know to stabilize the plant so it doesn't wobble around causing bruising or damage to the new root tips. That's my thinking, others may have a different opinion.
     
  7. May 30, 2015 #7
    Octavio Salles

    Octavio Salles Member

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    Thank you Marni!
     
  8. May 30, 2015 #8
    carl

    carl Active Member

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    Once new roots start, you might just whack the branch off near the plant, leaving a short section of branch with roots attached, and put that in a pot with your usual medium.
     
  9. May 30, 2015 #9
    Octavio Salles

    Octavio Salles Member

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    Yep, that's my plan Carl, thank you!
     
  10. Jul 20, 2016 #10
    LouL

    LouL New Member

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    Bifoliate Cattleya's tend to form roots after the newest growth has matured, or after flowering. I wouldn't disturb the roots until you have roots forming, as you are apt to loose the plant. Good luck, I hope it survives and gives you years of blooms!