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yenika_z10

What to do with the orchid plant

I took this picture today. For the first time my orchid is full with flowers but iam concern with the yellowish and black dots that the leaves has. Also i dont know the name of the plant? Any suggestion? Thank you in advange ;)

Comments (39)

  • terrestrial_man
    9 years ago

    Your plant looks great. The pseudobulbs look fine. I would not worry about the plant. If you are thinking about a viral infection then look for black streaking and black leaf tips as a possible viral infection.
    As far as a name that would be impossible. I would think that is is at the least a Brasso-Laelia hybrid though the distinctive lips indicate another parent, besides cattleya, as well.

  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you terrestial_man 9 :)

  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I took a new picture and i found all this black spot on the leaves. What can i do?

  • aurorawa
    9 years ago

    Could that be sucking bug damage? If so, you could treat with spritzing with 1 part rubbing alcohol to 3 parts water. Or you can spot treat with pure rubbing alcohol and a q-tip.

  • greenthumb_5
    9 years ago

    It seems to be a Cattleya lueddemanniana. As for the dots, they are actually purple which is similar to our tan so it protects them from the sun. And the yellowish green color on the pseudobulbs tells me you have it in high light. So if it seems to be happy then keep it in the same spot but you can supply it with magnesium (espom salts) but over time you probably need to cut back the light a little. Your plant is healthy. If they were black, it's probably a fungus or bug issue if the dots are sunken a little.

  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you Aurora WA and Geernthumb.5
    The spot are flat with the leaves they are not sunken i dont see any bug during the day or nigth. Yes, the orchid is Getting a lot of sun now because the tree had to be trim. Will try the salt and see what happen, thanks a lot âºï¸Â

  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I took a new picture today ... As i can see no change on the black dots .... The orchid is facing the south, it gets a lot of sun .... I am thinking of making some type of protection like a umbrella type with the screen use for the roof of a regular greenhouse ... What do you think of this idea?

    This post was edited by yenika on Wed, Jan 28, 15 at 21:00

  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi all, this is what i did to my orchid to protect it from the sun. Do you think it cover too much the sun now?

    It has a couple yellow leaves and i was worry to lost it
    Any suggestion
    Thank you

  • Sheila
    9 years ago

    I agree with Greenthumbs, this appears to be a Cattleya lueddemanniana. I have one that is developing four sheaths. Each of the leaves on these particular psbs is heavily spotted with purple dots. I've been blooming this plant for four years and this is it's normal pattern. I like your shade cloth umbrella. Is this plant permanently mounted on the tree? It seems a shame to cover up the beautiful blooms.

    yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl thanked Sheila
  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Seik,

    thanks for you comment.

    This orchid is a division of a big one that is more than 40 years old :) . I had to make this umbrella because she was getting too much sun and was getting too yellow. I can not lose this one is very important for me. I had it for seven years now. Pseudobulbs looks too dry i think?

    It had 12 flowers that last only 1 week because the sun burn those, so this 2 flower now are holding for 2 weeks and they look good so far, i think that since the umbrella is protecting them they are not burning so fats, i will removed it once the tree grow back to enjoy the beauty of the orchid. ;)

    Yes, its permanently mounted on the tree, why? Is a bad idea?

  • Sheila
    9 years ago

    No, not a bad idea. You're fortunate to live in a climate where you can grow the orchids year round outdoors. I cannot!

    yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl thanked Sheila
  • shavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
    9 years ago

    It is a great idea for the orchid! It loves your attention. But it is not much for the humans as the screen is not as nice as the flowers. The ideal situation is if it can be moved to a good location for health of plant and viewing. But we can't let the plant come to harm.

    yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl thanked shavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The true is, that is the only tree i have in my house ...lol... The other is a tiny palm which get a lot of sun. Hopefully in a couplo months i be able too removed the umbrella. The tree was getting some white flies and the flies were killing the tree, so after some treatment the tree leaves dry completly and i had to cut them. I only left two big branches empty ... Did not notice the big mistake i did, hopefully by the hot summer will be full of leaves and new branches again ☺️

  • Cristina Stefan
    9 years ago

    Hi, well it`s happens sometimes even to my orchids but using Spectracide Immunox Fungus Plus Insect Control for Lawns Spray. Some of my orchids click here

    yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl thanked Cristina Stefan
  • Jane
    9 years ago

    Do you have a regular patio umbrella? The plant appears to be getting too much sun and maybe you need to water it more. Problem growing orchids on a tree is watering unless you hose it on a regular basis.

    I'm in Florida and use a patio umbrella in the spring to give mid day shade to my orchids. You don't say where you live?? Giving the zone would be helpful, but it does appear the plant is getting too much sun and maybe not enough water. The pseudobulbs appear wrinkled.


    yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl thanked Jane
  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jane,

    I am in Miami, Fl. Zone 10. I usually water my orchids once a week. But for the last two weeks i been doing a regular watering to this one, twice a day early in the mornig and early in the afternoon to give it time to be dry at night. It dry too quickly.

    Does the pseudobulds can improve ?

    Can i add any moss to the base of he tree to hold water close to de roots?


    Thanks

    Yeni

  • shavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
    9 years ago

    I add sphagnum moss to most mounted orchids. Either between the orchid and tree or orchid and cork etc. Place the moss slightly above the roots.

  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    My orchid is doing so much better almost free of black spots on leaves. Lots of new pseudobulb

    Still under the umbrella because the tree has not grow enough branches to cover it from the strong sun in Miami


  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    My Cattleya lueddemanniana is doing so good. Has like 20 new pseudobulds. The pseudobulds are getting fat almost free of wrinkles


  • shavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
    8 years ago

    It looks very healthy. Is the screen still up?

  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Thanks shavedmonkey,

    Nope... I removed today... Finally

  • jane__ny
    8 years ago

    Wow, very impressed! Great job, you will have blooms all over the place this winter!!

    Jane


  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Thanks Jane, the true is that i had learn so much in this forum. My orchid is like this thanks to all the valuable comments i had read from here. Thank you all.

  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    And update of my Cattleya lueddemanniana it has grown so nicely it has 10 flowers and 15 Bubs to open that could be singles flowers or doubles. Has lots of new small pseudobulbs too.

  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    It has grow a lot in a year

  • jane__ny
    8 years ago

    So beautiful. Looks like the plant doubled in size in one year.

    Great growing!

    Jane

    yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl thanked jane__ny
  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Yes, and smell so good in the morning too :)


  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Ok... I'm back ... my cattleya has some weird marks its been very hot and humid here. Also i have used superthrive, maxicrop, 20-20-20 and super bloom. I know if the use of these products can affect the flowers and plant, so i want to know what you people think of the flowers? Is in bloom now an I don't remember that it bloom at this time of the year in Miami. Some flowers are not opening right. Those pictures are from today. Thanks.


  • Ben(8b/9a north FL)
    7 years ago

    That was a beautiful plant, but it sure looks like it now has a case of " color break virus" . I have heard of superthrive doing weird to plants at times, I would give it another bloom cycle with only fertilizer and water as regimen and see if the virus shows up again, If it does please note that it is an incurable plant virus and it can spread to other orchids via sucking insects and or non sterilized cutting tools or infected meda... If it comes back and this was my plant, I would (very sadly) dispose of it... to protect my other plants, I have gone through with several orchids and it is heart breaking... so sorry....

  • shavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
    7 years ago

    Or you could have it tested for virus. If it is the virus that has tobacco in the name, throw it out. If it is the virus with cymbidium in the name you can keep it. This is according to John Odom. A commercial orchid grower world renown for their Cattleya. He was at our meeting last Thursday and that is what he said. I'd believe him. Perhaps they are over fertilized. You are using 3 different fertilizers. What is your frequency? The maxi-crop is benign. And helpful. It can be used every 2 weeks. Too much bloom booster changes the cell structure of the plants. Depending on the frequency it could be the problem...

  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    I'm going to tested for virus, also i have another division in another house far from me which doesn't get fertilizer the only think it gets is rain water and from sprinklers and last time it blooms was in January. This one it blooms on January, February, August and September so hopefully it has to do with all the stuff I gave to the plant. I will stop using anything to my plants.

    this picture is from late January 2016

  • shavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
    7 years ago

    What was the frequency and quantity for the 3 fertilizers?


  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Well I didn't used all at the same time I used 20-20-20 weekly three consecutive weeks and the 4 week I used super bloom. Quantity, i used one scoop that comes in the package per gallon. Superthrive well i know i have used more than i should i used like 1 teaspoon per gallon.... I know I should use 1drop per gallon. Maxicrop i used 1 scoop per gallon when I don't use the superthrive. I had used epson salt, and calcium every month.

    If the plant have a virus won't be all flowers have some change in color?

    Sorry, i know i should used measures and go from the label. I will from now on!!

  • shavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
    7 years ago

    I think more likely too much fertilizer than virus. Give it a month off...water only.

  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Yeah, i learn my lesson....this is a very important plant to my and i used clean and sterile instrument also my collection is not that big and I haven't found any orchid with virus, someone told me the same too it could be from hormones and fertilizer. I'm adding water only until I see it clean.

    Thank you so shavedmonkey I appreciate your comments.

  • dbarron
    7 years ago

    Less is often more in the plant world.

  • shavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
    7 years ago

    We are in similar climate zones so I would say restart fertilizer Mid to the end of March. Still be on the lookout for bugs if needed.

  • yenika_zone10 Miami, Fl
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Great, thanks for all the help and support.

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