Buds without sheath?

[elitebettas]

Hey Guys,
I have a very healthy cattleya, its leading growth had a sheath when i purchased it, the spike started to grow inside of it, stopped, then the lead shot out a new growth. The new growth is now the same size as the original lead not quite mature (but has a leaf span amazingly bigger than the previous one, but psuedobulb not quite mature), with a spike coming from the middle???! As mentioned when i purchased it, the lead growth at the time, had a sheath with NO buds/spike developing in it, this one appears to be starting with the spike and no sheath?

[kmarch]

I'm thinking you have a hybrid don't you, probably a pretty complex hybrid, right?

If so, this is actually perfectly normal behavior. While pretty much all Cattleya species have sheaths, other Cattleya-Alliance plants (like Brasavola, Laelia, and others) do not. When a plant that has a sheath is crossed with one that does not, the offspring can come out either with, without, or in your case, both ways.

So nothing to worry. Enjoy your budding orchid and if possible post some pics of your blooms when they open. Folks here LOVE seeing eachothers' orchid flowers.

Cheers

[elitebettas]

Here are pics so you guys can see what i was talking about. One plant, one new lead without a sheath but spiking into a flower bud, the other right next to it with a sheath and shadow of spike inside? Strange huh?

[elitebettas]

Also, no one be alarmed by the somewhat shriveled pseudobulb, today is watering day and by tomorrow it'll be plump. Also, the white spot near the sheath is a piece of paper towel i used to clean the leaves of the plant above it. So I repeat, no one call Orchid protective services LOL
Thanks
Chris

[Ellen]

Not strange at all if the pics are from two different plants. Some catts produce flower spikes without a sheath, others have a full sheath, and some have sort of a vestigial sheath. Depends on the ancestry. The plants look great, no need to call orchid protective services!

[kmarch]

I've merged your 2 threads since they were on the same topic.

Thanks for posting the pics. I didn't realize from your first post that you were talking about 2 different plants. But regardless, as I said befor and as Ellen has reiterated, there's nothing odd or abnormal about this at all. It's perfectly common. Even if they were both on the same plant it would not be unusual as i have owned and bloomed Cattleyas that did the same thing.

Happy Growing!

[elitebettas]

Lol, guys , sorry if i mentioned that they are from two different plants, It is ONE plant Happening on the same plant

[kmarch]

Ok, so my understanding was correct form the start that these 2 different spikes are on the same plant. This is still normal and not at all odd, as the Cattleya I mentioned earlier did the same thing.

If you get a chance, please post some pics of the flowers when they open. Cheers!

[kmarch]

Ok, so my understanding was correct form the start that these 2 different spikes are on the same plant. This is still normal and not at all odd, as the Cattleya I mentioned earlier did the same thing.

If you get a chance, please post some pics of the flowers when they open. Cheers!

[Orchid664]

I have a couple of Potinaras that sometimes make sheaths and other times don't. I don't care as long as it blooms.

I sometimes have pseudobulbs with one leave and others with two leaves on the same plant. Go figure.