The arrow points to a new 
growth which always starts at 
the bottom of a former matured 
bulb. If a Cattleya orchid plant 
is 7 years old this new growth 
will produce the flowers when 
completed. Cattleya orchid plants 
flower on new growth only. The 
old flowering bulbs then become 
food reservoirs feeding the new 
growth or “eye” as it is called. 
When the “eye” begins to swell 
it indicates the plant is in active 
growth. Within a year or less 
this ‘‘eye’’ will develop into a 
bulb and leaf, and produce a 
sheath and flowers. 
At this point careful attention 
should be paid to correct water- 
ing. Twice a week take the plant 
and saturate it by placing it un- 
der the faucet or a hose. Besides 
this, on bright sunny days sprink- 
le the leaves with a light mist 
every morning. 
Here a few months later we | 
see the “eye” has grown vigor- 
ously some 2 inches in size. 
Growth should be strong, but if 
insufficient light or water is given 
this new growth will be weak 
and spindley. 
In some parts of the country 
ants will be attracted to the tip 
of this ‘‘eye’’ because of a sap 
that begins to ooze out at this 
stage of growth. To control the 
ants just sprinkle a little 5% 
Chloradane powder on the os- 
munda. 
If the growth is taking place 
during the winter months protect 
the plant from sudden and radi- 
cal temperature changes. A tem- 
perature of not less than 60 de- 
grees is suggested during the 
night. 
About four months has now 
elapsed since the “eye” first 
started to grow. Now, the “eye” 
is no longer called an “‘eye’’—it 
is now called a “lead'’—(pro- 
nounced leed). Here we can see 
that the new growth is beginning 
to take the shape of the older 
bulbs and leaves. One can, at 
this stage, see some semblance 
of a bulb starting and part of a 
leaf. Note, that the leaf is still 
in an immature stage, and par- 
tially folded. Later on this leaf 
will grow and expand and the 
fold will disappear. 
At this stage of growth, called 
the “‘cup’’ stage—it is very im- 
portant that when sprinkling the 
leaves no water is permitted to 
remain in the “cup” or folds of 
the leaf. If the plant is sprinkled 
in the morning, as it should be, 
it will usually dry up by night 
time, iff it does not, it may *rot 
out the new lead. If you want to 
play safe, just turn the plant up- 
side down after sprinkling and 
drain the water out of the ’ af 
ear 
Here we see how the bulb is 
fully grown, the leaf is well de- 
veloped, and popping out of the 
bulb is the sheath from which 
the budg and flowers will come 
soon. 
If the plant is about 60 days 
from blooming you will be able 
to detect the buds within the 
sheath if you hold it up against 
a strong light. 
their 
in advance 
Some plants make up 
sheaths six months 
of blooming. Other hybrids bloom 
shortly after they make up their 
sheaths, thus, 
twice a year. 
often blooming 
Each specie has 
its own habits. 
Now we see the buds have 
popped out of the sheath. This 
drawing depicts a small plant 
that produced 2 flowers. Some 
species produce as many as five 
huge flowers to a sheath. Natur- 
ally the more sheaths you have 
the more flowers you would get. 
At this stage the plant should be 
pot-watered only, once a week. 
Care should be taken not to wet 
the flowers as water will cause 
them to spot. 
Once the flowers begin to open 
it will take 4 to 5 days for them 
to fully open. They should not 
be picked until they have been 
open six or seven days, for it 
takes that many days for the 
color and flowers to mature. ~ 
If the flower is to be worn, 
place it in an orchid tube, or 
wrap it in damp cotton and place 
it in a covered dish in the lower 
part of your refrigerator. Flowers 
should last 2 to 3 weeks, if 
placed back in the refrigerator 
each time the wearer is thru 
wearing the flower. If permittted 
to remain on the plant flowers 
will last as much as § weeks. 
