Cattleya - Pseudobulb shriveled overnight

[wetfeet101b]

This one's quite a mystery for me.
The plant is healthy, and has an extensive root system. The new season's roots are still growing and are about 3 inches long.

When I checked the plant yesterday, the pseudobulb with the flowers was bent more than 90% and collapsed under the weight of the flowers.
It looks like the juice was sucked right out of the pseudobulb.
I'm looking at the plant for any signs of pest attack - perhaps a sucking insect or slug ate the inside of the pseudobulb but I could not find any wounds or entry points.
The middle portion of the pseudobulb is squishy, like it is partially hollow.

Here's the pseudobulb now, supported by a stake.


Here's the picture of the flowers.



Anyone have any idea on what may have happened to the plant?

I do not think it is systemic dehydration since the plant appears to be healthy and roots are in great shape - with the exception of that one pseudobulb in question.

I'm thinking it was an insect attack.
Or perhaps the plant was shocked by the large amount of flowers that it quickly depleted the fluid reserves in that pseudobulb - but that is unlikely.

[pavel]

Strange.

John, the other pbs in the pick also look quite shriveled -- is that normal for this catt?

[cindiras]

Looks like it may be Waianai (sp?) Leopard cross of some sort. Time to remove the spike of blooms- put them in a vase to enjoy- and check the roots. This is NOT a happy catt!

[espranch]

I agree with Cindi. Might have rotten or no roots from too much water?...or may on the other hand, not be getting enough water...very strange indeed. If it were mine, I would HAVE to take a look see at the roots...Only my opinion...Betty :-(

[Brutal_Dreamer]

With all of the p-bulbs being that shriveled it looks like it has been lacking sufficent humidity. The blooms may have simply depleted the remaining life out of that p-bulb in a last ditch effort at reproduction. If you do not see a place where a pest could have caused this, I would enjoy the flowers for a few days and then remove them and increase the humidity around this guy so that the new growth comes in and has some meat.

Cheers,
BD

[stefpix]

Maybe California has air that is too dry, In Brooklyn in the winter early spring when humidity is low when I go visit the aquatic house at the conservatory with all the Cattleyas and Vandas mounted my camera lens fogs and feels really humid.

Maybe once it gets new roots you could add a thin layer of sphagnum on top of the medium. I noticed that some of my Cattleyas' roots dry if i do not do that. Here and in other forums you get advice sometimes from people that grow plants in a greenhouse or in some dedicated room. So the conditions are different. At the Manhattan orchid society they say if you give a dry winter rest and you live in some centrally heated apt your Dendrobium or whatever will become a dead dry plant. SO you may have to mist more. In your case you could mist daily or every other day the roots on top of the media without soaking the media itself.
But there are no golden rules. I have some plants that thrive and some struggle and they are from the same alliance and from similar conditions. I feel some plants are stronger genetically and others are more runts.

if the roots are alll dead you could try water culture.
or cut in half a clear 2 l soda bottle and make a mini greenhouse/ terrarium... Maybe poke some holes on the side and aerate it once in a while.
stefano
stefpix.com

[stefpix]

PS Looking at the picture with a PB that is bent, i wonder if that PB has some fungal disease. looks darker [esp on top] and soft. I would consider cutting it off if you find signs of fungal infection. the other PB look more normal to me. But I am no expert