Bifoliate Catt Habits

[Piper]

I tend to be a unifoliate Catt gal, but I was smitten by a photo and got a great deal on a big, honkin' Catt skinneri var alba 'Debbie' FCC/AOS. It's overgrowing a 6" pot and the grower said its blooming season is April, so I thought, Cool - short-term gratisfaction!

Well the plant arrived, but I was puzzled. I couldn't spot new growth. Everything looked like it had previously bloomed. Seven big fat p-bulbs, all with old spikes and sheaths. I've been puzzling over this gal for a week now.

I was just communing with it, asking it to give up its secrets, and I noticed a distinction I previously missed. Four of the p-bulbs have previously bloomed spikes cut off. Three of the largest p-bulbs have browned sheaths, but no cut off spikes.

Does this species, or even all bifoliates, put up a sheath in the off season, sort of like firing a blank, and then come back in season with a new sheath and flower spike?

Help me, Obi-wan-Bifoliate, to learn the mysterious ways of your race!

McConfused

[clintdawley]

I'm not sure about skinneri...never grown it. But here are some observations from those that I do grow..

C. aclandiae: blooms on new growth as soon as the leaves unfurl
C. aurantiaca: produces several sheaths over the summer on multiple p-bulbs that bloom in the Fall
C. intermedia: blooms on all new growths produced over the summer and winter in the spring.

I think they're ALL different in growth habit, Julie.

Back to C. skinneri...

I think it would bloom in season on all the new growths produced during active growth...that's why you see such huge multi-lead specimen plants in spectacular bloom!

[Piper]

Thanks, Clint! I'm sure there are skinneri growers among us . . .

I assumed the same as you. The puzzle is that here's a plant that's supposed to bloom this April, with no "little new growth" and three fully grown p-bulbs that don't have old cut off spikes.

It's an enigma . . .

McStillPuzzled

[clintdawley]

I bet that it blooms from those three leads in April. Do keep us posted!

Thanks, Clint! I'm sure there are skinneri growers among us . . .

I assumed the same as you. The puzzle is that here's a plant that's supposed to bloom this April, with no "little new growth" and three fully grown p-bulbs that don't have old cut off spikes.

It's an enigma . . .

McStillPuzzled

[Lambert]

I think Skinneri (like my Percivaliana) is part of the Catts that are called " short days photoperiodic", meaning they will start new growths in spring-summer, sheath will develop as soon as the new leaves are formed but they stay empty. Then the plant becomes dormant for several weeks or up to several months. Root growth announces the end of dormancy and buds should soon follow in late winter or spring.
So basically it can bloom from a brown dried up sheath that came out 6 months before.

( I ain't no Catt expert but I read extensively when I started growing a couple!)

Catt Perci is not bifoliate but I think it shares somewhat similar growing habit.

[clintdawley]

Great. I'm glad Laurent confirmed what I was thinking....his explanation is much more scientific. Just send some good thoughts its way and give it some good light!

I think Skinneri (like my Percivaliana) is part of the Catts that are called " short days photoperiodic", meaning they will start new growths in spring-summer, sheath will develop as soon as the new leaves are formed but they stay empty. Then the plant becomes dormant for several weeks or up to several months. Root growth announces the end of dormancy and buds should soon follow in late winter or spring.
So basically it can bloom from a brown dried up sheath that came out 6 months before.

( I ain't no Catt expert but I read extensively when I started growing a couple!)

Catt Perci is not bifoliate but I think it shares somewhat similar growing habit.

[Piper]

We're all thinking the same way. I have high hopes for an Easter surprise!

McJulie

[wetfeet101b]

I assumed the same as you. The puzzle is that here's a plant that's supposed to bloom this April, with no "little new growth" and three fully grown p-bulbs that don't have old cut off spikes.

McStillPuzzled

I have mature bifoliate hybrids that can shoot up a new growth and produce flowers in as little as 8 weeks.
I bet the new growths on that plant grow up really fast.

[Piper]

You could be right, John, though all my other Catts have signs of new growth already.

It's the fact that the largest, newest, p-bulbs have browned sheaths but no cutoff spike (ie, they haven't bloomed) make me suspect that that's where the action will be.

Either way, I shouldn't have long to wait!

McJulie

[Roly0217]

The skinnerii does this. It will defientely produce sheats that will become brown and dried with time and then bloom off of them. I was told to never cut the sheats on my skinnerii becasue of this reason.