Question
QUESTION: Hi Wayne King,

My cattleya flower sheath has been in same size for more than two months. Its mother plant also having same problem(flower sheath not maturing but new shoot has formed & matured).  Earlier it was attached by scale & I have remove them manually. Could this be the reason?

The plant looks healthy & putting out a lot of new roots now.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Nwe Lay

ANSWER: Many cattleya hybrids are made from cattleya species that form and hold their sheaths for months. Some hybrids actually flower from sheaths that have completely dried up.  When the buds first appear they form shadows in the sheath.  The payoff for your patience will be flowers that are very long lasting. On the other hand, if your cattleya is still a young plant, it may not be strong enough to flower and form blind sheaths.  This would be especially true if there is no evidence that the plant has previously flowered.  I doubt whether a minor scale infestation could affect sheath development-- it would take a major infestation to have this effect.  Most cattleyas are spring flowering so it may be that buds may appear in a month or two.

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QUESTION: Hi Wayne King,

Thanks for your reply.

This cattleya had flowered before but no under my care(I can see from old shoots). It has already 4 shoots in total.

Or do they still need more light?

Thanks,
Nwe Lay

ANSWER: Cattleyas need all the light they can get to do their best. I like to see a slightly reddish hue to parts of the plant for the perfect amount of light. Water and feed only when the plant is in active growth.  It is easy to overwater-- especially when not in growth.  I might be able to add to my comments if you send a picture or two of your plant.  Thanks for staying in touch.  It's always a joy to exchange information with fellow hobbyists.

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Cattleya sheath   QUESTION: Hi Wayne King,

I've attached the cattleya photo. Could this be due to insufficient light?
In attached photo, dendrobium blooms are given to me by a friend today.

Thanks,
Nwe Lay

Answer
Nwe, thanks for the picture.  It's too bad you don't have a tag with the plant name on it. Names are very important as they allow the parentage to be traced and often help to know what to expect.  For example, in some cattleya species, root growth precedes new growth.  In others, it follows new growth and precedes flowering. Also, some cattleyas flower with a minimal to no sheath.  Your plant looks healthy as do the roots.  Keep a record of your plant's growth and that will help you know what to anticipate in the future.