Question
The Cattleya plant I bought last year had six leaves and all six had flower stems.  During the year plant grew 3 new leaves and one is now in bloom but none of last years leaves are growing new bloom stems.  Once a leaf produces a flower stem can it produce another one?  

Answer
Hello George,

I'm afraid Cattleya orchids produce only once on a growth.  Each growth is capable of producing two new growths from the base of the old growth.  Look at the new growths to see if each grew from a separate old growth or if a couple grew from a single growth.  

Since one of the three new growths has already produced a bloom, do you see any sheath (looks like a thin leaf growing at the base of the leaf) evident on the other two growths?  If so, you may get lucky and they will eventually produce blooms.  

In the meantime, over the next year try to grow it in bright sunlight to encourage it to produce more new growths for next year.  Leaves should be a light green color when receiving proper light exposure.  Allow the potting media to become almost dry between waterings, feed it a balance type orchid fertilizer with each watering.  Temperature should be between 55 to 85 F and humidity above 50%.  Some gentle air circulation around it would be nice.  

Hope this is of some help.  Good luck and good growing.

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.