Rlc. Alma Kee 'tipmalee' - New Buds!

Do you grow Cattleyas?  Then you know what a sheath is!  Most Cattleyas have a single sheath; but, there are a few that will have a double sheath, one inside the other.

Do you always get buds in your sheaths?  Probably not.  Sometimes the plant fails to bud even though it grew a sheath.  But if you have a sheath that seems empty do not despair.  It may be that it is not time for the buds yet.  There are some Cattleyas that will grow a new pseudobulb with a sheath and the buds will appear in the sheath as soon as the pseudobulb is mature.  There are some Cattleyas that the flower buds even appear while the pseudobulb is still actively growing.

However, there are other Cattleyas that, after the pseudobulb is mature, will REST before a bud will appear in the sheath.  C. mossiae and C. mendelii can take a rest of up to six months.

So if the sheath is empty, not all hope is lost.  Your Cattleya may be resting.

Below is a photo of buds that are just starting to break out of the sheath.  The plant is Rlc. Alma Kee 'tipmalee'