Ailing Cattleya

[orchid doctor]

In a message dated 9/4/2011 12:27:02 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
xx...@xxxxx.com writes:
Hi, I am wondering why my orchid leaves are curling in from the sides?
I've been watering every two to three days and I live in Hawaii.

What do you suppose it might be?


Generally that would be the result of desiccation as a result of root
damage. One must never water on a schedule, but by ascertaining how
dry the potting medium is. Cattleyas need to become nearly dry between
watering especially between flushes of growth. And as potting media
age their water retention characteristics and aeration change.

I suspect that your plant has been kept too moist either from too
frequent watering, being in too large a pot for the size of the root
system, or from not being repotted frequently enough. This is causing
the roots to degenerate and die

Gently remove the plant from the pot and see what condition the root
system is in. Remove all dead roots and trim back dying roots to firm
light colored tissue. Repot with fresh medium (I prefer medium or
coarse orchid bark, but coarse coconut chunks or black lava might work
for you) in the appropriate sized pot for the remaining roots (often a
compromise for the size of the plant.

Hybrid Cattleyas (especially the multi-generics) are very forgiving
and you will often see new root growth within a few weeks. Species can
be a lot less forgiving and can be difficult to bring back to health.

Sincerely,
Dennis