Here is my Den. speciosum ssp curvicaule. Have only had this since Feb. Since then it seems to be doing well. If you look there is a new growth, cane I presume, growing out the back of the pot. If you look you can also see a leaf growing out of the ground. The potting mixture is somewhat compacted so I can't dig too deep, but I don't see any cane. Niether were there when I bought it. What is with this leaf thing

No idea ? Jim, Ken

I'm sure Jim @hawkarica, Ken @drdawg or Ursula @ursula can probably help!

Perhaps an old cane that was cut off at the media level and is now growing leaves. I only have a single, though large, Den., and a couple of divisions from this old plant, so these are not plants I know much about. My Den. puts out new cane growth seemingly constantly, resting only a few months in the winter.

I see I have been tagged here. I think the new leaf is coming from a bud eye on an old cane that is below the medium. That is not uncommon and hopefully this new growth will lead to a flower spike. Be happy.

Jim

Thanx. Should be interesting to see what happens

Ted, I'm hijacking ...or recycling ,this thread ( the name is perfect!)
For a few months I've had this annoying problem.. One picture I posted ,someone pointed out that I should really take care of those mealy bugs .. While I was taking care of that problem , I KNEW it was'nt mealy bugs, scale or aphids.. Since then I've found it several more times.. Always on sheaths emerging from the spike or on cluster buds like Grt. Why Not..today I finally found and photographed the monster...




Other than caterpillar.. Does anyone know what this 1/2" or less thing is?

@mellielong might know. How about it, Mellanie?

Afraid I can't help too much with this one. Orchids aren't typically a host food for caterpillars but there are some generalists that will eat anything. It's possible one made that silk pad, but I'm not certain.

Thanks Melanie, for weighing in... Whatever these are cause catastrophic damage to emerging buds and sheaths..

Lindsey, Bt works fine on orchids . . . you don't need it often but when you do it's the greatest. One bite and they're done.

Elaine, what's Bt?...I used the 409+alcohol spray plus a little twig and that worked..but now I'm feeling like I have to lift and look at each plant , every day!

It's an organic control directed specifically at caterpillars, and safe to use on food crops even. The active ingredient is Bacillus thuringiensis, a naturally occurring bacteria that when you spray it on plants, makes caterpillars get sick and die when they take a bite of the plant. You buy it as a concentrate at any garden center. I think the common brand name is "Thuricide".

There's also a strain of Bt that is used in mosquito control. You buy little cakes (they're called "dunks") or pellets of it and keep it in any standing water around your house like outdoor plant saucers, rain barrels and such. Kills mosquito larvae in the water before they can become the evil biters.

I haven't had a problem with any caterpillars on my orchids, because they live in my screened pool cage. But I use it all the time on my veggies and brugs. I also keep a constant supply of the mosquito dunks and pellets around because I have 5 rain barrels as well as numerous pots with saucers around.

Thanks Elaine!

I don't think in all the years, and now several thousand orchids, I have ever seen a caterpillar on an orchid. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I just have never noticed it. The closest is when I fail to control snails/slugs, and Phal. are situated where they can get to it/them. For me at least, Phal. are snail-magnets.

I had Caterpillars eating two and a half spikes on my Monnierara last Fall. I noticed that the spikes quit developing when I brought them inside. To my great dismay I found 2 Caterpillars, which had the whole thing decimated, they just left me a couple of buds. I was so disappointed, this was a new plant for me and it did so well over the Summer!
Well, the fish ate the critters!!
Normally I just see these on my variegated Brug, but that plant was in front of the house, far away from the cage.
Elaine, I will look for the Thuricide. It is impossible to keep the Caterpillars clear from the Brug, they have the same coloration.

They are loving the narrow leaves of the entire Brassavola family on my bench, which I guess..makes for a cozy nest..they are in the newly emerging spathagolotis (sp?) that you gave me Elaine...ugh..I HATE them!

I think they are grubs, not caterpillars. I'm working on an ID.

Jim

I'd get some Bt on those plants quick-like, Lindsey. Even if Jim finds out they are something else, it won't hurt.

I just picked a caterpillar off a Den. The first time I've ever seen one on any of my orchids