Ursula, like you, I find cattleya alliance plants easy to grow, even though we have quite different growing conditions here in NE Mississippi. My theory, and perhaps I read it somewhere years ago - I don't remember, is that the blooming cycle of orchids depends on where they grow in nature. Many of my cattleya varieties grow naturally in the southern hemisphere and are spring bloomers down there. When they are brought north, they are fall bloomers, but in reality they are blooming in the spring. Our seasons are simply reversed! Does this make any sense at all? I know I am a novice compared to many of you, and I bet y'all have the answer as to why our orchids bloom in the fall/winter.
Also, I have found that with some of my orchids (Blc. Greenwich 'Elmhurst' and Blc. Ports of Paradise 'Emerald Isle' for example) that were consistent fall bloomers when they are fairly young plants (perhaps 5 year old plants), after having them for 4-5 years, they now bloom in the fall and then again in the spring. Don't know why.
