# Getting Cattleya growths to branch or fill pot?



## The Orchid Boy (Dec 12, 2012)

I have a nice potinara (or did it change to something like 'rhynolaeliocattleya'?). It grows mainly in a straight line of growths, not branching much from the rhizome. Is there any way to get new growths to branch off the rhizome or fill the pot somehow? I need to pot them in really wide pots and the line of growths only fill the middle. I'm afraid of root rot in too big of pots. Could I get the growths to circle around in the pot?


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## Rick (Dec 12, 2012)

You might try kelp or Keikie Pro to get some branching. You might try cutting through the old back bulbs.

My Catts tend to branch anyway, but I've seen some that stuck to the linear growth pattern.

If you keep the mix shallow (by putting a lot of styrofoam peanuts or pot shards in the bottom 1/2 of the pot) you can use big pots, and not worry about the deep mix getting wet (and rotting the roots).


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## goods (Dec 12, 2012)

I've heard of people cutting the rhizome near a dormant eye, causing the dormant eye to come out of dormancy and creating a more full plant. I'd advise you to be careful when doing this, though. This is essentially the same thing as dividing, so make sure both "divisions" have enough pseudobulbs to sustain growth.


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## bullsie (Dec 12, 2012)

You don't have to cut clear through, just enough to notch the rhizome. That can get them motivated to start another eye.


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## TyroneGenade (Dec 13, 2012)

I'm currently spraying with Seagrow 3x a week and suddenly my Catt's are coming alive like never before. My old anceps is pushing out growths all over the plant. Not sure what the US version of Seagrow is.

Otherwise, cutting the rhizome between every 3rd and 4th pseudobulb and some heavy fertilization should do the trick.


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## weiweidc (Dec 14, 2012)

I have heard Benzyl Adenine works to stimulate cattleya branching and stimulation of dormant eye buds. Has anyone had any experience with this compound?


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## SlipperFan (Dec 14, 2012)

The Orchid Boy said:


> I have a nice potinara (or did it change to something like 'rhynolaeliocattleya'?). It grows mainly in a straight line of growths, not branching much from the rhizome. Is there any way to get new growths to branch off the rhizome or fill the pot somehow? I need to pot them in really wide pots and the line of growths only fill the middle. I'm afraid of root rot in too big of pots. Could I get the growths to circle around in the pot?


Potinara is no more, but I don't think it's a simple thing to determine the new genus name of your plant. You'll have to find out what classifications they now have to determine what the genus is now.


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## bullsie (Dec 15, 2012)

SlipperFan said:


> Potinara is no more, but I don't think it's a simple thing to determine the new genus name of your plant. You'll have to find out what classifications they now have to determine what the genus is now.



I did the search on one plant and it was a nightmare and I thought I'd lose what was left of my sanity and few functioning brain cells (nearly ran out of paper). If you leave the name alone the rest of us will know what it is.


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## SlipperFan (Dec 15, 2012)

bullsie said:


> I did the search on one plant and it was a nightmare and I thought I'd lose what was left of my sanity and few functioning brain cells (nearly ran out of paper). If you leave the name alone the rest of us will know what it is.


I don't have OrchidWhiz, though I hear that's a really good tool. If I need to find out the current genus, I go to the RHS site, use the % in the genus blank and write the hybrid, or species name into the name blank for both parents, and the new name will come up.


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## bullsie (Dec 16, 2012)

The Orchid Boy said:


> I have a nice potinara (or did it change to something like 'rhynolaeliocattleya'?).



Rhynolaeliocattleya, probably not. That is way too simple.


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## Scooby5757 (Dec 19, 2012)

weiweidc said:


> I have heard Benzyl Adenine works to stimulate cattleya branching and stimulation of dormant eye buds. Has anyone had any experience with this compound?



I'd love to know more myself....


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