Maikai 'Mayumi' -- how do you make it bloom?

[Caren]

So a friend brings has an orchid she got from her brother or somebody or other in Florida. It's a huge, specimen-sized plant--theoretically Brassocattleya Maikai 'Mayumi'--in one of the best-looking pots I've ever seen. Anyway, she says he can't get it to bloom so she thought she'd give it a try and it's not blooming for her either. I took home a hunk and potted it up, thinking my nice bright bay window would be just the thing. A couple of years later, I've got enthusiastic foliage growth (for an orchid), but no bloom either. Maikai 'Mayumi' is supposed to be an easy bloomer, so I'm wondering if we have something different altogether or if we're maybe missing some vital secret. Any ideas?

[K Barrett]

It usually boils down to light, these are high light plants, but also make sure it gets at least a 10 degree day/night temperature variation, doesn't go below about 55F at night and maybe cut back on feeding in the winter time (or when it isn't in active growth). Usually you don't have to rest cattleyas, but hey. Its worth a try. For more light have you tried summering it outside?

K Barrett

[wendy7]

Hi there Caren, I too have had this plant for years & has overgrown itself so much so, that I was thinking of breaking it up. It seems that it gets fewer spikes/flowers each year? I have grown it in a greenhouse & outside in bright & lots of sunlight. I am told it is a primary hybrid of:- B. nodosa x C. bowringiana I have not really study the parents culture but both are easy growers. Kathy might be onto something so lets see if anyone else chimes in.

[Ray B]

The three most common reasons for non-blooming are:

1) Insufficient light 2) Insufficient food and water 3) Too much nitrogen

In the case of an overgrown, pot-bound plant, it is possible that the amount of moisture/nutrient retention in the pot is limited by the mass of roots blocking the flow of liquids to the medium. The result is a degree of feeding deficiency, even if one waters and feeds the same as previously.