Catasetum fimbriatum

[GuRu]

I'm back after a long spell of absence from this forum for private reasons.
In these days my Catasetum fimbriatum is flowering again.....but this time complete different. Why? Well you may know Catasetums produce male and female flowers and this year my plant produced female flowers for the very first time.
I've been growing this plant since 1987 and it flowered regularly, not every year but regularly. In all these years it produced the well known male flowers except this year.
Have a look :

The flowers are solid and waxy and the scent is sweet and strong.

 

[AdamD]

Awesome! I'm envious. I'd love to get a female spike. They are elusive. Congrats

 

[Ozpaph]

Very interesting. Do you think its a temperature or watering thing?

 

[NYEric]

Cool, thanks for sharing. You should post a comparison of the male flowers.

 

[GuRu]

Very interesting. Do you think its a temperature or watering thing?

It can't be a matter of temperature or watering, 'cause these two things are the same - year by year. I was told it may be a matter of light.
But ...the plant stands every year at the same place, close behind the window pane of a East South-East facing window. There is no curtain and it gets sun (when the sun is shining) from early morning until noon.
Maybe we had more sunshine last year??

 

[fibre]

Nice to see you back to ST! Interesting behavior of your Catasetum.

 

[AdamD]

From my understanding, reading articles on the subject of male vs. female flowers, plants need to be "fat and happy" to produce females. Well established, consistent conditions, etc... Sunlight on the buds helps as well.

 

[Migrant13]

What an intriguing looking flower! I have never seen this one with female flowers so many thanks for sharing.

 

[GuRu]

Cool, thanks for sharing. You should post a comparison of the male flowers.

Eric, thats a good idea. Here are photos of the male flowers shot in 2012 so they are not brand new but who cares.

 

[NYEric]

I prefer the female! NO, they're both nice. Thanks .

 

[SlipperFan]

They looks like open mouths with tongues sticking out.