If it has live growth eyes at the base of any pseudobulbs it can be saved BUT it is a long winded process to get it back and it is not for the space challenged. It wont grow new roots because it is winter there and the new roots come when growth begins from a dormant eye. Not much will happen if anything till spring.
Been around for ages and worth growing if you have the space and the correct growing conditions.
{{gwi:2119103}}

Orchids move at glacial speed compared to most houseplants we are used to. Older psuedobulbs generally yellow and lose their leaves. That's what this one appears to be doing to me. I leave them on until they fall off. Others dislike seeing the aging process and cut them off. If you do cut them, do it above where the leaves come out of the psuedobulb.

Since this one was a gift it may be ready for a change of potting medium. I usually change mine every other year. Longer than that the fir bark starts becoming acidic and kills the roots. Maybe that's what happened to this plant. They put out new roots on each new psuedobulb so they plant will survive even if the old roots are damaged.

If you can stand looking at damaged leaves you will feel better keeping orchids. The old leaves may hang on for 2-3 years before getting shed by the plant.

Look at the picture that Arthur posted above. That is a reason NOT to throw away your plant.

> If it has live growth eyes at the base of any pseudobulbs it can be saved

There were none when I repotted 5 weeks ago, but the youngest pseudobulb here does look unaffected by any of the maladies all the other ones are affected by - for now.

> It wont grow new roots because it is winter there and the new roots come when growth begins from a dormant eye. Not much will happen if anything till spring.

Is this different if I grow under lights? Plants have other environmental clues, of course, like temperatures and humidity maybe - I could set it on top of a T5 fixture for some daytime (but not night time) bottom heat. It'll have more light up there, too, and even apart from the heat from the lamp, temps closer to the ceiling are higher. And there is better air circulation up there. Seems like a good thing to do - of course if I am not throwing it away because of a possibility of spreading the fungus or whatever that is.

I guess what I am asking in this particular part of the post is - how important is it for this Cattleya to grow roots before spring, and how crucial is bottom heat for that?

> Been around for ages and worth growing if you have the space and the correct growing conditions.

It is indeed a gorgeous plant, Arthur. Mine is color form coerulea, so blue, or at least "orchid blue", which is slightly light violet'ish. I was fortunate enough to see a blooming plant a couple months back, which may even have been a genetic sister of my plant's, and it was absolutely breathtaking. Very nice fragrance, too. So, of course if I can save it, I want to try. Infecting others is what I am concerned about, more than about taking care for a sick plant.

> Older psuedobulbs generally yellow and lose their leaves.

On my plant, the second youngest pseudobulb is the one browning, and the leaves on it are both yellow and brown/blackening fast. That is never a good sign, I understand. To me, it looks like some sort of fungus, rather fast spreading (the black leaves turned from yellow to black just in the last 24 maybe 48 hours) - that is why I am thinking of throwing it away, not because the flowers are not beautiful enough.

> Since this one was a gift it may be ready for a change of potting medium.

I did that. That is how I know there were no live roots in there, unfortunately.

> I usually change mine every other year. Longer than that the fir bark starts becoming acidic and kills the roots. Maybe that's what happened to this plant.

Well, the old mix did not seem collapsed to me, good large chunks of fir bark, very coarse perlite and charcoal, all looking good, no fine particles at the bottom. I changed the mix none the less, to 100% Orchiata bark #5, probably a bit too fine, but that is the only grade I had. There are some growstone (a hydroponic medium) particles at the bottom for better drainage and aeration.

But the roots did die for SOME reason with the previous owner. My Cattleya knowledge is only theoretical, so I may well be wrong, but I think it may have been because of underwatering. Those old fir bark particles looked very dry to me, like they had not been soaked for a good while. (And maybe THAT's why the mix was not collapsed!) They looked hydrophobic, actually, those bark particles. Charcoal does nothing for water retention, and the perlite chunks were huge, so not much help there either. Yeah, I know Cattleyas need to dry out, but only between good soakings, I understand. In any case, the roots are dead, and the reasons are irrelevant now that I have it in a new medium and in a new environment.

I am way out of my depth here. There is no way that I can tell under lights growers how to grow anything...so here are bits and pieces that may or may not be useful.
Portia registered in 1897 and still good.
Flowers here (Southern Hemisphere) April/ May which is the start of the orchid show season and a well grown/flowered plant could win best of show or best plant at an orchid meeting.
Plant through the year.
Spring. Grows a new pseudobulb
Summer. Pseudobulb matures and form sheath.
Autumn. Flowers
Winter. Does nothing (waiting for Spring)
I have a very large collection of Cattleyas and I never repot any of them in winter. The annual exercise of repotting, tidying up starts late August and finishes mid summer.
Climate similar to San Diego. Light is never a problem. Plenty of that even in winter.

Your plant is maturing a growth at the wrong time of year and there is sure to be a live eye at the base of that growth.
Repotting at the wrong time of year can be a disaster, making lots of new roots can only happen if conditions are right, that is why I never repot in winter.
As far as the bugs getting into your collection goes....they are there...zillions of them just waiting for a weakened plant to attack. We get this stuff all the time, the pristine wilderness stuff.
Do not bury the base of the pseudobulbs in the mix, I know some people do bury the base of the plant in the mix and get away with it.
Under-potting is best, Basket type pots are good, enlarge drainage holes on conventional pots and even try Nicks Pot within a pot method.
Temp ranges.
Winter 7 -17C
Summer 17-27C
Shading winter 50% shade cloth
" summer 80% shade cloth.
Look up culture for Cattleya bowringiana which is one of the parents, might be some clues there.

Hello there - don't be impatient! : -) 6 weeks is not much time. Give this plant a chance to recover. I've noticed that certain plants go into "shock" of some kind when they go to a new home. (Hey they did not ask or that move! ; -)
I've had orchids sit for a couple of years before they decided to kick into gear.
Once this one shows signs of perking up in the spring then you can fertilize lightly and try some seaweed extract which should encourage new roots. Catts normally like lots of light, though not full burning sun, so you could gradually increase light and put outside for the summer. Vacationing outside does wonders for my own plants. You like a vacation now and then right?

When you changed the potting medium, did you secure the plant well with stakes or wire it into the pot? Orchids are like people, they like to feel secure. Make sure the medium is "open" so there is plenty of air circulation.

Most of all have patience - that is one thing orchids teach you : -)

Best of luck and a happy New Year
Maryanne in WMass