I buy the 1/2 off rescue plants sometimes and got this orchid at Lowe's for some ridiculously low price. Well by golly it put out a pretty flower this spring.
I am NOT a serious orchid grower and care for them by the seat of my pants. Would any of you more knowledgeable people know what I have and how I might be more precise in my care?
Thanks.
I'm on my way uo to the cottage but, quickly, what you've got is a Cattleya hybrid with Sophronitis in it. Sophronitis is used to hybridize reds and smaller Cattleyas. They are fussy and like it on the cooler side. Look for AOS Cattleya care and Google Sophrinitis.
Thanks Laurel. It was cool, in the sixties, all winter in my bedroom.
Perfect! It will enjoy being outside in bright, indirect light until the hotter months. I've spent the afternoon planting beans and cukes. Hope to get the zucchetta trombocino seed you gave me planted in a few days. :)
The orchid is on the patio under the dogwood tree now. Do you think I should bring it back inside when it gets hot?
I will be very curious to know how you like the zucchetta trombocino. As I wrote you I found it very flavorful. Hopefully you'll have better results.
I'd bring it in when the nights are hot (July & August) and put it back out In September and October until the nights dip to fifty. a cooling period in Fall will help initiate bloom in Spring.
Humidity is still high with AC here in the South but those pseudobulbs are dessicated on your orchid indicating either an extended period of low humidity during the heating season, poor watering at the store or rotten/dead roots. If Soph. is a parent you can be sure it requires higher than average (even for an orchid) humidity. Either way, water uptake is insufficient. What's going on at the bottom of the plant shows on top. Try placing it on a pebble tray year around when it is indoors. It's growing in an expanded clay medium which does not deteriorate so no worries that you've got rotted medium and roots. Hang it from a tree rather than have it on the ground where snails and roaches will feast on the roots. Roaches can be terrible on orchids. If it continues to do well for you then unpot it every two to three years right as new growth shows at the base and soak the clay pellets to get rid of fertilizer and salts build up. Scrub the pot too. If you wait too long the new growth will have fragile roots that might get damaged in the process. Good luck!
Opps, I just reread my last comment and a correction is needed. I did NOT find the above squash flavorful. Sorry about that.
Thanks for the advise on the orchid. I will do my best to keep up good culture. I do sometimes neglect my plants in the winter with not enough watering. Most of my plants are succulents which require very little watering so the orchids can suffer from that schedule. I will try and remember to bring it in during the blast furnace phase of our Georgia summer.
Yes, I recalled from your mail you were disappointed. Hopefully I'll like it because I prefer to grow vertically. I'm planting regular zucchini and straight neck as well.
