# resurrection orchid



## cnycharles (Jun 30, 2012)

I bought a nice habenaria at our orchid society show last october from marlow orchids. Two vendors had them in flower, so I bought one that had flower buds still to open. It flowered for a while and died back, and instructions that I had found stated that though I was to keep the plant mostly dry, that it needed some moisture through the winter. Well, after a few months I got distracted and it was bone dry, and when I moved in february it had been bone dry for a few months but I put the small pot into a box with everything else. Once here and I finally got my plants out of boxes it got stuck onto a small table in my bathroom (I was watering plants in my tub), for a few months, and then later moved to my living room table that holds my aquarium and paper recycling, mail (junk)... both places usually very dark and of course no water. So, instead of getting light watering occasionally, it's been bone dry for months!

a few days ago I was looking for a tool buried underneath the paper junk on my table, and thought I saw some nubs in the pot that weren't there before; carried the pot to the kitchen and there were two, one inch shoots coming up, very healthy-looking! (total disbelief) I'm glad I didn't toss it any of many times I could have just dumped it because I was totally convinced that it was long dead. I need more orchids that need no care when it's crazy busy at work, and then come up when things slow down!






you can see from the old shoots just how dead I thought the whole plant was





healthy shoots; amazing!


----------



## fbrem (Jun 30, 2012)

They are so awesome, I basically treated mine the same way. I figured that I'd kill them a different way than overwatering this year and to my surprise I had the same result as you, some nice shoots a month or so back. I need to get some more of these, big clumps make a very nice presentation in the fall/late sumer


----------



## likespaphs (Jun 30, 2012)




----------



## NYEric (Jun 30, 2012)

Mine are in bud now. To stop from watering I actually closed them up in zip-lock bags until I see a sprout. Keep us posted.


----------



## SlipperFan (Jun 30, 2012)

I experienced the same thing with my two Habenarias! When they say dormant, they mean dormant!


----------



## cnycharles (Oct 26, 2012)

*growth update*

I was taking some pictures of my pterostylis tonight, so took a pic of my habenaria that has buds now. The leaves are a little brown on the tips since it dried out once or twice a little too much






it's a little tilted since it's in my kitchen window. I turn it every few days to straighten it out


----------



## NYEric (Oct 27, 2012)

Weird timing but good luck.


----------



## cnycharles (Dec 11, 2012)

*flowers update*

well, they look pretty peaked, but they're alive and they flowered. i'm not sure if it's too cool on my kitchen windowsill or if this is a symptom of getting too dry once or twice


----------



## wjs2nd (Dec 11, 2012)

Blooms look nice.


----------



## abax (Dec 12, 2012)

Fantastic color. Now be nice to it.


----------



## JeanLux (Dec 12, 2012)

Lovely!!!! Good job Charles!!!! Jean


----------



## biothanasis (Dec 12, 2012)

Gorgeous!! I like the colour!!!


----------



## paphioboy (Dec 12, 2012)

Habenarias and pecteilis are pretty easy, I find... they can be ignored after the current year's growth has matured and leaves are dying back. Feeding heavily during the short growing season will give you longer spikes and more flowers..


----------



## NYEric (Dec 12, 2012)

paphioboy said:


> Feeding heavily during the short growing season will give you longer spikes and more flowers..


What are you growing them in?


----------



## cnycharles (Dec 12, 2012)

abax said:


> Fantastic color. Now be nice to it.



yes ma'am, i'll do my best 

they are in the same sphagnum that I bought them in two falls ago. I wasn't sure how much fertilizer they would take, so I only gave them one or two light shots of fertilizer. I might give them a light bit more right now hopefully to make them a little stronger (if it's a good idea) before they go completely dormant

if any good suggestions on what to pot them up in for next year, would be happy to hear


----------



## NYEric (Dec 14, 2012)

I have mine in sphagnum also so I dont think heavy fertilizing will work.


----------



## paphioboy (Dec 17, 2012)

NYEric said:


> What are you growing them in?



Charcoal, limestone and soil.


----------



## Cheyenne (Dec 17, 2012)

I grow them in straight promix or 3B. When they go dormant no water till I see little nubs poking out. Then slight water for a few weeks, then off they go.


----------



## cnycharles (Dec 17, 2012)

thanks for the media tips. not sure why leaves/flowers were doing that slow decay unless that was from just not giving enough fertilizer and getting dry


----------



## NYEric (Dec 18, 2012)

My last growths are browning up. Time to put them in baggies!


----------



## cnycharles (Feb 24, 2013)

was looking at my dried up pot of rhodocheila and wondering when people's here usually would start to sprout? I was thinking of putting into a new pot/media before that happened. I remember that nyeric was surprised that mine were starting so late compared to his


----------

