Dang it, Enc. cochleatum is supposed to be easy!

[swamprad]

I recently got an Encyclia cochleatum. You know, I've loved this orchid since I was a teenager and saw it growing on trees in south Florida. It's easy to grow, almost a weed, right? Well, my plant is blooming, and as each successive bloom tries to open, the sepals and petals are stuck together at their tips, and can't open. I try prying them open with a toothpick, which works fairly well, but the next bloom does the same thing. What is going on here?!?!?

 

[Bluefirepegasus]

Oooooo.....hmmm...are the blossoms nice and dry? No other textures on the petals like sticky surface? If they are dry, then maybe it is a mutation of the plant because it may not be happy? I have got an onc. that is blooming all funny because it did not get enough water with its previous owner. Where did you get your plant from?

Bluefirepegasus

 

[JeanLux]

maybe too low humidity!?; I have one flowering since more than 1 year, the plant likes it wet.

 

[Candace]

Mark, I've had this happen sometimes on my cattleyas when my humidity drops or when they needed watering and didn't get it, so I agree with Jean. My cochleatum is in semi-hydro(of course) and it really sucks up the water.

 

[NYEric]

s/h recruitment ploy!

 

[SlipperFan]

Mark, I've had this happen sometimes on my cattleyas when my humidity drops or when they needed watering and didn't get it, so I agree with Jean. My cochleatum is in semi-hydro(of course) and it really sucks up the water.

Ditto.

 

[Gilda]

They do like semi hydro...mine has been booming for a year..non stop !

 

[joan]

Wow. Blooming a year non stop!! Isn't that a bit unusual??

 

[Gilda]

Wow. Blooming a year non stop!! Isn't that a bit unusual??

That's what I thought ! I placed it into semi hydro when I thought it was done blooming..cut the spikes etc., a month or so later here came a spike, and then another ...that was about a year ago ! It has bloomed non stop from the same 2 spikes all year ! One concern...I have not seen a new growth ..lots of root growth though.

 

[goldenrose]

it's OBVIOUSLY very happy!