My problematic Orchids .... Can you Help?

[NeoNJ]

Here are some of my problematic orchids at the moment - These are the orchids that have not bloomed, and don't show any indication that they ever will :

- Eurychone rothschildiana - this thing just doesn't and hasn't bloomed. Mounted plant.

- Amesiella monticola - a very stubborn orchid, not sure why this plant will not grow or bloom - has what appears to be "buds" but they just sit there doing nothing. Mounted plant.

- Angraecum leonis - Also a very frustrating plant! Grows a new leaf occassionally, but refuses to bloom! Mounted plant.

- Aerangis citrata - In spike - 2 spikes - no flower buds - so, the 2 spikes just sit there - they are about 7-8 inches in length - WHAT on earth is this plant doing ? Mounted plant.

- Angraecum longiscott - I have 2 plants - total Duds! grow leaves but have never bloomed. They are moving ever closer to the trash can!

- Aerangis mystacidii - the last of my very frustating orchids. Doing nothing. Has not grown new leaves, has not bloomed. Mounted. Also close to being trashed.

If anyone has grown any of these, please let me know.

 

[Erythrone]

Amesiella: a friend told me that spikes take months to grow. The spike bud sits and wait..... Mine has a small bud that didn't change since many months.

Angraecum leonis: I give mine a lot of light. Grown intermediate-cool in winter (min 13 C).

Aerangis citrata: the spike is slow to grow (I think it looks like a rodent tail). The tiny buds are slow to appear. Don't despair!

 

[cnycharles]

Are your plants grown under lights? I've read about your growing conditions in the past but I can't remember at the moment. I know that I've had problems with angraecoids in the past if I didn't have sufficient humidity, or enough of a temperature change (problem with growing under lights). Also, if you don't want any of your plants, i'm sure people here would be willing to give them a try.

orchids limited says to grow eurychone like a phal, and sometimes increasing light or cooling at night can help to promote flowering

also found where someone had a record blooming for their mystacidii when they had a hot, humid summer, so increasing both might be helpful for this and other angraecoids

 

[goods]

I grow or have grown all of the plants you have listed. High humidity and good water are essential for Angraecoids to thrive.

Eurychone- I've grown them in conditions that Phals would theoretically like. My Phals die, this one blooms. I've grown it mounted with very little if any moss, watered daily, high humidity, Phal light.

Amesiella- This one likes it cool. I've sent mine into a decline pretty quick trying to grow it outdoors in Louisiana

Angraecum leonis- Similar to the Eurychone, but this one likes higher light, same watering schedule as the Eurychone.

citrata and mystacidii- Same as the Eurychone

Angraecum longiscott- I don't have this one, but I grow scottianum. It likes a pretty high amount of light for an Ang, watering similar to the others, mounted.

I think some of the keys to successful growth and flowering is high humidity and good water. Many of these also come from Africa/ Madagascar where they experience monsoonal conditions. When the roots stop growing actively, cut back on water and drop the night temps some. That should induce flowers.

 

[SlipperFan]

I think the big thing is to look at how you are growing each plant and decide what you could do different that might make a difference: more light? cooler or warmer temps? More or less water? But only change one thing at a time.

If all else fails, don't put them in the trash -- donate them to the Slippertalk auction.

 

[NeoNJ]

Hmmmm......they all grow mounted with bright sun in the AM until 1PM each day. Humidity? Blah! I don't concern myself about that, although I do have a humidifer near them, it's really only used for Winter. So, to conclude, they all get bright light - the Eurychone should not be givin' me the grief it is because I have ideal Phal conditions here.

The Ang. leonis is in full sunlight - so does it need brighter than that ? Duh!
Something just ain't workin' for this plant. Infact the bright sunlight has bleached out my Paphs and Phrags, so I know it is pretty darn bright where all these plants are growing.

I can offer them all the water they want, but can not offer them the 60% or 70% Humidity they may want or require. So, that gives me the answer as to why these orchids are not doing well for me .

 

[goods]

I don't see how humidity is affecting flower formation though. Do you see any active root growth?

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

It may be the mounting. I have Eurychone rothchildiana, and it blooms regularly....does better than my one remaining phal. However, it's potted. My first attempt was with a mounted plant. It lasted less than a year. I've also grown Angraecum leonis, which was a very frustrating experience. It grew well, and spiked every year. However, I find Angraecum requires more humidity than I can provide. It bloomed successfully only once...all other years the buds blasted. I also had A. sesquipedale. I never saw a bloom, even though it spiked every year. Both were potted. I ended up giving them away.

 

[NeoNJ]

It may be the mounting. I have Eurychone rothchildiana, and it blooms regularly....does better than my one remaining phal. However, it's potted. My first attempt was with a mounted plant. It lasted less than a year. I've also grown Angraecum leonis, which was a very frustrating experience. It grew well, and spiked every year. However, I find Angraecum requires more humidity than I can provide. It bloomed successfully only once...all other years the buds blasted. I also had A. sesquipedale. I never saw a bloom, even though it spiked every year. Both were potted. I ended up giving them away.

Wow. That's funny, because just this past December, I had two A. sesquipedale spike and bud up --- only to have all of the buds blast. I was devastated. But, like you, I think my problem is the humidity. Funny thing is I also grow Masdevallia, but that growing area has a larger ultrasonic Humidifier by the plants. Surprisingly, the mounted Masdevallia are doing beautifully. My Angraecum just aren't doing it, and I think the humidity or lack thereof is the problem. Thanks for your feedback.

 

[NeoNJ]

I don't see how humidity is affecting flower formation though. Do you see any active root growth?

Yes, on the mounted Angraecum I am seeing root growth, some leaf growth, although it takes months for a leaf to mature.

 

[NeoNJ]

I think the big thing is to look at how you are growing each plant and decide what you could do different that might make a difference: more light? cooler or warmer temps? More or less water? But only change one thing at a time.

If all else fails, don't put them in the trash -- donate them to the Slippertalk auction.

I guess my concern is that I do see the plants growing - root growth, new leaf growth - I just don't see the plants blooming - and I've had these orchids for well over a year - they were BS when I purchased them, so I'm figuring I should have at least had one bloom cycle with them. I water them daily, they get bright light. Makes me think it's temps and humidity.

 

[NYEric]

My advice to you would be to be patient. I'm sure you've read the posts here about plants that have taken 10-15 years to bloom; that includes BS plants. Unless you have a major cultural issue, running around switching things looking for a miracle bloom factor will probably not work and might hinder the plants progress.

 

[SlipperFan]

Also, vendors sell plants that are BS -- and that is their best guess. But there is no guarantee. If you've had the plants for only a year, I suspect you'll be seeing blooms within the next year.

 

[NeoNJ]

Also, vendors sell plants that are BS -- and that is their best guess. But there is no guarantee. If you've had the plants for only a year, I suspect you'll be seeing blooms within the next year.

LOL, I hope so Dot, because NYERIC caused me to have a total panic attack contemplating having to wait 15-years for a bloom !
If I thought for one minute that that could be a reality, I would go back to growing African Violets tomorrow and trash every orchid plant I own !
LOL, LOL, LOL.

 

[SlipperFan]

Oh, don't do that! You wait and see -- your patience and efforts will be rewarded!

 

[goods]

I think if you see plant and root growth, you should be ok with humidity. Either your plants are still too young, or you need to drop your night temps in the winter. If you don't get flowers this year try to give them a cooler, *slightly* drier winter and see if that doesn't help.

 

[NeoNJ]

I think if you see plant and root growth, you should be ok with humidity. Either your plants are still too young, or you need to drop your night temps in the winter. If you don't get flowers this year try to give them a cooler, *slightly* drier winter and see if that doesn't help.

Well, this year, I stuck a "red flag" in all of the pots that required a so-called Winter rest. I knew which ones to flag, because I did research on them. Most of my collection is Slipper orchids, but as indicated in my initial post, I do have alot of Aerangis/Angraecum, and a few odd-balls thrown in.

This morning, I found a tiny white opened flower on my Aerangis distichum,
and buds on my Aerangis hyaloides (sp).

 

[SlipperFan]

See? They heard you!