Psychopsis 'Kalihi'

[CLMoss]

Hi All,

Can anyone give me some tips about growing Psychopsis 'Kalihi'? This is my second attempt to try out this orchid with bad results.

OK, I purchased this orchid from Rozanski Orchid House. When I received the orchid it was beautiful! Shortly after I started to lose the older leaves, and then new growth started to die. The plant still look healthy; however, it is not thriving in my environment. The orchid is in the same media that I received it in; large wood chips, charcoal, perlite, a very airy media. His media must have been fine in his Florida greenhouse, but it is not working for me. I feel like the orchid is not anchored well enough, and that the fine roots on this orchid is not appropriate for such large media. Now would be the best time for me to repot; however, I am not sure if it will do well in Spag or a fine bark mix.

I live in the northeast and my orchids are now outside. We have had a lot of rain here, so I recently brought the plant inside. I have a feeling that the new growth was not drying well enough, and that was what was causing the new growth to rot.

Please any feedback will help me with this orchid!

Claudia

 

[John D.]

I have three that are doing well in tree fern with a small amount of perlite. The medium needs to be settled in well which will stabilize the plant in the pot but the tree fern stays open and free draining. It also is long lasting which helps since I hear they don't like the roots to be disturbed.

 

[CLMoss]

Hi John,

Thanks! I have some Osmunda and tree fern (does it look like little sticks?), that I repot in. Is the Osmunda ok?

Claudia

 

[John D.]

Yes "little sticks" is a good description

 

[Hien]

I have a dozen different psychopsis. Including 2 Kalihi.
Some in original medium, some I repot. I did not observe any different health in plants in different mediums
The original potting in different types such as:
-sphagnum
-big bark
-bark & lava rock
-Clay pebble (my repot)
All doing fine, except the two that I repot, which went down hill after I trimmed a lot of their roots, did not let them dry after repot, plus using old KLN that looks like some brown thing grows in it (at the time I thought the KLN solid settle out of the liquid).
Does your new growth dies from too much water & contaminated from the medium ? Does the leaf dies from the top or from the bottom?

 

[CLMoss]

Psychopsis

Yes, Tree Fern Fiber, "little sticks." I hate working with that stuff! But, I did repot with "little sticks' around the roots and the Osmunda around the root ball. Also, I did add some charcoal and perlite. The orchid looks nicely anchored with osmunda surrounding it.

While repotting I got a better look at what the orchid was growing in; large charcoal and perlite with packing peanuts on the bottom. The plant still had nice healthy white roots (growing thru the peanuts). I did have to remove some of the older roots and did break some root (they are fine a brittle), but I am hoping for the best. I have a feeling that it will be a struggle for me to get this plant on the right track after repot.

The die back on the new growth and older growth originated from the bottom. I don't think that it had anything to do with the media breaking down... I feel that it has more to do with too much water that settles into the leaves. The last two new growths I just lost after days of rain, here in the northeast. Also, looking at the plant...it looks beautiful and healthy, it is just not thriving. I see a tan (brown) on the leaves, but I am not sure if that is a problem.

OK, I took this photo of the new growth and older leaves. You have better eyes regarding this problem. Let me know what you think. And how I should proceed with this plant after repot.

BTW, what is KLN?

Thanks!

 

[Hien]

-I had the same problem once, the new growth should be dry, and protected from too much wetness.
-If they die from the bottom. the bacteria rot are from extreme wet medium.
- your medium level looks too high (this will result in rotten leaves)
-your medium looks too wet & too compact (same result)
-the pot look extremely big for that plant size

 

[goldenrose]

Very well put Hein. These guys like little pots, I'll take a pic of mine tomorrow, you will clearly see what Hien means about your pot being extremely big.

 

[goldenrose]

This is Psychopsis papilio probably sanderae due to the lack of pigment. As you can see it is multigrowth/bulb in a 2" pot, in fact pushing out of it's pot!


Take a look at the roots, just what I like to see! This is why it's pushing itself right up! Upon seeing this I did repot in a 2 1/2" pot. I stuffed some spaghnum in the pocket the roots are creating at the bottom. Then I took a popsicle stick & gently added moss around the root ball to fill the gap in the new pot. I have killed 2 of these & one was overpotting. Supposedly they don't like repotting - has anyone ever tried mounting them? Seems like they would be good subjects.

 

[CLMoss]

Wow, thank you for all of this information and your time!

OK, I actually did bring the pot size down with I did the first repot... Maybe that is why the plant did not do will with me...it was already over potted. And now after viewing your photos, I did repot in a much smaller clay pot using the Osmunda. Since I still have some new growth on this plant, I am hoping that it will survive the repot... I am somewhat pessimistic...as I am a windowsill grower, and really can't provide the care that this plant may need. Well for now, I will just hope for the best.

Thanks!
Claudia