spathoglottis plicata

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has raised a spathoglottis plicata (or what I'm told is also known as the peach boat orchid)? I purchased a seedling but i cannot find any recommended care regiments... I purchased a little phal schilleriana from VONS supermarket for $5 and it shrivelled and withered despite all my attempts to save it, I potted it into perlite s/h last week, and now I could bounce a quarter off the leaves. The roots are so fat and green they look as though they are about to burst... This makes me think the plicata might do well in s/h, but since it is terrestrial in habit I dont know if it can handle the moisture? Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

__________________
Drew

I don't have much experience in growing Spath. In Philippines, we plant them on the ground ( use them as borders) and they don't require much attention. Here in Hong Kong, I grow them in pots using a mixture of peat moss and bark. I water them before the medium get completely dry, but thats not always the case in summer because they are growing outside and well, when it rains they get wet. In winter, I protect them from the cold and the occasional rain. They seem to go into some kind of dormancy, (I'm sure this does NOT happen inside a warm g/h but this happens if the plant is left outside in winter) take care that the plant does not loss all its leaves during this time. If this happen, you are left with just the bulb and that bulb will not grow leaves again, instead it will produce shoots and you have to wait another year for the new growth to mature.
They can take direct sunlight. In fact, they seem to have more flowers if they are under direct sunlight at least half of the day.

I have never grown this plant from seedling, but I'm sure someone else would share what they know.

I have two, which I just got recently. They've been blooming off and on for maybe a month now. Seems to me they like to be quite wet. I water them once a week, and they are in little trays, so they have some resevoir to draw on, which they do. The resevoirs are always dry within the week. I've read they like to be very wet when 'in active growth' (which mine are), so it seems they might like a bit of a drier period when they're not actively growing.

That's all I know. You putting yours outside?

__________________
I am trying to hurt your dog.

Sue,

I have it outside under a tarp that covers it from half of the day's sun. I went ahead and potted it into a semi hydro pot with some perlite and a 30% 20-20-20- fert. When I repotted it, I saw that it had a few really good roots and many so-so looking ones. It was originally in a location allowing more sun, the leaf tips were starting to burn so I moved it with my cymbidiums. Do you have the same problem?

__________________
Drew

i have a seed pod almost mature (2-3weeks) anyone want it? PM me.

Mine need to be repotted, have lots of "freckles," and have all kinds of leaf tip burn. I'm not sure if I'm giving them too much light or if they just do that even if you treat them right. With younger plants you're right to err on the side of caution. If I knew more, I might be able to give better advice, but unfortunately . . .

Hope it works out for you. If not, maybe I'll trade you something for one of mine.

__________________
I am trying to hurt your dog.