Encylia Alata_Delayed Summertime Blues

[Dallasgarden]

I got one of these as a bag baby more than a year ago and hung/mounted it. Last year it grew a large, large new pbulb but this Spring no spike. (Nothing all summer for that matter.) It has grown another huge bulb this summer plus is starting on a third! My question. Is there a trick to getting these to bloom? Why didn't mine bloom this year? It's obviously getting plenty of light and having huge growth and tons of roots...anyone with experience on this encyclia?

[Brutal_Dreamer]

New growth can happen even if the orchid is not getting enough light. Try giving it more light. Slowly moving it into higher light levels so as to not burn it is the best way to do this. 9 times out of 10 when something is not blooming, but is growing well, it is a light issue. I will let someone else tell you if it needs a cool down, but I do not believe this to be the case. And finally, maybe it is not mature enough to bloom? Sometimes, depending on the species, an orchid must be a few years old before it can actually bloom. Best of luck.

Cheers,
BD

[Ron-NY]

High light is the trick with most of this genus. Mine blooms annually. I have it in a plastic basket with a quick draining medium.

[Dallasgarden]

Okay, it always helps to have a picture. This shows the plant mounted on a 12 inch x 12 inch fiber. The circled area shows the new growth that I had last year but didn't bloom this Spring. It's a bad angle because it really is a large pbulb. The square area shows an entire new growth this year (same size as last year) plus a second growth just starting to peep out. It certainly seems large enough to bloom and it's getting just as much sun as my encyclia tempensis and encyclia aspera both of which bloomed for me.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

From the photo I would agree it is large enough to bloom, but it is dark green in color; that says it needs more light. The light green of the new growth in the rectangle of the photo is the color you should shoot for to get it to bloom. I recommend moving it into higher light. The orchid is healthy and well watered and fed, but needs more light to bloom. JMHO

Cheers,
BD

[Dallasgarden]

BD,
Does this type of Encyclia require "alata" more light than the others that I have? I also have a Encyclia Cochleata which is blooming it's head off!

[Ron-NY]

my alata definitely gets more light than my cochleata. My cochleata sits with my Phrags....alata hangs high in the greenhouse in the southeast corner, under 50% shade cloth but it gets unshaded morning light from the east and south wall.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Thanks, Ron.

Cheers,
BD