Scomburgkia species in a temperate zone place

[Dorsetman]

The question is, how to provide good conditions for Schomburgkias. From the look of them they need high light, and maybe they need a long hard rest too ; I have about five different species , which I put into in pots of medium bark, watering sparsely , and sprayed frequently - that produced lots of new growths, and masses of roots, and I also got spathes - but mostly no flowers - I think I have had one spike in maybe 4 years. So this year I tried drying them off, and watering ( no spraying) very sparsely - now I have had new growths hanging about most of the year, but never producing a root at all.

BTW I fell I love with them when I stumbled across a mini orchid show, apparently composed entirely of these things, in a small town in Venezuela, but maybe it was siesta time, since I could not find anyone to talk to about them. Imagine a head of flowers like a big round football 18 inches across, with lots and lots of flowers facing the outside of the "ball - admittedly on a rather long flower stem ( 6 feet ? ) and eachcattleya-like flower maybe 3-4 inches .

As you'll see I grow in UK -but I can provide good light all the year via my supplementary Gro-Lux lamps.

[Daethen]

I have only seen pictures of these, but I am already in love with them. I just don't have the room to even try to grow something that has a 6 ft. flower spike. Maybe someday I will get lucky enough to have a greenhouse and things will change.

[Cjcorner]

I have a few...but am rather a newbie at schomb's. I love their flowers...their hardy nature and the way they grow on anything. I just took my tibicinis that is way overgrown on a piece of cork and laid it on a interesting mixture. I'm hoping the new growths will find their way into the pot...as i'm not sure what to do about the cork. Do I slice the back off with all those roots attached?? Or cut holes through where I can?? I'm going to give it some time and see if it likes the new set up better. I experiment with different types of pots, mounts...etc. If we didn't have to worry about cold snaps i'd attach the big things to my tree out front with all the spanish moss on it. We need someone that grows them succesfully to come help us with some advice it seems. lol

[Dorsetman]

Yes, it is the big size which makes them a no-no for many growers, but hey, there must be more than just two of us with a bit of space ! Why, one of the shows I went to earlier this year, in Uk, there was a guy selling Grammatophyllum species - and I have seen them with canes taller than I am ( 5 ft 10in) and a flower spike I could stand beneath - and he was actually selling them....I even bought one myself - fool of an optimist than I am - the guy told me that were a little prone to rot off - "a little" ? The thing was dead before it got on to the bench the next day.
But wahtever - what we want here is some advice from someone who grows them - come on guys !

[delphiguy]

I just got recently, im still a newbie myself in growing Scomburgkia... but i treat it like i
treat my terete vandas.... full sun whole day, lots of water.... I've got it potted with only
a handful of charcoal as media. Hopefully what im doing is right cant wait for it to rebloom
under my care.

[zainal abidin]

Hi Geoff, I kill my self because of the infection but my friend was successfully grown this species and come out a big bunch of flowers almost every mature new pseudobulb. This plant basically need the bright light, warm temperature, well drainage media such as charcoal , some bricks to support the plants later ( very huge) and the big pot with multiples holes to encourage air movement. The most important thing you need to eradicate whatever infection around the plant which may affect the growth of root system and young shoot.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

I have one, but it is still a seedling. I give it vanda/ cattleya light and grow it like a cattleya. It is potted in a bark mix. I have many years to wait for this one to bloom though.

Cheers,
BD