Schomburgkia superbiens to mount or not to mount....

[Miller]

I purchased a Schomburgkia superbiens in a two in pot and was wondering if I should mount it now or wait till it get some size on it before i mount it. Also, does it like/need full sun like me Schomburgkia Undulata ? It is really small with leaves less than an inch long.


Thanks!

[Cjcorner]

So far, the Schomburgkia types i've seen thriving were all mounted. However, yours is still small and may benefit from a little more time in it's pot. My schomb's like to go nearly full sun. When I keep them under a tree with dappled shade they do very well. I keep mine in the vanda growing area so it gets misted and watered a little more often as well. Good luck, if you mount it I hope you will update with a picture...

[Miller]

Thanks for the reply, I decided to let it stay in its current setup till maybe next year. I don't want it to die being so small. I have a log that I am going to mount it on next year that should give it lots of growing room.

I have the undulata in full sun from morning till noon then the arbor give it dappled light. It appears to be holding its on since I placed it on a log. It is my first true attempt and mounting so I hope it does well, it will make me feel much better about the smaller guy.

How quickly do they put out roots. I have not notice any on the one I have mounted so far, it does not appear to be deteriorating at the moment. It's been mounted for a few weeks now.

Thanks again!

[Dorsetman]

I am growing several (about 4 or 5) different Schombo' species, all in pots, hanging up with my Vandas. S.rosea now flowers every year, and moyombaea also.S. undulate and S. superbiens are currently in early spike. I have recently had my knuckles rapped ( metaphorically) for labelling them as Schombos - everything is a Laelia (exaggeration, of course)now, it seems. But they all like to be quite big plants before they flower - bulbs as much as 10 inches high - they are mostly growing out of 5 or 6 inch pots - they do seem to like to have exposed roots, which I spray daily.

[Miller]

Dorsetman, thanks for your input. I am really starting to get into these. They seem more suited for my Houston, Texas weather. Soon I may wind up with more than just two of these! I think I will mount it but wait until my travel schedule slows a bit.

Miller

[Dorsetman]

! I think I will mount it but wait until my travel schedule slows a bit.

Miller

You have put your finger on the secret. For years I struggled with mounted orchids - thinking trhat I could get away with watering them when I was at home, and they would put up with the dry days when I was away ; when I stopped travelling ( so much) and they really got attention every day , the difference was tremendous.
Best stick to pots rather than mounts until you are rarely away.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Glad you are leaving this orchid potted for now. It is so small and would require constant attention if mounted...

cheers,
BD

[stefpix]

I think superbiens is a Laelia and Schomburgkias do not exist anymore. They are either Myrmecophila or Laelia.

I have a Laelia superbiens alba. It can take full sun on the roof with no leaf spotting. No blooms yet. in a clay pot with chunky lava rock used for grilling. It is producing fat pseudobulbs and roots. I saw a lot of Myrmecophylas during a recent trip in Quintana Roo state in Mexico. They use them for landscaping. I think full sun there is too much if they are not in the jungle. Some they looked baked. But there was a lot of breeze for the ocean and that may dry the roots and leaves up too much. I was surprised to see some very happy ones in a Mangrove swamp. The plant were totally shaded by the red Mangrove branches and the spikes were long and above the canopy.
I tried to attach some images to show how they grow in the wild but I was not allow as my files were 900 pixel wide and there is a 700 pixel limit.

Anyway potted with coarse media seems good

[Miller]

Yea, I have my Schombergkia/Laelia/Myrmecophila undulata mounted on a log on my deck. I Put it in full sun and the leaves have turned a green yellow color, I've read that is a good thing for this type. I took Bruce's and everyone else's advice and decided to postpone the mounting. Patience is not my strong suit so I am watching that baby as if it will grow 2' in 24 hours so I can mount it! lol

Miller

[stefpix]

I saw really many in the Yucatan peninsula just recently. Those in full sun did not look very healthy. The old pseudobulbs were dead and dry, while those growing in the Mangroves in the shade had many live growths and were spiking. The leaves were yellow.

Those that I saw attached to the trees in front of the beach hotels in Tulum looked too dried up and declining.

Those were all Myrmecophilas, possibly tibicinis. I do not think there are Laelias in the area.

Maybe in full sun they do OK with extra watering. But I was in Tulum, Quintana Roo for 8 days. It did not rain once. Sometimes it was humid but every night was very windy and relatively dry because of that. I have photos that show that. Myrmecophilas there are more common than Brassavola nodosas, Catasetums, Oncidium cebolletas.

I think Laelia superbiens may take more sun and draught than Myrmecophilas. For sure it has plumper pseudobulbs vs hollow and has more and thicker roots