Suffering Leptotes bicolor

[Shizenyasuya]

Originally Posted by c123anderson

Here’s my leptotes bicolor.

Thank you so much

[c123anderson]

After watering this morning and examining my leptotes bicolor, I thought I'd take another look online at information.

I had looked at the AOS site for care and culture at Leptotes. It's good for information on how to raise and care for the plant.

Looking at Travaldo's blog at Leptotes bicolor care and culture | Travaldo's blog, I found a statement under Substrate, growing media and repotting: that says, "The newly-fixed plants sometimes need up to a year or even two to stabilize." This seems to be in reference repotting the plant, though I could be reading it incorrectly.

When I first received the plant about 4 months ago (first picture), it was seemingly just sitting on top of a pile of orchid bark in a small pot. The roots looked iffy, at best at that time, so I just let it rest in its new home and watched for growth. Unfortunately it wasn't stable sitting on top of media and seemed to be declining. The second picture is of the plant right before mounting. Whatever roots were there before were damaged at that point. The mounting was to stabilize it and allow it to spread out. The third image is the mount 2 months ago. There doesn't seem to be a lot of change in 2 months ... but there's not decline, either (some new growth).

One last place I found that may be helpful: J&L orchids blog post, Spotting the differences in a Leptotes bicolor at Spotting the differences in a Leptotes bicolor. - J&L Orchids. The images give
some direction on identifying new growth and new spikes which could be helpful.

I hope this is helpful information. As always, I learn something when I share, so thank you for your question.

[Optimist]

I always mess up the period of dormancy. When I see a "pencil shaped" leaf, I see a lot of stored energy-- a desert type plant. I think I'd just provide mist, and since you are not in the desert, (in Washington) wait for for the growing tips to start again. As long as the orchid has a food supply, (filled bulb) it will be okay till roots start to grow. I almost think that roots get a bit lazy if there is plentiful H20.

[Roberta]

I don't think that Leptotes bicolor or any other Leptotes has any sort of dormancy. It needs water all the time. And if it is potted the way it needs to be (fast drying medium) or mounted, you really can't overwater it. My mounted Leptotes all get watered every day even in winter (but they're dry in a couple of hours) If potted, I recommend a basket - then you can use something like sphagnum, which in the basket will dry fast, Tben it may go for two or three days between waterings, so that it dries out (or nearly dries out)