Anyone growing the ghost orchid? - Orchid Board

joe_orch · #1 05-21-2008, 02:08 PM

Hi, If anyone is growing the ghost orchid POLYRRHIZA lindeni I would appreciate it if you would share your growing conditions, such as:

humidity range

temperature range-summer and winter

air circulation

fertilizing schedule and type

I am thinking of trying this orchid and would be interested in your culture-success or failure.

TIA, Joe

Mangifera · #2 05-21-2008, 02:28 PM

Hi Joe: this one is not easy to keep alive; I've killed one already with too much sun. I've got two now mixed in with the shady /warm /moist growing south american species. In the spring and summer I run high humidity (mist 2X a day, 9 am and again at 4 pm.); temps in the atrium reach high 80's / low 90's in middle of summer; 65% shade; I've got a fan running 12 hours a day for circulation. I do not fertilize. In winter, temps here can drop to the mid-40s, but not often. for those three or four months I lower the humidity to one misting in the morning, fan still running 10-12 hours a day. Think about where this thing grows: on twigs, over standing water, in high humidity, warm temp (summer), down to the 40's sporadically in winter (Fakahachee). Hope this is helpful.

Ross · #3 05-21-2008, 02:54 PM

Welcome to the board, Mangifera. Glad you chose to join.

Joe, FLHIKER (Dave) is quite a grower of these and should join in. My experience with one plant so far was a bomb! I threw it away yesterday. I just think the plant was sub par (won't reveil the vendor as I generally get good stuff from them, but the last batch all has been bad.) I hear that the starting condition has a lot to do with successin growing and blooming this orchid. Terrarium or Wardian cases are a must unless you live near it's native area.

Mangifera · #4 05-21-2008, 03:05 PM

Ross, thanks for the welcome! Yes, I think I know the grower, usu. good stuff. My first ghost orchid was from them, but I'm entirely to blame for its demise. I've since read other posts on P. lindenii, and was surprised that they recommended no circulation. As I live near where it grows in nature, keeping humidity up is not a problem, but circulation is necessary for all the other orchids I keep them with. I'm not changing my overall growing conditions for one or two orchids! So far so good, but these are recent acquisitions. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! --M

flhiker · #5 05-21-2008, 03:07 PM

Hi Joe, Here's how I'm growing mine. (I'm sure some people are getting tired of hearing it) After losing a couple by trying to grow them outside as in nature I realized that I don't live in a swamp So I recently bought one at the WOC in Jan. I put in a terrarium with NO fan (as all the things I have read is they like stagnant air) it get natural light and around 50% humidity at day and around 65-70% at night. Since April it started a new root and is about 3/4 inch long now.
I visit plants in the wild regularly.

Swamper · #6 05-21-2008, 03:24 PM

Gotta love ghost lovers. Let me know how it goes with your growing them. I would think after years of so many people attempting them it would be getting easier. I gues in comparison to the other orchids it's still in its infancy? Then again it was discovered many years ago. I know pretty soon I am goint to try to grow one.In the meantime I will just keep taking pictures. Keep us posted

flhiker · #7 05-21-2008, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mangifera

Ross, thanks for the welcome! Yes, I think I know the grower, usu. good stuff. My first ghost orchid was from them, but I'm entirely to blame for its demise. I've since read other posts on P. lindenii, and was surprised that they recommended no circulation. As I live near where it grows in nature, keeping humidity up is not a problem, but circulation is necessary for all the other orchids I keep them with. I'm not changing my overall growing conditions for one or two orchids! So far so good, but these are recent acquisitions. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! --M

and Welcome, If I might suggest is if you could put it somewhere in the atrium where it does not get direct air as this tens to dry the roots out to quickly. The plants I see in the wild do better where they have a lot of shade which means dense trees. (less air) Remember these are leafless and have no-way to reserve moisture, as most of your other plants probably have some sort of medium around the roots. I have heard of someone growing it in a milk jug so to avoid air movement in there GH. I hope this helps and please keep us informed on how you do with it.

Mangifera · #8 05-21-2008, 03:49 PM

flhiker -- thank your for your welcome! Now that is a cool idea -- putting it in a milk jug to cut down on circulation! The humidity stays pretty high in my little atrium, but yes, you are right, the other orchids have some sort of medium around them so staying moist is not problematic for them. Your suggestion to move it to a place where it won't get so dried out is a good one. I am already liking this Orchid forum thing. --M

gands · #9 05-21-2008, 08:05 PM

I grew one for several years hanging in a white 5 gallon bucket that I kept about a gallon of water in. I kept this under the Phal bench, it got very little to no air movement down there and the water got allot of algae in it. It grew great and I wish I would have never moved it...........when I did it died.

flhiker · #10 05-21-2008, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gands

I grew one for several years hanging in a white 5 gallon bucket that I kept about a gallon of water in. I kept this under the Phal bench, it got very little to no air movement down there and the water got allot of algae in it. It grew great and I wish I would have never moved it...........when I did it died.

They are touchy