What should I do with a 3 foot Epidendrum?

[TeresaE]

I've had this thing for about a year and a half now and one stalk is 2 feet 6 inches and the other is 3 feet. I am repotting it but I wonder if I can chop this thing in half or something? It's soooooooooooooooo tall!!

[TeresaE]

Oh and it's an Epidendrum Calanthum... with pink flowers.

[Leisurely]

If the two tall canes have bloomed already, cut them back to about four inches from the base and this will inspire new growth from the base. This is the procedure used to keep Epidendrum Radicans from becoming unruly.

[TeresaE]

Originally Posted by Leisurely

If the two tall canes have bloomed already, cut them back to about four inches from the base and this will inspire new growth from the base. This is the procedure used to keep Epidendrum Radicans from becoming unruly.

So cut the roots off as well, at the bottom? That won't kill the plant? Only one has bloomed I think.

[Ray]

NO! (Not healthy ones, anyway)

What you've got is a naturally tall plant, and the cane is the "body" of it. It's not like trimming leaves that get damaged. My first suggestion is to give it to someone who likes the tall plant.

Trimming the cane as Jerry suggested will indeed kill that growth, but it's the damage that induces the survival instinct and forces the new growth, so it still needs its roots to keep it going while it responds.

I recommend that if you must cut it down, only cut old, already-bloomed growths, not all of it.

If you're talking about canes that have grown on top of older canes, and have their own roots, you can always separate them and pot them up.

[TeresaE]

Hmmmmm, thanks Ray! Decisions, decisions!!

I have already taken a baby plant with roots from the mother plant. It's totally growing up the wall. Maybe I will put a picture of it here....

[TeresaE]

Here it is.....LOL! Quite the monster!!

[TeresaE]

Well crap, I transplanted this into a slightly larger pot with coconut fiber and now it doesn't look so hot. Grrrrrr! Maybe I should put it into a basket with more holes? Does it need to dry out more? Argh!