That plant is as ready for spring as I am!

At this point I "tuck in" the roots with a little extra sphag. Catasetum roots like to be fully covered in my experience...

Love the tips of those Neo roots, K-Sci! Very nice!

That deer has expensive taste! Love the pink root tips.

that top Neo pic might be the most beautiful pic ever!


my catasetums have lots of air roots and the ones with certain parentage do that nest of roots thing at the top of the container. i think it has to do with the humidity or lack thereof - they do like their roots wet and covered in detritus

Whoa! Those Neofinetia roots look like delicious candies!

Thank you for the complements on the Neofinetia roots. I'm going to retake the second picture when the roots get longer and will repose.

-Keith

Walkeriana with new roots!

No doubt the deer would have eaten them too if they looked like they do now.
-Keith

Lest a collector that isn't aware think the electric purple-pink root tips are normal for neofinetia, I should mention that the Japanese collect and highly value certain neofinetia falcata mutations, such as these. Some mutated neofinetia falcata sell at prices approaching $1M US. One cause for the high prices is that some mutations are chimera (multiple genotypes in one plant), and so cannot be cloned; they can only be propagated by division. This is especially the case for Fukurin (覆輪) - mutated neofinetia with various white to yellow lengthwise leaf striping).

I think small but flowering size plants of he neofinetia pictured can be purchase from Diamond Orchids and usually have fairly normal orchid prices.

For reference, I've attached a description of the most common root mutations. Sometimes a neofinetia will have more than one root color.
-Keith

I put this Stanhopea in a new basket about 6 months ago, I had to cut it out of the basket today to upgrade.
http://i.imgur.com/Erg5v90.jpg

Two new growths with new roots on RLC 'Sandra's Beau' and a new to me BC Yu Tounge.
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I’ve come to the realization that I’m likely overwatering my plants. This is the cattleya area which is covered in roots. My thinking is that the media in the pots is overly wet forcing the plants to push these massive roots outside of the pots where they can be totally saturated with runoff and then completely dry. I’m not quite sure what to do with these as they all pretty much need to be repotted. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

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They do that when humidity is high, not necessarily if the medium is old.

A lot of people just drop the old pot into a newer pot, ease the roots into the space and backfill with medium. Otherwise wait for new root nubs,remove from the old pot, shake off what old medium falls off and repot, being careful with the long aerial roots. Sometimes soaking them in water for an hour or so softens them.

The tent is around 80% rh so that would make sense. Some of the roots are over a foot long so I’m hesitant to work them into new pots for fear of damaging them or putting them into a wetter environment, though, perhaps that’s a misplaced fear?

At 80% RH, it appears they've decided they're mounted instead of being in a pot. Maybe they're just crying out to you to set them free? :biggrin:

catasetinae roots are going strong! Was moving out some of these outside yesterday and today.

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Also repotting my C. crispa... into a 16 in pot.

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Aslo... I do not know how to grow Epi. parkinsonianum. This one went to the water ICU cup... where it did regain some roots.

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Most people I've read say Epi. parkinsonianum does much better mounted. It grows on tree trunks under the canopy, so relatively low light. In habitat it has very humid and wet summers, and much drier winters: no rain, but occasional dew. I've found it doesn't root well unless humidity is high.

I don't think that Epi parkinsonianum can grow any way EXCEPT mounted... it hangs downward, is rather floppy. I did find that I needed to add some sphagnum to the mount to give it enough moisture. I also have a "composite" one... about 6 plants that were established in sphag in an inverted wood basket. (I don't recall what held the sphagnum in place, since the opening of the basked is downward.. I got it already well established) On that one, roots are all over the wood basket, The plants hang downward freely.

wow Jeff- gelatto in NOOSA! you make me so hungry!

all looking amazing and i see my crispa is heading to a pot like that in a year or two, i really like the square shape!

I got the Epi. parkinsonianum as a bare root division import and immediately mounted. It... did not do well. It would not root and steadily lost its leaves. As a last ditch effort, I threw it in water... and it seems to be responding. Once I get a new growth going in water culture, I may try mounting it again with far more sphag.

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I feel like I bought / ate them just so that I'd have containers for my catasetums, haha. They were delicious!


I couldn't find shallow pots larger than 12 inches (bulb pans and azalea pots) so I had to go to a planter pot specialty shop here that carried enormous bonsai pots. I was debating on using a wire mesh from homedepot but this looks better than anything I can muster.

For that Epi parkinsonianum, this is that "group"... got it from Cal Orchid in early 2017. I think there were about 6 plants in there, puts on a rather good show. The open side of the basket is pointing dowward, it was packed with sphag. For yours, a similar basket sideways - the plant on the "closed" side so it has lots of places to grab, sphag within the basket (held in place with wires, or egg crate or some type of mesh) might do the trick - the sphag stays moist, but the plant can grow the way it wants to go normally.

I'll repeat its habitat is dripping wet most of the summer. I had one growing well on a mount from Andys. It got sprayed with water on a timer every morning. It was eaten by rats.

Thanks, I recently got one from Andy and it is not doing well outdoors... and mine is being bitten by some critter as well. I guess it's tasty. I'll try growing it indoors instead where the humidity is higher. I need those roots!

Any suggestions on what to do with these? Pretty sure they all need to be up-potted. Currently in 7” pots.

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Or hang them up and let them run wild. Clearly they are happy that way. But if they are near where you sleep, beware, they may reach out and strangle you in the night. :rofl:

I suggest they've already decided for you. Hang them up as is and let them ramble, or throw the pot into a basket. They're mounting themselves.

And as Roberta says, keep a sharp pair of shears next to your bedside, if they're anywhere near where you sleep. Just in case.

LOL, you two! I would like to hang them as that seems the way to go to keep them from getting stuck to the drain tub and each other though I’m kind of hitting a space threshold in the tent and will have to rethink/reorg the setup. Appreciate the input and laugh!

Ummmm.... get a bigger tent? :biggrin:

Don’t tempt me! Or I might just have to turn the basement into an orchidarium like clawhammer!

I endorse that solution!

When I repot a catt with a lot of air roots, I make a "nest" with them on the top of the media by wrapping them around the plant while trying not to break anything. Tidies things up and allows the roots to do their thing, at least until new roots take over.

I also vote for a full-basement orchidarium! Go big or go home!

Go big AT home!:rofl:

Nice!

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...DPfFXng-X2.jpg

a well trained samurai is always nice to start with :)

I was trying to guide it into a new pot. Sort of working... Surprising because most of my cattleyas hate pots and try to escape them.

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As for the dying, rootless parkinsonianums..., I threw one in a cup of water, and I wrapped the other one in thick shagnum with a water soak every day. They are now coming back from the brink of death! They really do like to be soaking wet.

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Cattleya maxima
 

This is the highland form of Cattleya maxima. It is more compact than the lowland form, has smaller but more colorful flowers, and also has enough cold tolerance to live outside at my house. (The lowland form definitely needs a greenhouse where I live) And it is a root machine.

Phalaenopsis hygrochila (Hygrochilus parishii)
 

It is now classified as a Phalaenopsis but doesn't grow like one. It still looks like a Vanda, and grows cool - on my patio. With very robust roots. This is one that the taxonomists have had trouble with for awhile... it was Vandopsis parishii (one of the parents of Vandopirea Little one which is now Phalaenopsis Little one), then it was in the monotypic genus Hygrochilus, now lumped into Phalaenopsis. Whatever... And it is fragrant.

roots. do you ever notice how they smell? yes I like the smell of roots too :)