Diplocaulobium chrysotropsis Care - Orchid Board

Mercurianmad · #1 12-26-2020, 03:19 PM

Hey guys. I’m thinking of getting a Diplocaulobium chrysotropsis mounted on tree fern. Can I keep it in my environment? Fairly dry where I live, indoors, even with humidifiers it only reaches 30% rh under the humidifier. Temperature range 60 to 74 degrees. Light would be from LEDs and I have low (phals), medium (oncidium, Christmas cactus) and high (cymbidium, vanda, cattalya) light areas.

My plants dry out regularly and are watered regularly. I have no mounted plants so this would be a first. The vandas are growing nicely in vanda pots covered by AAA New Zealand spag and are watered every day, whereas the oncidiums planted in small bark chip are watered every 3 days. The rest are in lightly packed AAA New Zealand Spag and are watered every week to 2 weeks.

So. Can I grow this plant in my dry set up? Will it need to be dunked every day like the vandas? I will have to carry to the sink to water unless they can survive by misting lightly.

And how do I give it more space to grow? Once it exceeds its piece of tree fern? All growing specs I’ve found for this plant online have been from people in tropical places, not dry dry california.

Thank you!

estación seca · #2 12-26-2020, 03:41 PM

I haven't been able to keep any mounts alive in my house, and the humidity is a little higher than yours. Maybe in a terrarium.

Mercurianmad · #3 12-26-2020, 04:12 PM

Good to know! Are there any miniatures that you like for your environment?

estación seca · #4 12-26-2020, 05:13 PM

Mini Phal hybrids seem to do OK in my house. Some Dockrillias like prenticei, linguiforme and torressae do well in bright shade, like a kitchen window. It's easy to run water over them a few times a day by the sink. Most minis can't tolerate low humidity.

---------- Post added at 02:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:37 PM ----------

Mini Phal hybrids seem to do OK in my house. Some Dockrillias like prenticei, linguiforme and torressae do well in bright shade, like a kitchen window. It's easy to run water over them a few times a day by the sink. Most minis can't tolerate low humidity.

Mr.Fakename · #5 12-26-2020, 05:38 PM

I can't offer insight on Diplocaulobium chrysotropsis, but I have some mounts in a low humidity environment.
Even though RH is much lower than what they would encounter in nature, they're doing pretty good. The main issue is bud blast.

I made sure the species I grow mounted are drought-tolerant, and they're watered daily.

If the plant you're after is not too finicky, it should be possible.

DirtyCoconuts · #6 12-26-2020, 07:10 PM

I have one diplo. Something with a t. I can’t remember.

It’s in a pot and I am struggling to keep it very happy.

It’s very humid here

Roberta · #7 12-26-2020, 09:33 PM

For a first mounted plant, I'd suggest picking something that has a bit more "drought resistance". Dcm. chrysotropsis comes from Papua-New Guinea, from a very humid area. (The whole island is really humid, actually, low elevations are hot and wet and higher elevations are cold and wet. "Wet" is the commonality.) The Cattleya tribe has lots of candidates, also lots of Dendrobiums that go deciduous in winter likely are fine. But on general principles, when you are going to push the envelope with regard to your conditions vs, what a plant wants or can at least tolerate, I'd suggest starting with something more forgiving. There are lots and lots of choices. Master a few of those, then push the envelope a bit further, to find out what you can get away with.

DeaC · #8 12-27-2020, 01:01 PM

Hello. Bought my Diplo. pulvilliferum some 5-6 yrs ago on a 2x6" treefern mount. It hangs above kitchen sink so I remember to water ev. day or so. Gets bright light a few hrs. daily but mostly is in lower light. Bloom for me about ev. 2 months but they last only 12 hrs and turn a lovely pink before dropping off. A nice contrast from the white, starry shape with yellowy keels. Aerial roots are many so guess I'll "need a bigger boat" at some point.