Basic Epidendrum Question

[Alan Sailer]

Sorry if this has been answered before but I made a brief search and didn't find an answer.

Briefly, when an epidendrum flowers and then dies off (which can take a very long time) what do you do with the
branch? Leave it be? Cut it off?

The only reason I ask is that some of those branches are very long and kind of crazy looking.

Cheers.

[SG in CR]

Probably depends on the species/hybrid. But in my experience the Epidendrums that the stem stays alive after blooming will oftentimes rebloom from that stem later. Some will often produce keikis on the stem after blooming as well. If you cut it off you'll be encouraging a new growth from the base.
edit: If you post a picture of the plant people can probably give you more specific advice.

[estación seca]

Yes to what SG says.

The already-flowered stem will retain its leaves for several years, feeding the plant. It is highly likely it will produce new growths from the nodes well up in the air. These growths can flower, then produce more growths.... The plant will also make new growths from the base.

Some reed-stem Epi species and hybrids may grow to 8 feet / 2.5 meters tall, or more, though hybridizers are trying to produce much smaller plants for windowsills. People often grow these in relatively narrow pots, and tie together the growths so they take up less horizontal space.

How people grow them depends on how much space they have. I suspect in Camarillo you could grow them outside all year, eventually in a very large pot, if you protected them from heavy winter rain - the kind you had in southern California 40 years ago. My father in San Clemente had a gigantic bed of reed-stemmed Epis of all colors in his back yard. His soil was essentially fine alluvial sand, like most of coastal California.

People with limited pot space might wait until new growths from the base are well-established, say 6" long, then trim off the very oldest stems. Always leave the stem from which a new growth is arising.

Reed-stemmed Epis are more tolerant of rough treatment than many other orchids. When you repot you don't need to worry about getting all the old medium out of the root mass. You can unpot the plant, shake off what comes easily, set the plant into the new pot, then refill around it with new medium.

The new plantlets on the stems may be removed and potted up when they have a substantial roots system. You can trade them with plant friends.

[Alan Sailer]

Thank you very much.

I'll leave the long scraggly growth until there are significant side stems. If the old stem does reflower so much the better.

After years of neglect I'm taking a more active role in nurturing a half dozen epidendrums. I have cut and replanted several plantlets and they are all doing well.

I suspect the extra heat in Camarillo is hurting their growth. I have a friend in Ventura (typically 5-10F cooler) that has a few very vigorous plants. He doesn't dote on them, just water and fertilizer. Mine always look like they are struggling. But I am trying to treat them better.

My wife tried for many years to grow datura in Camarillo. Failed. Her friend in Ventura has a ten foot sized plant that is thriving. Same story with berry vines...it just that bit hotter and drier in Camarillo.

I wish I had more sandy soil. Clay, baby, alkaline clay.

Cheers.

[Louis_W]

Just in case there is any confusion about this:

There are green stems with leaves which should be left alone. They continue to photosynthesis and make the plant stronger.

Then, there are the blooming stalks which arise from the top of the leafy stem. When those are finished they turn bown and you can cut them off above the top leaf. I'm guessing your plant has a whole bunch of dry stalks sticking out everywhere and you can totally cut those off

Does that make sense?

[Roberta]

Clay soil is why I don't even try to grow orchids (like reed-stem Epis) in it. My reed-stem Epis get Cymbidium mix. Fertilzer not so much, but then that is true of most of what I grow. (And they seem to grow anyway) I do have a clump of Bletilla striata, that I started in some decent potting soil in the ground that has spread out into the clay and seems happy. But otherwise, the stuff is better for building houses than growing things... I can't even dig a decent hole in it without a mattock axe - the pointed end.

[Alan Sailer]

Louis_W,

Clear. In fact why I asked the question is that after a search for epi info I found a site that said cut off the stem after it flowers. It was unclear to me what stem meant.

Leaving the green leaved stem after the flowering makes great sense. It's still gathering sun and giving energuy to the plant so let it be.

Roberta,

The local soil is a pain. Another pain is seeing other lush looking epis growing out of the ground as I bike around town. Seeing all these great looking plants inspired me to make another go of my messy, stunted plants. They are all in pots and now getting regular water/fertilizer cycles. I hope by next season to be seeing improvements.

Cheers.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Alan Sailer

Leaving the green leaved stem after the flowering makes great sense. It's still gathering sun and giving energuy to the plant so let it be.

Another reason to leave the stem... the top part that had the flowers may be fairly useless, but farther down, even if it looks rather dead, it's likely to be still green. Think of it as a pseudobulb, serves the same function. When the really spent part turns brown, it's brittle and you can snap it off, leaving the useful part of the plant. I learned that on Barkeria, a relative of Epidendrum. I cut what looked dead, found that it was green, is actually the part needed to generate the following year's plant and flowers. After a few "Oh sh@#$#%" reactions and plants that were set back, I learned to not cut things... when they're really done they're easy to break off - a year later when the new growth is well underway.

[Alan Sailer]

Roberta,

Yes. thanks for reminding me. A few months back I trimmed a dead looking epidendrum stem only to see green inside. It was only a few inches but still...

I'll keep the snap rather than cut to heart.

Cheers.