What a beautiful color...but is it too much?

[rbarata]

My anceps tanned by the winter sun...but I wonder if it is too much.
My feeling says it's not. It's growing outside benefiting from what I call "anceps weather": low temps (14 to 2ºC / 57 to 35 F) and clear skies with full sun all day (with low RH there's an increase of UV intensity that might explain this color). In the past days I've been sheltering it indoors as there's some frost going on.
Note: the sunburned leaves happened in summer under full sun with temps over 40ºC (104 F).

Enjoy!

[Louis_W]

In my opinion anything short of burning is fine. Dont be afraid of the red, especially for anceps

[rbarata]

I'm only asking because this plant grows outside and stands full sun all day (with scorching hot summers) and this has never happened.

[WaterWitchin]

I'm with Louis W, and anceps is a darned high light plant anyway. Looks great to me. If this is first time it's reddened up this much, I'll be very interested to see if you get more profuse blooms. Keep us posted.

I have some Tolumnia that have been growing in same spot in a south window, same extra light resource, for third year. I noticed this winter they're redder than I've EVER seen them. Same with some Brassavola. Interesting, right?

[Louis_W]

Hmm im not sure about the sudden change... so the plant has been through the same conditions for muliple years and has never turned red in the past?

[Roberta]

I would consider that color an indication that it's pushing the limits... The plant may be able to "tolerate" it, but not "like" it. Is it possible to move it to where it doesn't get so many hours of full sun? Or else perhaps some light shade cloth (like 30% or 40%)

[WaterWitchin]

I defer to Roberta.

LouisW... that was my interpretation of what rbarata was saying. I could easily have misunderstood. We'll await his response, si?

[rbarata]

Yes, this is the first time it get this color. This year I have left it under almost freezing temps at night. That's the only significant change from previous years.

[Gardening in WM]

Hi,
I had a similar concern with a vanda last year and this was the best article I found at the time detailing the different possible reasons to help figure it out.

Why Is My Orchid Leaf Turning Red? 5 Reasons and Remedies – Orchideria

I am not as experienced as others saying it isn't a concern but if mine turned that color I would think my dog had accidentally sat on it.

Where there is green there is hope right so I'd start by seeing if you can get some green back into this one.

I think from my limited experience you have a trifecta of problems going on. The cold will have caused set back, lack of proper feeding as detailed in the article will cause sugars to build up in the leaves and you are giving it a lot of light which puts added strain on a plant. It basically needs more nutrients the more light it gets so any nutritional problem occurs more under higher intensity, if you give too much light one can get away with it if one uses fans to cool the leaves but also one has to feed more accordingly to keep up with increased demand.

The article also mentions problems with the media will increase these problems.

I would not ignore it if this has suddenly occurred this year in the same conditions it was in in previous years. I would give it less light temporarily, maybe repot it and maybe think about feeding it according to what the leaves are telling you. I believe as orchid growers we should be able to observe the leaves and diagnose what the plant needs. One of the biggest challenges is knowing whether a color is normal natural pigmentation or it it is a problem but I think this one has gone beyond a normal pigmentation.

I do grow an anceps and my leaves are much greener. Mine is still young so I can't say if I will ever get it to flower but from my research it seems to do fine in lower light too, ie what other cattleyas need, not necessarily any more.

[Roberta]

Laelia anceps are tough... it got really hot last summer, then with the chill, some stress. Those white walls certainly can add to the effect. (I have never managed to toast a L. anceps leaf, I have certainly done so for less hardy types) But I do have light shade cloth over my "bright" area where I grow the L anceps and Cymbidums.

Note that L. anceps leaves are nearly vertical - which reduces their exposure, that's one way they cope with intense sun. A relatively sudden change of sun angle (if the heat hit at a different month than usual) may have let some leaves get a broad-side assault. In general, I have found that a hot spell in fall - with lower sun angle but still intense - can hit plants that have done just fine for years. Bad timing. I note that the lower leaves are nice and green.