Chiloschista Care Info?

[brianwstephens]

I just ordered chiloschista lunifera and chiloschista parishii—however, the seller doesn’t provide care info. I’ve never tried to grow any of the ghost orchids before so any advice would be greatly appreciated! They are mounted on wood with sphagnum moss.

[Toadwally]

I picked up two mounted unknown spp. from Louisiana Orchid Coll. almost a yr ago. They are under medium light, intermed. temp. I water them a day or so after dry. Humidity above 50%. Growing. I sure like'm. Check Jay Phahl's site for temp. requirement.

[DeaC]

Got my first one 6/22 from Orchid Classics-Chilochista nakompanomensis. It's 2 plants mounted on perforated plastic. Growing under T-5 lights in south window and watered daily, inter. temp. Starting to fertilize and 5 spikes began pushing out ~1 month ago.

[brianwstephens]

Originally Posted by Toadwally

I picked up two mounted unknown spp. from Louisiana Orchid Coll. almost a yr ago. They are under medium light, intermed. temp. I water them a day or so after dry. Humidity above 50%. Growing. I sure like'm. Check Jay Phahl's site for temp. requirement.

Okay great! Do you have them cloched?

---------- Post added at 03:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:41 PM ----------

Originally Posted by DeaC

Got my first one 6/22 from Orchid Classics-Chilochista nakompanomensis. It's 2 plants mounted on perforated plastic. Growing under T-5 lights in south window and watered daily, inter. temp. Starting to fertilize and 5 spikes began pushing out ~1 month ago.

Wow super exciting!!! Do you have them enclosed/cloched?

[Lil Duck]

These orchids like to dry out quickly, I would remove the sphagnum moss and mount them on cork bark or on a good quality hardwood branch. They would do best in a high humidity environment with good air movement. Moderate light levels.

[brianwstephens]

Originally Posted by Lil Duck

These orchids like to dry out quickly, I would remove the sphagnum moss and mount them on cork bark or on a good quality hardwood branch. They would do best in a high humidity environment with good air movement. Moderate light levels.

Ahh thank you so much for that info! So daily watering but let them dry out quickly. Should I just re-mount them bare on the wood?

[Toadwally]

My two are each on their own mount. Nothing between them and mount. They stand in a clear glass vase with holes on sides near bottom. Top of vase open. Wet-dry-wet-dry watering, as with my vandas, dry fast and water within 12-24 hrs generally.

They're growing. If I do well with'em, I'd like to get another.

[Roberta]

My Chiloschista sweelimii came mounted on a plastic grid with roots fully entwined, so I couldn't remove it without damaging them. I just tied it to a new mount - I used a tree fern (hapu'u) slab. It lives in the greenhouse, which is quite humid, watering daily most of the year, every other day in winter when things just don't dry out as fast. It is doing well with nothing on top of the roots, it does seem that they like to dry out. The hapu'u does hold a bit of moisture.

[Lil Duck]

Originally Posted by brianwstephens

Ahh thank you so much for that info! So daily watering but let them dry out quickly. Should I just re-mount them bare on the wood?

Bare on the wood with no cushioning, you want the roots to really grab on. A wood with very textured bark is preferable as this will allow the plant to further anchor itself. Don’t use slabs or planks of wood. Softwood like pines is a no no, too much resin and decomposes too fast.

[DeaC]

No enclosure. Have one of those curtain tension rods by the window and my hangers are suspended from it.