Restrepia lankesteri. new leaves stop growing and die.

[AdamSeward]

I’ve had a Restrepia lankesteri (now lumped into R. trichoglossa) for the last three years. It’s been fantastic for flowers but struggles to grow new leaves and is barely maintaining itself.

This year has been the worst, with at least ten new leaf buds started, all but one of which stopped growing at no more than 1cm and then gone brown/black and died. This was in succession, so as one was dying, another was already on the way. The one leaf that did make it is absolutely tiny. The plant has grown a few keikis over the last couple of years. I have left the latest one attached in case it helps the main plant.

It grows in an east facing bathroom, near the window, next to a Paphiopedilum delenatii, Platystele consobrina and Sarcochilus hartmannii, all of which are growing very well. Relative humidity ranges from 50 to 70% but with short periods of 100% (shower time). I had wondered if humidity could be the issue, but the leaves it has grown seem well formed. The roots are fine, lots of green ones. I had it in moss with perlite for about a year, then kanuma pumice (always sitting in ~1cm water) as my Pleurothallis restrepioides is thriving in that. I’ve given that a go for a year and a few weeks ago thought maybe it’s not getting enough air to the roots so have repotted in medium bark with some charcoal, perlite and sphagnum, and a few pieces of styrofoam at the bottom. It’s grown more roots, right down to the bottom but it has tried and failed with one or two more leaves and now there’s nothing coming.

Could it be not enough light? It’s getting the same as the Paphiopedilum, but perhaps Restrepia prefer it brighter? I live in the middle of Scotland, so it doesn’t get that hot. That room is normally in the 10-20C range, sometimes up to 25C.

I wondered if anyone has encountered this and what changes helped the plant to grow? Also what the possible causes of stunted leaves and dying leaf buds might be - in a plant that flowers well and can grow keikis.

Attached is a photo of it today.

Thanks, Adam