miniatures questions, please

[VickiC]

I apologize if I'm posting my questions in the wrong forum, but each of the two minis that I would like to ask about are from 2 different alliances.

I was browsing Andy's Orchids and came across two minis that I'm interested in, but before I buy either of them, I want to be sure I can supply the humidity that each requires.

first:
Epidendrum ellipticum
also:
Dryadella zebrina

I would appreciate any help, please
Thanks in advance,
Vicki

[kavanaru]

Hi Vicy,

just two things:

1. which are your growing conditions? I have Drydella zebrina and Drydella edwalli. Both growing in Sphagnum in ceramic pots (quite small ones from Erin Bonsai, by the way ) and water them once a week with RO water. Both growing under T8 tubes and average rel Humid. I would say 40-50%. Growing racks with water, and many other small orchids around them, wich increases the rel. humid. directly around them. Bot doing fine, and zebrina has been in bloom since a couple of weeks (however, the flowers look a bit different than the zebrinas you find in the web, so a friend of at the Bot. garden in Berlin is doing soem DNA analysis)
2.- Are you sure you mean Epidendrum ellipticum, chich is currently accepted a Epidendrum secundum? This especies can actually become quite large! up to 2.5 feet tall!

[Ross]

Ramon, Andy still sells it as ellipticum.

Vicki, I grow ellipticum as well as E. quitensium, a larger, but similar plant. I have mine in south window (they want full and bright sun or they will get leggy). They don't need much humidity, just like Cats or Brassias. I have mine in clear pots and fine orchid bark. They get water/fertilizer every 3-4 days or so. They will be in bloom much of the year if properly watered and fertilized and kept bright. Hope this helps.

[kavanaru]

Ross, but how large is your plant? I know it from Venezuela, and have seen plants growing up to be chest (spike included!) That's not exactly, what I would call a miniature....

[Ross]

Mine is in a 3" pot and about half fills it. The plant is approx 6" tall and spike adds another 12" or so. Ellipticum is a miniature but there certainly are reed-stemmed epis that are quite large!

[VickiC]

Hi Ross,
After reading your reply, I'm concerned now that I may not be able to give either of them the light they need at the location I have in mind....at least not the one like you have. I had hoped to place one of them in my foyer under a table lamp, which would provide approx. 700-1200 fc of light. According to Andy's site, these two orchids that I mentioned are low light....low light minis were what I was looking for, so these may not fit the bill for me for this spot. If I would need to supply more light, I would need to place the orchid I choose either in front of my east facing kitchen window or in my new grow room.

Speaking of my grow room, I finally got it "somewhat" organized....good air flow (fans) and a good humidifier. Unfortunately, though, my T5s do not supply sufficient light output for many of my orchids because of the amount of heat they generate (as you know since you have T5s, as well, and helped me with T5 info when mine were being installed).

Back to the subject at hand.....I may need to re-think my location plans or else look for a different mini orchid that would be more suitable for my foyer.

Thanks for your help,
Vicki

Originally Posted by Ross

Mine is in a 3" pot and about half fills it. The plant is approx 6" tall and spike adds another 12" or so. Ellipticum is a miniature but there certainly are reed-stemmed epis that are quite large!

[kavanaru]

Originally Posted by VickiC

Hi Ross,
After reading your reply, I'm concerned now that I may not be able to give either of them the light they need at the location I have in mind....at least not the one like you have. I had hoped to place one of them in my foyer under a table lamp, which would provide approx. 700-1200 fc of light.

Vicky, that would be fine for Dryadella! go for them, they are lovelly minis... I have them growing together with Masdevallia strobelii and Promenaea Meadow Gold (two other very nice minis) and they are all doing very well...

[VickiC]

Hi Ramon,
I had hoped to be able to place one of these 2 orchids in my foyer under a table lamp, with would supply them with only 700-1200 fc of light.....that's why I was looking for a low light mini. The humidity at this area is approx. 40-50%.

Thanks for the info you gave me. I appreciate your reply. I always enjoy reading your posts throughout OB, as they are always interesting. I'm sure you have a lovely collection of orchids, as well as pretty containers. Anytime you can post photos of your collection, I would enjoy seeing more. Thanks also for the container tip, by the way.

Vicki

Originally Posted by kavanaru

Hi Vicy,

just two things:

1. which are your growing conditions? I have Drydella zebrina and Drydella edwalli. Both growing in Sphagnum in ceramic pots (quite small ones from Erin Bonsai, by the way ) and water them once a week with RO water. Both growing under T8 tubes and average rel Humid. I would say 40-50%. Growing racks with water, and many other small orchids around them, wich increases the rel. humid. directly around them. Bot doing fine, and zebrina has been in bloom since a couple of weeks (however, the flowers look a bit different than the zebrinas you find in the web, so a friend of at the Bot. garden in Berlin is doing soem DNA analysis)
2.- Are you sure you mean Epidendrum ellipticum, chich is currently accepted a Epidendrum secundum? This especies can actually become quite large! up to 2.5 feet tall!

[kavanaru]

I will try to take new pictures of the plants tomorrow or early next week, and post them hier for you... hier sole old pictures of promenaea and Dryadella zebrina (I said already, the flowers look a bit weird )

[Ross]

Vicki, your Epi would grow fine under the lamp but would be leggy and not bloom. I have found (with Andy's assurance) that ellipticum wants full sun. So it might not be a choice for your intended location.