Which orchids in YOUR collection get a winter rest?

[Angurek]

In a nutshell, all my sympodials. They freak out if I don't give them a rest (my brassia and my dendrobium failed to bloom one year for that reason). I learned my lesson.

My monopodials aren't so particular about getting a rest. I can get away with giving them extra drinks during the winter.

[orchids3]

Interesting thread. My comments are that any orchid that goes deciduous in the winter should not be watered. Catasetums are the prime example but any plant that starts loosing its leaves in october should be place in a "Low or no water" part of the greenhouse. Cymbidiums do have an exception - do not water canaliculatum or its hybrids in the winter. Stop in October (In Florida) and do not water till you see growth in the spring. Aggregatum is of special interest to me - I keep it outside with the cymbidiums (except the canaliculatums) and water it the same. It grows and blooms beautifully. I know several excellent growers that do the same. A lot of experts are only "Parots" that spread the same miss information they hear - so decidious - know true exceptions, and remember that any orchid does not need more water and fertilizer than it needs to "Grow" and prevent shriviling. Remember that more orchids are killed by overwatering than any other cause.

[PitcherASAMD]

I've had orchids for several years but still feel I'm definitely a newbie. I have a phalenopsis and a catellaya. What does winter rest actually mean? When you say you treat them differently, what do you exactly mean by that? Should I be giving my orchids a winter rest?

Thanks

[PleuroPal]

Hi Pitcher,

From what I understand, phals do not need a winter rest. I'm pretty sure most catts don't either but someone else may correct me on that. Typically, "winter rest" means little to no water between the months of say, October thru March, depending on your growing area. This has always been a confusing topic for me, but after more research I think I'm starting to get a handle on it.
Hope this helps.

[Florida_guy_26]

I think alot of people are forgetting the MOST important thing about deciduous and any other orchids, if you gradually increase the light, they adapt and they do need very bright light during the winter. My Dendrobium anosmum, aphyllum, parishii, nobile red emperor prince, hercoglossum, eidendrum hybrids and species, encyclia tampensis, cattleya walkeriana, phalaenopsis species, and even brassavola nodosa can all get nearly totall dry and do with just a misting occasionally. I let even the phal schilleriana and equestris dry out and cool off in winter and they bloomed but they also got pretty direct sunlight at the time which was short of leafburn and that helped them flower well also. The den nobile and anosmum were left outside and got direct sun and alot of rain this past winter of 2008 and they still flowered, but they also had direct sun all day from morning until night even in summer and they all grew until december or later. They did bloom and even though I think it was only a few buds near the top of the canes, they still flowered with constant winter rain and days at or above 70F and nights down to 36F. My phal species took the 38F mark and dried out and lost a few of their bottom leaves, but they kept at least 3 leaves and took direct sun during the day. They all did fine and came back to grow stronger this spring.

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[Kath]

Can someone explain to me what is a decidious orchid? I asked this once before, and got no answer, but I thought decidious was when the leaves fell off in winter, and none of my orchids have leaves which fall off! So please explain. As they say, I could then go to bed tonight a little more intelligent!

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Kath

Can someone explain to me what is a decidious orchid? I asked this once before, and got no answer, but I thought decidious was when the leaves fell off in winter, and none of my orchids have leaves which fall off! So please explain. As they say, I could then go to bed tonight a little more intelligent!

Yes deciduous is when the leaves fall off in the winter. Deciduous orchids aren't as numerous as persistant/evergreen orchids, and I think many are Dendrobium species. The only commonly available deciduous orchid is the nobile Dens. I didn't get a deciduous orchid until last fall!

[Kath]

Thanks for that. I appreciate the info on the decidious orchids. I didn't realise that orchids could lose their leaves! perhaps there are other that do the same thing?

[kavanaru]

You also have all orchids in the Catasetinae group or some Lycaste, which are deciduous.

In this Link, you can see a Catasetum without leave and in bloom Catasetum pileatum var. aureum (a bit darker than 'Oro Verde') on Flickr - Photo Sharing! and in this another plant of the same species with leave (and also in bloom) Catasetum pileatum var. aureum 'Oro Verde' on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

If you google Lycaste aromatica, you will mainly find plants without leave and in bloom (for some funny reason, it is almost impossible to get a pciture in google of this species with leave and no bloom! )

[Zdenglan]

Pleiones for instance. Really easy to obtain and grow if you have a cool glasshouse or somewhere cold and bright to overwinter them. Basically once they've shed their leaves, you can forget about them untill the spring arrives Virtually no maintanance orchid when resting (about nov-mar)!