Eria spicata

[Silje]

This is an Eria spicata. At least it's bought as one. And the tag says so. I don't know anything about erias.

On orchidspecies.com I read that this plant comes from areas bordering the Himalayas, that it's warm to hot growing and that it flowers in the spring and summer.

I bought this plant on an impulse, without having done any kind of research on it beforehand. I just saw it and thought it looked so healthy and vigorous, I decided to give it a try. I'm looking at my plant and I'm thinking this one surely must be flowering size?

I potted it up in a 18 cm (it's a pretty big thing) unglazed clay pot with good ventilation in fir bark. I left the old growth medium as it was because it was completely overgrown with fine roots (it has surprisingly fine roots, but lots of them) and I was afraid of causing damage if I began to pull and poke around in the root ball. I did make sure that it's not a moss ball in the middle of it all though. It's a perlite/bark mix with some styrofoam all the way through.

Any advice on how to grow this plant is appreciated, and especially regarding watering, feeding and light requirements.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Erias are generally intermediate to warm growing plants.

They generally like bright indirect light, much like that of Cattleyas or Vandas.

Erias also generally like moisture. So during the warm months, I'd say you can water anywhere between 3 -5 times a week.

From what I've seen, they have no winter rest period.

Different Erias will bloom during different parts of the year.

I just had one unknown species bloom during the spring. I also had an Eria hyacinthoides bloom in the spring as well. If yours is stated to bloom in the spring through the summer, I think it's fairly accurate.

Btw, if you can get a good shot of the pseudobulbs/canes, I can tell right away if it really is an Eria or not.

[Silje]

Cool.

Taking pictures of the bulbs turned out to be quite a challenge. It's a jungle in that pot. But here is one...




I'm shifting this plant to a brighter area in the greenhouse, at the moment it's only receiving phal light. And I'm also going to water it slightly more than I have up to now.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I can definitely confirm that it is an Eria.

During the cooler months I think you'd be able to water 3 - 4 times a week.

[Silje]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

I can definitely confirm that it is an Eria.

During the cooler months I think you'd be able to water 3 - 4 times a week.

Ok! Thanks a lot.

Like I said, I'm moving this one into more light and I will be a bit more generous with the watering. It looks quite happy at the moment, but I suppose the leaves could be bit a lighter.