Is it hard to grow a stanhopea at home?

[bcub30]

I must say that I disagree with the statement " Stanhopeas are for greenhouse culture.'. While they do grow extremely well in a greenhouse environment, they can also be grown with realitive ease in the home. The key to this is location and the conditions that you are able to give them. If you have a fairly bright area where you can maintain good relative humidity, then you should have little problems. The only issue you may have is in size of both the area and the eventual size of the plant itself. Stanhopeas are not small at maturity by any means!

Scott

[Brooke]

I think what Eric meant is in a home environment they are tricky to maintain.

They must be grown in a basket with a mix that permits the spikes to emerge which then makes watering them difficult. It can be accomplished by carrying it to the sink and rehanging it back in the grow area. In a porous mix, inside in the winter, this would be multiple times a week. It can be done if someone wishes to do this.

I have the nigro in a 10" sphag lined basket, cool end of the g/h but in quite a bit of sun. The blooms last four days, the fragrance is very strong. The spikes don't all emerge at once so you can enjoy the blooms for an extended period of time but it still isn't for a lengthy time.

If you want one, go for it. Only you know how much time you want to spend with your plants and if the work is worth it. The blooms are certainly unusual and it will scent your house.

Brooke

[Undergrounder]

I think Stans are one of the least attention demanding orchids i have... hang a nigroviolacea under a tree with a little shade, water occasionally, enjoy flowers

[Manfred Busche]

Eric is right: to grow Stanhopeas on a window sill does not conform to Stanhopea growing ethics...
However, whether I the purist like it or not, people try and with dedication can be quite successful.
Anyway, read the book 'ORCHID FEVER' and go to the chapter where a Frenchman uses the whole
space of his apartment to cultivate Paphiopedilums including freely spraying them with water,
smelly fertilisers and pesticides - while once in a while worrying that his neighbors might get sick
and persecute him...

Manfred.

[ottercottage]

Presently I have 3 Stanhopeas - Martiana, Lydia Bush, and Tigrina var. Nigroviolacea. A helpful web site for me is orchids stanhopeas orchid tropical flowers care plants flower growing stanhopea with many lovely photos and good FAQs. One recommended medium is 75% sphagnum and 25% perlite. I use plain sphagnum - I live in Intermediate conditions. I start my Stanhopeas in a plastic slatted basket lined bottom and sides with newspapers with sphagnum around and on top. The paper dissolves and the roots begin to shoot out the bottom of the basket. They receive shaded bright light most of the day with artificial light evenings. Hope this helps a little...

[ottercottage]

P.S. I forgot to mention that I grow the Stanhopeas in my house in my living room with Catasetums, Cycnodes and Mormodes. Good luck!