Help! - rescue orchid - Orchid Board

Maru777 · #1 11-29-2018, 03:19 PM

Hello everyone! Need some help with a somewhat forced upon me rescue orchid

A friend brought an orchid to me to try and save - not that I’m the best person for it but I’ll do my best

This orchid was on a tree in her yard and the person who used to care for it moved. So it was not doing all that great. Additionally, it got removed from the tree as best as my friend knew how - which is not saying much

It has very few roots and currently I just plopped it on some spagnum moss (got it last night). Since it was on a tree spagnum can’t be that good but with so few roots I don’t know what to do. It is on top of the moss for now but I could really use some suggestions on where to take it from here. Sorry for the pics quality - took them last night when I got it and it was dark. I’ll take more later.

Maru777 · #2 03-13-2019, 12:37 AM

Hello everyone,

I just thought I’d share some happy news. The badly dehydrated orchid I posted before is doing much better. It has grown new roots and new structures - still no clue what exactly it is, but it seems happy. I plopped it on spagnum moss and sprayed it with water to help the tiny roots keep up and it seems to have worked. Not sure if I should pot it properly now or keep it as it is while it gets a bit stronger. But where there is life there is hope so at least it’s not dead

Roberta · #3 03-13-2019, 02:54 AM

Congratulations! I think that you have rescued it, indeed. I can't be certain, but it looks a lot like a Schomburgkia (Myrmecophila), maybe Mcp. tibicinis or hybrid thereof. Those do well mounted or in a basket. If it is starting to produce new roots, now would be a good time to pot or mount it. If I'm right about what it is, they are really strong and vigorous orchids, and can get fairly large. If it was on a tree before, "mounted" is the way to go if you can water it regularly (or let it get rained on even better) Plenty of light, also.

Kilmiquix · #4 03-13-2019, 06:31 AM

For what it's worth, i also think it looks like Myrmecophila. I have one and ots tubular structure looks like that, but it's leaves look different. If it is, it needs very, very bright light (even full sun, but I'd dou le xheck that because I'm no expert) and loves water.

Congrats on saving it!

Maru777 · #5 03-13-2019, 10:55 PM

Thank you! I’ll move it to a pot like you suggested and hopefully it will continue to grow. More research to do now that I know what it is