Cirrhopetalum Elizabeth Ann 'Buckleberry's leaves turning yellow - Orchid Board

Anton · #1 08-03-2008, 10:40 AM

Hi there, hope you can help. I am new at growing orchids. I have had this Cirrhopetalum Elizabeth Ann 'Buckleberry' for just over a year. It has been growing fine and making new shoots up till now. One of the leaves have just turned yellow(see attached photos), and I think this is the first sign that it is not happy. I understand some people grow it in a pot with sphagnum moss. Is this better than growing it on a piece of wood,or do I just have to give the roots some sphagnum moss. Any suggested fertilizer? Is my location alright? (see attachment-it does not get direct sun). Could it be over or under watering- I spay it once every second day. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you
Anton

BikerDoc5968 · #2 08-03-2008, 11:47 AM

Just like with any orchid, even those with pb's, leaves get old and die. The plant "looks" otherwise healthy. I note the pb's appear somewhat shriveled???? I'm sure others with more experience will chime in here.

gmdiaz · #3 08-03-2008, 02:35 PM

I am thinking it's getting too dry and maybe too hot. The pseudobulbs should be shriveled but a little more plump, I think. And the roots look a little more brown than is ideal.

I've got mine growing in big clay pot with small to medium bark chips and chopped sphagnum. High humidity and intermediate temps. . .good air circulation too. And the light is quite low, low to medium I'd say. . .no direct sunlight.

Maybe try tucking in some sphagnum around the roots? Water throughly once a day. . .see what happens.

Let us know how it goes!

Anton · #4 08-03-2008, 02:55 PM

Thank you very much for your replies. I am going to transplant to a clay pot with small to medium bark chips and chopped sphagnum moss. Will definitely let you know how things are going, and in a bit of time hopefully post some flower pictures! I'm just telling my wife - it is amazing to see the kindheartedness's of people on the other side of the planet answering a specialized question on a specific plant just to help someone else with the same interest.

gmdiaz · #5 08-03-2008, 03:07 PM

Everyone, here is so happy to help. . .makes us smile to see others learn and succeed!

So much is trial and error and depends on your unique conditions but the learning goes round and round and we all benefit and have so much fun sharing.

I've learned so much here from the experience of others. . .

So glad you are here!

kiki-do · #6 08-03-2008, 03:26 PM

Hi Anton, I agree with Gwen, it takes low to medium light and needs good air flow. I have one and when I first got it I read that it likes moist. I also read to put it in New Zealand Sphagnum Moss, so I did and it's inside an airy basket. I never let it completely dry out and I also read to put in bloodmeal in the spring. I haven't seen a bloom as yet, but it was very small when I got it and it's got many new growths thus far. Hope we all have helped you in some way. Good luck! Happy growing!!!!

shakkai · #7 08-03-2008, 03:52 PM

Hi Anton, glad you found the advice that you needed! We all like to see everyone succeed with their orchids, so whatever the question, ask away - someone here is sure to have some ideas. I was given one of these as a gift recently. No real experience with this type of orchid, but because of its rather rambling habit, I took mine out of the pot it was in and mounted it around one of those little wire mesh bird cake feeders filled with sphag. It seems to like it and has put out new growths left and right - 6 so far since I got it in May. I did have it in too high light, though, and a leaf of one of the new growths got burnt. I also wasn't keeping it moist enough in the beginning (or maybe it was just adjusting to the new mount?) but quite a few of the older pseudo bulbs are quite wrinkled. All of the new ones are nice and plump, though, and its making lots of new roots, so it seems to have settled in now. Hope to see photos of your's in bloom!! Keep us posted on how things go.

Anton · #8 11-06-2008, 04:25 PM

Hi there, I have transplanted my Cirrhopetalum Elizabeth Ann 'Buckleberry' about 2 months ago as discussed earlier in his thread (see attached photo). Everything looked fine, but now I have noticed the leaves look shrivelled. Should I water even more and move it to an even cooler environment? What causes the shrivelling? Any help will be appreciated

Thanks
Anton

Sandy4453 · #9 11-06-2008, 04:49 PM

Anton, I'm far from expert on Bulbos but I do grow them and can promise that losing a leaf is not a big indicator that the plant isn't happy. I've lost a couple of leaves as well, in fact, one of my Bulbos that just lost a leaf is also growing a huge bud. Just like psbulbs, the oldest sometimes do die off, it's nothing to be alarmed about. I grow all of mine in baskets with spagh/tree fern/sponge rock and the ones I have seen mounted, usually have a little spagh. around the roots and some tucked near the rhizome. You already know they're heavy feeders and fertilizing heavily is also suggested. One thing I noticed about the time that I lost my last big leaf on a Bulbo was that I had been misting as you've indicated also. Perhaps, you may want to stop for a while and just give it it's daily watering. Your plant looks pretty healthy, don't worry!

OOOOOPs.........just noticed this was an old thread and you've got updates! I'll go and read now what's happened. Sorry!

Anton · #10 11-08-2008, 04:17 AM

Thanks for the advise. I have moved it to a location with slightly less light, I have also stopped to spray the leaves with water every day (trying to water the roots only) also tucking a bit more sphagnum around the roots. I have also started fertilising a bit more as it is spring on our side of the world (South Africa)