Anguloa dubia not doing anything

[cirillonb]

I purchased an Anguloa dubia on eBay about 2 months ago. It arrived as 4 various sized pseudobulbs with 3 long leaves on the largest. 1 leaf looked ratty. I repotted in AussieGold and have watered when no longer damp (finger test or skewer.) Over the past 4 days the large leaf has turned yellow and not a second one follows. The third leaf looks fine tonight. I don't see any critters or spots. Have not unpotted to look at roots. conditions: east window about 1 ft. away. good circulation. feed weekly with watering published strength of DynaGro-orchid.
Photography not available tonight.
I checked on the OrchidWiz but they had no cultural information for this genus. I have been basically winging it since purchase.
Thanks.
Nick

[Dorothy]

Although I couldn't find dubia in the IOSPE - International Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia - I did find this -
"Anguloa Ruiz and Pavon 1794 SUBFAMILY Epidendroideae, TRIBE Maxillarieae, SUBTRIBE Lycastinae.

This small genus of ten terrestrial or sometimes epiphytic species is found in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru and has large, fleshy psuedobulbs that have large, plicate, imbricate, deciduous leaves. The single flowered inflorescence arises from the base of the new psuedobulb as a new growth begins. The flower is large, showy, fleshy and cup shaped with a 3 lobed lip and 4 pollina that moves within the sepals and petals. These species need a cool warm to cold environment with some shade, high humidity and lots of fertilizer while growing. They need a 2 to 3 week dry rest in the late winter. Resume water and fertilizer after simultaneous initiation of the new growth and the new inflorescence."
as per Jay's Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia Anc-Az
I hope this helps until others respond

[cirillonb]

Dorothy,
Thanks. I still am not sure how to use that resource.
I guess I'm not doing much wrong except perhaps too much light. I will dim it down. Perhaps this is the usual leaf loss and good things are on the horizon.
Nick

[karren]

I have only been caring for one of these for a month, so take that into consideration.

i got mine from Russ Vernon at New Vision Orchids in IN. He has a lot of experience with Lycaste which are their close relatives. I talked to him quite a bit before I took one into my care.

I fell in love with these hiking in the Andes in Venezuela. I have only seen them as terrestrials high in the mountians. I have also seen lots of them near Machu Pichu.--both climes are cool and misty and high light. So they prefer nights below 65F.

Since they are rare in cultivation I thought they were hard. But now I think they are only big. Russ says that the big thin leaves can lose a lot of water, fast. Heat stressed leaves tend to develop black or dark margins. I mist the leaves daily, water twice a week in my tiny intermediate greenhouse.

I asked Russ what to do in the heat of the summer and he had two ideas. You need to keep the roots cool. A clay pot is cooler than a plastic one because of the evaporation. He even said that you can put your clay pot inside a larger one and fill the space with wet spag and the evaporation will cool the roots.

So far so good. I think they are slow growers too. I have 5 growths, don't know what they are yet, hope some of them are flowers.

Anguloa uniflor. These flowers make my heart skip a beat.

[cirillonb]

Originally Posted by karren

I have only been caring for one of these for a month, so take that into consideration.

i got mine from Russ Vernon at New Vision Orchids in IN. He has a lot of experience with Lycaste which are their close relatives. I talked to him quite a bit before I took one into my care.

I fell in love with these hiking in the Andes in Venezuela. I have only seen them as terrestrials high in the mountians. I have also seen lots of them near Machu Pichu.--both climes are cool and misty and high light. So they prefer nights below 65F.

Since they are rare in cultivation I thought they were hard. But now I think they are only big. Russ says that the big thin leaves can lose a lot of water, fast. Heat stressed leaves tend to develop black or dark margins. I mist the leaves daily, water twice a week in my tiny intermediate greenhouse.

I asked Russ what to do in the heat of the summer and he had two ideas. You need to keep the roots cool. A clay pot is cooler than a plastic one because of the evaporation. He even said that you can put your clay pot inside a larger one and fill the space with wet spag and the evaporation will cool the roots.

So far so good. I think they are slow growers too. I have 5 growths, don't know what they are yet, hope some of them are flowers.

Anguloa uniflor. These flowers make my heart skip a beat.

Karren,
Mine had 3 leaves when I got it about 2 months ago and in the past week lost 2 of these. When the third goes it will be leaf-less. The pseudobulbs remain "normal". I will increase watering. I have removed from direct light and am hoping.
Nick

[karren]

I think that both Lycaste and Anguloa are deciduous. I have seen Lycaste bloom naked (no leaves). Maybe yours is just going thru a seasonal leaf loss.

If i had a leafless Anguloa I would water it less (no evaporation from leaves), still keep it cool and in high light, hoping it would grow new leaves or something soon.

[cirillonb]

Karren,
Thanks. Still has one very healthy looking leaf so will go with trying to keep cool and moist for now.
Nick

[stitz]

karren wrote, "I think that both Lycaste and Anguloa are deciduous."

This is true of some Lycastes. Many are not deciduous or are considered semi-deciduous. I have no clue about Anguloa. I have only one year's experience with Anguloa clowesii.

The first copies of Dr. Henry Oakeley's new book on Anguloa, Lycaste and Ida should be arriving in the USA any day. It is expected to be the definitive authority on these species.

--Stitz--

[cirillonb]

Stitz,
Thanks for the heads up. Let us all know when the book is available and from whom\
Nick

[stitz]

Nick,
I just received my copy directly from Henry. It is truly beautiful!

If you choose to order directly,
http://www.oakeleybooks.co.uk/page4/page4.html
is the internet way to go.

--Stitz--