Pros. cochleata in winter

[Herrania]

I just ordered a Pros. cochleata from Hausermann's, and had a question they didn't answer: My current Cattleya alliance area is set up for "seasonality", as in I let it warm up in the summer and cool down almost to the 50's in the winter. Would this be good for the cochleata, or would it want something more stable?

[Afid]

It should do alright with those conditions, it has a very wide range in the wild (from Florida to Columbia and Venezuela) so it is probably very tolerant of varying degrees of seasonality. I haven't grown it before though so take all this with a grain of salt.

[DirtyCoconuts]

i think it will be fine.

As afid said, it can grow all over..it will not be an abrupt change either so it will have time to get hardy..keep an eye on it the first winter but i would not expect any issue

[SaraJean]

I agree with the other replies. Those conditions are totally fine. I’ve grow mine outdoors year round for the last couple of years to just above freezing temps (being mindful of my watering when it’s very cold) and it has done great. I’ve also kept it on a windowsill in steady day/night temps, also did great. I’ve also kept in my greenhouse over the winter where it would drop to about 50-55°F at night, did fine in those temps as well. This is definitely one of my more sturdy and easy to bloom orchids

[Roberta]

I grow mine outside (coastal southern California) and it does great - continues to produce flowers for months. (I have one that has inflorescence finally pooping out, having started blooming last September) Winter night temperatures routinely in the 40's F, occasionally mid-high 30's F. So low temps no problem. Summer heat also no problem. Filtered sun or bright shade.

[Herrania]

Thanks everyone! I was finding contradictory advice, so was starting to wonder if I had missed something like a culture difference between Northern/triandra and Southern form.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Herrania

Thanks everyone! I was finding contradictory advice, so was starting to wonder if I had missed something like a culture difference between Northern/triandra and Southern form.

It is very possible that the same species from different locations may have different cultural needs. I don't know the origin of mine (I have 3 plants, 2 of which bloom in the fall through the winter, one that blooms in the late spring through the summer) All came from society auctions or raffle tables, so were locally grown, no doubt by other hobbyists, and acclimated before I got them. So all plants may not be as tough as mine. Your conditions sound much milder, so probably even fewer worries. An advantage of acquiring any plant in the spring... you have the full range of seasons to get it acclimated to your environment.

[Herrania]

My outdoor conditions aren't so great, hot dry summers and cold wet winters... I can only raise my Dactylorhiza outside year round. But I early on decided I'd embrace the fact that the rooms with big windows want to heat up and cool down, so hybrids of Den nobile, Gur aurantiaca, Mexican Laelias have all ended up loving me.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Sounds like a smart grower. What do you have, then what will fit in that.

I really think this guy will be fine for you. Use a really open mix with no moss and really very little of anything “wetter” than small bark and you’ll be okay as long as you keep it watered in the warm months