Encyclia polybulbon question

[pdxmaven]

I posted this on the "beginniners forum but didn't get a response, so figured this might be the better place."

I got this plant from an orchid guy who is leaving town.
Actually, it is a mass of plants, maybe 100, all growing on/into a piece of old door mat, which in turn in held in a wooden frame . The whole thing is about about 12 " x 12" and the roots are either on top of the doormat or growing into it.
I noticed when I got it that some of the leaves were yellow. And that has continued to be the case, with the yellow leaves now dying. I assume it is too much light or too little light?

also, how much water does it like (with the way it's mounted) and what sorts of temperature?

[Ross]

Don't know that one specifically, but tampensis is similar in culture. It also drops the back (oldest) leaves in a flush in the spring as it puts out new growths. My larges plant is probably 8"x10" with hundreds of pseudobulbs. I have transplanted it since it got placed on the mount - I just it keep getting bigger. Encyclia can take just short of full sun at lower latitudes and full morning and afternoon sun in northern latitudes. Leaves will go purple when lots of sun is available, not yellow. I water mine with full submersion in a large bucket every morning so that it dries off by evening. When it's raining outside in summer, I hang in the rain. But, again, it's tampensis not polybulbon. Hope I came close with my analogy.

[isurus79]

Is it a mass of 100 plants or a mass of 100 bulbs? If its a mass of 100 different plants, your going to have to do some painstaking separation. Some pics are definitely needed too, because for any mount, there is a certain threshold that gets reached before the plant starts to die. Basically, the plant gets too big for its own good and needs to be divided. Also, pics would help determine if this threshold has been reached or, like Ross said, the mass is just shedding its old leaves.

[orchidhunter]

I just want to see a picture of an Encyclia mounted on a door mat. Sounds awesome!

[snow]

me too