Encyclia tampensis

[LokeLeaflessandPleuros]

I have had this orchid for 3 years now and despite Encyclia tampensis being native and locally common, mine has struggled for some reason. I have tried keeping it moist at all times and drier as well and it has just barely hung in there since I have had it.

A couple months ago, I decided to put it in a plastic orchid basket with lava rock and water it every 2-3 days and leave it alone. It is putting out a new baby pseudobulb and today I dipped it in the water that I had mixed the South FL collected mycorrhizae in-case that is why it hasn't taken off, so we shall see.

Encyclia tampensis, Cleisostoma scolopendrifolium and Dendrophylax lindenii are the three orchid species I have currently and going forward as money allows I will specialize in leafless and oddball species, as well as FL native epiphytes as well as a few slippers.

-Michael

[estación seca]

Tampensis needs to be wet, not moist. It grows in the wettest areas.

[Keysguy]

Well, I have one that does well and I have it in a pot of medium size fir bark only and I know other folks down here in the Keys that grow theirs on a mount.

I'm not sure what I'm looking at in the picture. If you have lava rock for drainage that should work but why would you add sphagnum to it?

To me, any of these plants that have "bulblike" pseudobuls like to be wet/dry/wet/dry, etc. That's what that type of pseudobulb is for, storing water, including at least a somewhat dry winter. Not totally dry but space the watering out a bit more. In the summer heat you can water it every day as long as it has that good drainage.

Just my 2 cents.

[Jeff214]

I've found that many Encyclias including tampensis like to be watered frequently but dry out between waterings (as Keysguy mentioned). For me, in dry SoCal, mounting + daily watering has worked well.