Got myself a Sophronitis coccinea

[rbarata]

I'm expecting new roots only by the end of the summer, when temps get lower.
I don't know if it's a 4N. TH
he label doesn't says nothing more than some numbers ans species name.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by rbarata

I'm expecting new roots only by the end of the summer, when temps get lower.
I don't know if it's a 4N. TH
he label doesn't says nothing more than some numbers ans species name.

It will root when it wants to, whatever the temperature. So just keep observing it. Probably not 4N if it doesn't say so... But look forward to wonderful color. With the heat, probably a good idea to spray it during the day if you can, and give it some shade. They do prefer cool, but can tolerate heat, especially if it gets a little cool at night. I know that they can tolerate a lot of less-than-ideal temperature, near where I live Peter T. Lin (Diamond Orchids grows these, has won many awards, and lives inland from where I am where it gets quite hot (around 40 deg C) much of the summer.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Does anybody knows what's the growing cycle for the coccinea? The only thing I know is that it grows new roots in late summer/ autumn. But what comes first? The new leaves or the roots? Or they grow both at the same time?

I'm asking this because my plant has a new unopened leaf as well as a new growth (see the photo).
I suspect this plant came not long ago from the south hemisphere, and if that's the case, in my experience, it might take a few years to adapt.

I have been watching mine (since I needed to get it out of its basket to remove a fern that had moved in) and I just found a little tiny new root. So if you need to repot or mount, the time is about now... might be a bit different on a new import from southern hemisphere, but do be watching. Mine grows in a 6 inch (15 cm) plastic basket with very large bark, so big spaces. It is growing almost like a mounted plant. The bark just gives a little extra moisture around the roots, but the plant (including roots) makes a rather solid mass. (I mostly broke pieces of the fern off, they were really stuck, I'm not going to disturb the root ball so I expect it will be back) It does put out new growth about twice a year.

[rbarata]

Update on this one...while there's leaf dying, I've found new roots growing.
For the last week I've left it outside, in a bright south balcony (without direct sun). Temps have been cooler (around 24ºC / 75 F) than what used to be the norm here but the forecast points to a temp rise higher than 40ºC (104 F), similar to the temps when I got it one month ago. To compensate, nights dip to 15ºC (59 F) with humidity rising to values >80% which are more suitable for this species.

So, let's see how it goes...wishing luck to the plant!

[rbarata]

Update on this one...

This plant seems to be much more resistant than what I was expecting.
Since my last post temps rose up to values around 44ºC (111.2 F) and humidity near or lower than 10%.
This means indoors temps are near 30ºC (86 F) or even higher.
I went away for three days prepared to find a dead plant when I'm back, I left the plant indoors for the night, as my strategy to put it outside wouldn't work because night temps instead of lowering to 16ºC (60 F), with the correspondent increase in humidity, have been higher than 22ºC (72 F) with RH near 30%.
My strategy, together with the wet moss around the plant, was to let the bottom of the pot submerged in water in the hopes that the water (distilled water) would wick up through the medium.
To my surprise, under these temps and humidity, completely outside of the range required by this species, the existing new root kept growing and fast and the newest leaf unfolded a little bit more. And there's a new root comming...

[Roberta]

Orchids are tough! Many (even most) can tolerate conditions far outside their range, at least for a little while. This looks great!. You protected it well.

[rbarata]

One sentence, from this AOS article that changed my strategy to keep it growing well so far was this one:

When in doubt — contrary to accepted practice with cattleyas — always water!

If I wouldn't have read it, probably the plant would be underwatered and those roots weren't looking as good as they are now.

[rbarata]

I must be doing something right...
Another new root and, most of all, a new growth...new growth means more roots.
I put it indoors during the afternoon (too hot outside) but move it outdoors by sunset till noon so that it can benefit from higher humidity and temps around 16ºC (60,8 F).

[Roberta]

Looking good!

[rbarata]

So far so good...a 2nd new growth under my care.



The first new growth and a new root.