Brassavola and intergeneric winter rests

[MateoinLosAngeles]

I have a Brassavola nodosa and a few Brassocattleyas. I've never quite figured out the winter rest with these. I've seen suggestions of a 2 week bone dry winter rest, to a "light misting and watering once a month for three months" to even a 6 month rest with light misting of the roots every other day with no heavy waterings. I've also read many who don't give B. nodosas or Bc. any winter rest at all.

So what is it? Does anyone on the forum have some clarity on winter rest for Brassavola species and Brassocattleya intergenerics?

My nodosa is about a year away from blooming size so I didn't give it a rest this winter. It has grown roots like a weed since December but it doesn't have any new leads.

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[Ray]

According to the Baker's sheet, the "rest" period for Brassavola nodosa can be anywhere from 1 month to 4 or 5, depending upon the plant's geographic location in the wild. I never gave it any, and it seemed to do fine.

To plants, a "rest" is not necessarily a time of no water as much as it is of reduced water and no nitrogen. As plant growth requires both, reducing them does not seem like a way to "push" growth, does it? "No growth" is not due to "no rest".

As to the brassocattleya hybrids, I would suspect that knowing the specific cattleya would have an influence, as not all need rests.

[Roberta]

My Brassavolas are in the crowded greenhouse along with everything else. They don't get any special treatment - watering every other day, very light fertilizing every 2 weeks or so, and they grow and bloom quite well. Nodosa moves outside in summer when it is bloom but does need winter protection. I grow several other species, and hybrid B. (Rcv.) Jimminey Cricket . They do get a little cooler at night in winter than in summer, but other than that, and seasonal changes in light direction and duration, they experience the same conditions all year. Don't over-think this "rest" concept...

[Keysguy]

Mine don't get any special treatment either Roberta and they have flowers on them probably 80% of the year.

[Roberta]

Your weather is better than mine... my B. nodosas go from about July to September or October...they like the outdoors heat, GH they're OK but they really do like outside better.

[SG in CR]

From what I've seen in the wild, they only grow in areas with a 2-5 month dry season, as in practically no rain during that time, though often the first month of the dry season will still get early morning dew on the plants. I've been growing them in an area where the dry season is less pronounced in years where La Niña is affecting the weather, the last 2-3 years for example my dry season has been like on the Caribbean side of the country. The grass never stopped growing.
All that being said, my suspicion as to why B. nodosa doesn't grow in areas without more moisture through out the year is that they don't handle live moss well. I lost a couple plants early on to moss covering up their bases completely. Where they grow naturally, the dry season kills most mosses. The roots are almost always semi exposed growing over the bark of the tree. My guess is that they have a significant photosynthetic contribution to the plant. Other than that, they seem to be perfectly happy getting water every day through out the year.
On a side note, the natural pollinator seems to only live in those areas as well as mine almost never set seed without my help.
As far as the root growth is concerned, it's normal and a good sign as every time I've mounted a B. nodosa in a new spot the first thing it will do is grow roots, a lot of them. Only after it's firmly attached itself to it's new home will it start growing new leaves.

[Ben_in_North_FLA]

another vote for not doing much (if any) special treatment for nodosa, other than ensuring they dry tween watering and very bright light