Login
User Name
Password   


Registration is FREE. Click to become a member of OrchidBoard community
(You're NOT logged in)

menu menu

Sponsor
Donate Now
and become
Forum Supporter.


Many perks!
<...more...>


Sponsor
 

Google


Fauna Top Sites
Register Members Today's Posts
LOG IN/REGISTER TO CLOSE THIS ADVERTISEMENT
Go Back   Orchid Board - Most Complete Orchid Forum on the web ! > >
Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-11-2023, 11:54 PM
Chlorophile Chlorophile is offline
Member
 

Join Date: Mar 2018
Zone: 11
Posts: 57
Male
Default Laelia lucasiana Won’t Flower

I’ve had a L. lucasiana for several years now. It started off as just 3 pseudobulbs and is now 10 with 8 more on the way. I have it potted in sphagnum, in a terra cotta pot. It’s about 4 inches below some LED grow lights that are on 12 hours per day. I water it after it dries out and use dilute fertilizer every watering. It seems happy enough but it has yet to flower for me. Is there something I may be missing or should be doing?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-12-2023, 12:39 AM
estación seca's Avatar
estación seca estación seca is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jun 2015
Zone: 9b
Location: Phoenix AZ - Lower Sonoran Desert
Posts: 18,577
Male
Default

This appears now to be called Cattleya longipes, but you can find information under both names. IOSPE lists it as Laelia l. and gives habitat information.

I haven't been to its habitat but have been to identical habitat elsewhere in Brasíl. These are granite domes fully exposed to the sun all day, with no soil and no large shrubs for shade. Various plants grow in tiny accumulations of organic matter that may stick to the rock. The underlying rock can't be seen because it is so wet there during the summer it is covered by a thin, very slippery layer of blue-green algae, giving the rock the appearance of being black. These algae fix nitrogen. Adjacent plants have much more nitrogen available than one would think from the habitat. Plants may be shaded by grasses or not. Laelias growing in such areas are red or yellow from the sun, with almost no green at all.

Summers are extremely wet constantly. The roots are exposed to air at all times because there is so little organic matter over them. Winters have no precipitation at all. There will be occasional dew in winter but not on many nights. Plants will be completely dry for many months while living on a black rock fully exposed to sun.

It can be very hot at the black rock surface in full sun all year, especially in summer. At that elevation there are distinct day-night temperature swings all year, much greater in winter.

The above IOSPE site mentions it needs a 6-month dry rest.

Is your plant green or red/yellow? It should get so much light it is mostly red. It doesn't grow right on the equator so I would suggest summer days of 12-14 hours and winter days of 10 hours. Many orchids need some variation in day length to flower well, so this might help your other plants, too, rather than leaving the timer set at 12 hours all winter.

Are you fertilizing heavily during the growing season?

Are you giving it a dry winter?

I don't know whether a day-night temperature change is necessary or helpful for flowering. If you can manage it that might help.

I wouldn't let any rupicolous Laelia dry completely during the growing season. That makes them stop growing, and may kill developing leads if it happens more than once or twice.

Growing in sphagnum you need to be careful to preserve air to the roots. Soaking sphagnum obliterates the air spaces until the roots can take up the water, or it evaporates. If you don't soak the sphagnum at each watering, you will be able to keep it evenly moist yet well aerated. Run water over the top of the pot for just one second. This will diffuse throughout the moss but leave plenty of air.

It is possible your plant uses enough water that soaking the sphagnum is the correct way to water, but it requires careful observation to determine that. Many rupicolous Laelias are that thirsty.
__________________
May the bridges I've burned light my way.

Weather forecast for my neighborhood
Reply With Quote
Post Thanks / Like - 3 Likes
Likes orchidman77, Burgos, Hazeldazel liked this post
  #3  
Old 08-12-2023, 06:39 PM
orchidman77 orchidman77 is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Nov 2009
Zone: 6a
Location: Denver, CO
Age: 31
Posts: 607
Male
Default

ES, this is a very helpful guide on rupiculous laelias! I have several and they are a little more difficult to crack than many other of my plants. Fortunately, most seem to be doing well.
__________________
David
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-13-2023, 10:47 PM
isurus79's Avatar
isurus79 isurus79 is offline
Senior Member
American Orchid Society Judge
 

Join Date: Sep 2007
Zone: 8b
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Age: 44
Posts: 10,292
Default

ES asked all the questions I would have! Seems like he wrote a pretty good guide to get some blooms.
__________________
Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis

Pics on Flickr

Instagram

YouTube
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
day, dilute, fertilizer, flower, lucasiana


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Brazilan cattles and others, Bela Vista list for Tamiami pre order Ben_in_North_FLA Cattleya Alliance 2 11-30-2018 07:15 PM
Yellowing on flower sheath of Paphiopedilum SillyKeiki Pests & Diseases 4 09-02-2018 03:42 PM
Laelia lucasiana var. alba Rosim_in_BR Cattleya Alliance 6 01-09-2009 10:31 PM
Laelia purpurata, another type flower Rosim_in_BR Cattleya Alliance 1 11-26-2008 03:47 PM
Project 3 - Plant List & Discussion cb977 Member Projects 283 02-07-2007 09:31 AM

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:40 AM.

© 2007 OrchidBoard.com
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.37 (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Feedback Buttons provided by Advanced Post Thanks / Like (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.

Clubs vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.