Sophronitis coccinea - Is it a bloom comming?

[Roberta]

Beautiful. Flower will probably flatten out and get bigger in the next few days

[rbarata]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Beautiful. Flower will probably flatten out and get bigger in the next few days

Let's hope so!

[rbarata]

2nd bloom to come...the leaf opened just today.



I have a question to those that grow these...when do your plants grow new roots? I have found contradicting information. In my plant, new leaves grew during the winter but I could not noticed abut the roots as they were covered with moss and I didn't want to disturb the plant.

I'm thinkg about ways to grow it differently but it's a challenge. The best option is to mount it and put it inside an old aquarium or any other closed container with ventilation.
My questions arise because I think growing it in a small plastic pot might not be the best for this species.

Also a factor to take in consideration are the temps in summer, as well as low humidity.

[Roberta]

I am not sure when it roots, I will have to watch it. Mine grows in a plastic basket with large bark, it is mostly on top of the "mound" of bark. So it is growing pretty much like a mounted plant. My summer day time temperatures may not be as severe as yours. Mine seems to be happy... 3 new growths, one already in full bloom, one just opened, the third just the bud(s) peeking out of the newly opening leaf. But it has been going for more than 5 years, blooming each year, so I must be doing something right though conditions are not ideal...

[rbarata]

Do you have it only with bark? No moss or sphagnum?

Roberta, if you don't mind, can you post some pics of yours? Or a link where I can see the photos?

Thank you!

[Roberta]

Here are some photos of the plant, and a "beauty shot" of the first 2 flowers.

All bark, in a basket. So it is probably drier than it would prefer, but I haven't had any rot problems, and it seems to grow OK (if probably not to potential)

[Roberta]

It was just watered this morning but is quite dry, winds are blowing and humidity is about 20%. Will likely be better by evening, i'll give another bath once the wind slows down in a few hours.

[rbarata]

Beautiful! Thanks for the photos.
Some differences from my plant...it is much bigger and it seems to be vigorous. My plant, although it grew two new growths and the blooms doesn't seem to be so vigorous. I'm somewhat worried it might need for a medium replacement as it has been constantly "wet".
The solution would be a basket, I agree, but in my conditions, only bark wouldn't be enough.
How's your humidity?

[Roberta]

The flower is big, it's 4N. Plant is quite vigorous. Right now, RH is about 20%. Most of the time, more like 40-50% during the the day, at night can go up to 80% or more when temperatures drop. Summer nights not quite as humid, days are similar. Summer nights are usually 20 deg C (68 deg F) or maybe a little more. So it does get evening cooling even if days are warm. (I am fairly close to the coast, so humidity is usually a bit better than inland, except when these easterly downslope winds blow)

[rbarata]

I keep mine indoors most of the time, in a plastic container with wet sphagnum in an unheated closed balcony where min temps in winter can be as low as 8ºC (46 F).
When it's raining I put it outdoors because the humidity is higher and it benefits from wind.
In summer, that's the real challenge...
Indoors I have most of the time 28ºC (82,4 F)....I can't keep the A/C running everytime for a single plant... but humidity can be as low as 15% during the day. Like you, at night temp drops and RH goes up.
Basically my problems are in summer during the day.