Brassavola nodosa 'little stars'

[EDDIE]

Hello everyone

I purchased a brassavola nodosa 'little stars' from Lowes yesterday. I was wondoring if anyone out there has any experience with these and what are their light and water requirements? The label on the orchid says that it is 'easy to grow' and that it prefers bright light, but to protect from direct sunlight. I can place it in either an east facing french door where it will get good sun for several hrs. each morning or I can place it in a south window(screened) where it can receive filtered indirect light about all day (I have it there now). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Eddie...

[Connie Star]

I just ordered a Brassavola nodosa from Andys Orchids. His web site has nice short instructions on how to care for it.
I checked out the new Lowe's store near me, and they only had some pretty pathetic looking phals.
However, the local garden store across the road has great orchids, grown by a local orchid addict, so I guess I can't complain

[got ants]

Growing conditions depend on how it's planted/mouted.

I have it on hardwood mounts and tree fern mounts and water almost daily. I do recommend a shaded place and slowly move it to moderate light. Not sure about bright light though.

[susiep]

Eddie, I think you should keep it where it is for now. I recently sunburned a specimen sized B nodosa 'Little Stars' so badly that it actually died. So the screen is very good. Lots of bright light is necessary, just watch for sunburn!

Here is a picture of my poor deceased plant and one of it's tiny replacement. Only 5 years until it will be that big.

[cneos]

B. Little Stars is a cross of nodosa x subulifolia. This grex is quite floriferous - even small plants can produce a wonderful display of night fragrant flowers.
Little Stars enjoys bright light but take care that foliage doesn;t get sun-burned.

[EDDIE]

It is potted in a plastic pot--it has new growths on it and appears to be healthy. I noticed on the i.d. tag that it is dated for august of 2008, could this be when it was repotted? The growths are not growing out of the pot and I can't tell if it is root bound or not, no roots coming out of top or bottom of plant, but looks like there is drainage material at bottom of pot at drain holes, so it is hard to tell.

[cneos]

The date is probably the nursery's 'batch date'. Because it is so floriferous, even in relatively small pots, B. Little Stars mericlones are widely available.

At the Windward Orchid Society / Honolulu Judging Center holiday meeting in 2008, a member gave everyone a B. Little Stars. Plants were blooming their heads off. (I have a picture of the plants somewhere - will post when I find).

BTW, your plant may be fine but I usually unpot / repot every new plant that comes into my collection.

[EDDIE]

Thanks for your help everyone!

[tcrane]

I also recently picked up a Brassavola little stars - have it in a nice sunny area, and several of the leaves are picking up a reddish tinge. I've been reading mixed reports on this - some people think it's fine, and others say it's a sign of sunburn. Any final opinions on this?

Thank you! I'm excited about this plant, it has some new growth and I want it to be super happy.

-Tristan

[cneos]

As long as the leaves don't dessicate, I wouldn't worry about the red tinge.
I have nodosa species high in the middle of the of the greenhouse. Its leaves are tinged but foliage is lush and flowers abundant.