Cattleya (Sophronitis) acuensis

[naoki]

This species doesn't seem to be so common in the US. I'm wondering if people can give me some cultural advise. Among Sophronitis, this species comes from the highest altitude, and it's generally recommended to keep it in relatively cool temp. Does anyone have info about the temperature range in the natural habit? Is 84/70F in the summer too hot?

I recently pre-ordered it from Floralia of Brazil who was visiting Redland show, and I'm pretty happy with the quality of all plants from them (and it was very easy to communicate). They have lots of Brazilian species, which isn't easy to get in the US, with very affordable price. The attached photo show the initial condition. To go through Phytosanitary, the roots are trimmed as you expect, but the condition was better than expected for imported plants.

Because of the transition from S. to N. hemisphere, it flowered in a weird time. Since it's not established in my condition yet, I removed the flower immediately after snapping a couple photos, though. I wonder how the other cattleyas with distinct growing season (e.g. C. nobilior) will respond to this transition.

[euplusia]

Since you grow in Fairbanks, Alaska, the season and the increasing/decreasing light is very important to establish the plant. For me plants from the southern hemisphere adapt best if imported between march and may.
I do not grow Sophronitis exept cernua. And you did not mention if you grow them potted or mounted. In general as they grow exposed in high altitudes the nights are fresh to cold with regular mist, but the sunlight is intense and warms up the plant, but often only for half an hour or an hour and then clouds interrupt. The temperature range is between 10°C in nighttime and 30°C in daytime.
In culture sophronitis like fresh moist conditions, also moving air. They like to dry a little between watering.
There are quite a few members in our local group, who grow different species of Sophronitis successfully over years, and I have had the honour of presenting them. So good luck with your healthy plant.

[naoki]

Thank you for the info, euplusia! I got them in May, and plants are probably feeling the increasing light. Well, we don't get dark this time of the year now, so they will probably think that they had a short winter. I grow under artificial light, but they do get a bit of natural light. Indeed, today, I noticed that some of the imports did started to grow slowly after a month, but I believe that these are less seasonal species (C. violaceae, C. eldorado, C. (L.) harpophylla etc).

OK, so it probably can handle 30C day. Right now, the diurnal temperature difference is reduced because I have to reverse day and night (to avoid heat problem in the grow tent during the day). Maybe I should set up in the basement where I don't have to reverse day/night to get lower night temp.

I'm growing in sphag/clay pot and I can water every 4-5 days (it becomes almost or completely dry inside). Right now I'm still keeping it a bit drier around the roots (with high air humidity). I know that mounting is probably safer, but it's a bit too labor intensive for me.

[Brooke]

What a nice little species!

I've imported many Catts and other species from South America and have never had a problem getting them to adapt to this hemisphere. I might get a bloom out of season the first time but they immediately correct themselves.

I've even gotten deciduous types going dormant who turned around and started growing immediately with no problems.

Brooke

[SOS]

Something like C. nobilior or violacea if you were wondering about acclimating it might be easier in determining their stages in the newest growth. Both are starved of water, especially C nobilior.

At any rate, Redlands was about a month ago so you should have seen some initiation of either root growth or vegetative. That's your indication as to water and carry on as normal.

[naoki]

Thanks, Brooke. For those species with strong seasonality, I'll treat as if it is their growing season, then (or "slightly" reduce watering until I see the sign of movement).

Yes, the color is so intense, I hope I can keep it alive.

A couple links related to this species:

The_Genus_Sophronitis
http://www.cvios.com/Newsletters/New...ber%202005.pdf
Orchids, The American Orchid Society
The Genus Sophronitis

---------- Post added at 08:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 PM ----------

Thanks, SOS. I don't have lots of experience with Catt species, so I appreciate all advise.

C. nobilior (and a couple rupicolous laelia) are the particular ones which I was wondering about. C. nobilior was in a pretty good initial condition, but it hasn't moved yet. It hasn't dropped any leaves, and the front pseudobulb is fully mature now. It became "very slightly" shrunk/shrivelled since I'm keeping it fairly dry at this moment. I'll keep eyes on it and start to increase watering if I see some growth.

Does C. violacea show rest period? Since it comes close to the equator from low altitude in Amazon basin, I assumed that it has relatively continuous growth. http://www.orchidculture.com/COD/FRE..._warm_Art.html
C. violate dropped quite a few leaves initially, but it's stabilized now, and started to show root growth.

[Brooke]

Naoki I have a C violacea from S.A. and it didn't miss a beat. I don't remember what season I got it and it is blooming now. I know I had it over the past winter and gave it my typical Catt care.

Do you have active root tips on the nobilior? I do give mine a hard winter rest in as much light as I get in a winter g/h and then start watering in the spring when the root tips wake up.

Brooke

[naoki]

Brooke, C. nobilior is in 100% coarse bark in clay pot, but I haven't noticed the active root tips yet. So when you give a "hard" winter rest, does it mean that you'll keep it dry completely for a week or so? You do water a little bit in the winter, right?

It seems to live in pretty harsh winter from the description here:
Orchids of Brazil. Brazilian orchids

I've heard that C. nobilior is a bit more difficult to flower than C. walkeriana. Is this your impression, too?

[Brooke]

It was Miranda who gave me the info on the nobilior and the dry rest. He lets his go 2/3 weeks and then gives them slight moisture. He said it was OK for the pbulbs to wrinkle. I didn't ask when I should start watering in the spring but I do it when the green tips appear. Both of mine are mounted and easy to see.

My regular colored nobilior is much easier to grow and bloom than my Amalie form. I think it is my fault because I tried to grow the Amalie form in LECA and clay pot. My regular colored nobilior isn't harder or easier than my walkerianas.

Brooke

[isurus79]

Nobiliors need a really dry rest, with the amaliae variety needing an even drier rest for success.