brassavola jimminy cricket vs brassavola martiana

[gravotrope]

i've tried to get them both to grow mounted to cypress wood with bark, but only the jimminy cricket grew copious roots that attached while the martiana couldnt keep active tips. this tells me that it needs more water than the jc, though i thought brassavola were highly adaptable and vigorous. if i want to grow it mounted i think it needs a sphag or coco fiber pad, unlike the other plant. i wasnt expecting it to be so particular.

whats the deal with the martiana? does anyone grow these? do they sulk when it's hot or just have a high water requirement...? i'd like it to thrive but it seems to just keep on barely surviving. new growth is coming sure but the problem is mainly with rooting. what it does is put out about a half inch root that just stops before it attaches to anything. sensitive to dissolved salts? maybe it would like treefern instead of wood? i dunno, but i'm happy it's not dead.

[katrina]

I'm growing martiana...and quite a few other brassavola species. I used to have the JC until it was lost in a storm when it was outside. I have never done anything special for any of my B species...w/the exception of making sure they have sufficient light. It's one of the reason I love them...not fussy at all.

I got my martiana a couple/few years ago as a seedling and I opted to pot it. It's not super pendulous so for my space a pot set up is easier for me to deal with than having it mounted.

I'm growing it in a tiny clay pot w/lava rock and just a tad bit of sphag on the top. In the summer it gets watered every day (either by me or Mother Nature) and in the winter months when it's under lights I water it about 3 times a week. It's growing well...good roots...even active tips now.

In the summer I have it in an area where it gets the maximum light I can give it...short of having in direct sun all day. And, yes, it does get some direct sun during the afternoon....dappled by a large maple tree.

I water w/tap water and haven't noticed any ill effects of the tap water so I would say it's not overly sensitive. I've also not noticed any issues w/extreme heat.

I'm going to say your instincts are correct and your plant probably needs more water. You don't mention how often you are watering. If you can, increase the frequency. If you can't increase the frequency, maybe try a pot or a basket w/some chunky bits of something that will help to hold a bit more moisture at the root zone for awhile longer than it's currently experiencing.

[Orchidbyte]

I got a Martiana about 2 months ago from Andy's, it was well rooted to a wood log. When I got the plant home I detached it from log and mounted it to a piece of cork, the plant had green tipped roots in original mount, when attached to cork roots went to work and attached themselves to cork, so well in fact I removed the ties holding it in place, so now it is hanging on its on. Not bad after only two months.

I also have a JC but that is in a slated pot with medium bark, plant has a great root system. I grow in a controlled greenhouse, the Brassavolas are all hanging at the top for most light.

I have every Brassavola species and several primary hybrids as well, I find them easy and tolerant of almost anything, except low light and to much water, and they like most orchids like high humidity, I live in a place where in summer outdoor humidity is around 20% in greenhouse around 70% or more. I notice that when I put them outside for summer to help uncompact greenhouse, the root activity goes down, plant will grow and flower but very little root growth till they go back in GH in fall, so the roots must like the high humidity.

[euplusia]

I agree with the above said. Despite their succulent leaves many Brassavolas (except nodosa) are fond of higher humidity and regular watering when in active growth. That's why I have more success growing them potted and not mounted.